Apple is expected to deliver a big iPad Pro refresh this March, and that’s still on track despite the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, according to a new report. Supplies could be limited at launch, however, with production likely to be slow to ramp up until after April.
It has been 16 months since Apple introduced its most recent iPad Pro lineup. Today’s models still look and feel brand-new, thanks to their gorgeous Liquid Retina displays and speedy A12X processors, but fans are looking forward to a refresh. And it could be right around the corner.
A new iPad Pro lineup equipped with much-improved cameras and 3D sensing is expected to land next month, recent reports have indicated. Industry sources have now said the launch is still on track, but there’s a catch.
2020 iPad Pro production will be slow
“Apple is scheduled to launch its new iPad Pro series around March, with related suppliers already kicking off production for the model ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday,” reads a new report from Digitimes. “However, their output has started growing slowly after the extended Lunar New Year break in China with shipments unlikely to peak until after April.”
It is thought the fallout from coronavirus, which is having a significant impact on Chinese manufacturers, is also slowing production. A number of Apple’s partners, including Foxconn, which assembles the majority of Apple’s hardware, have suffered workforce and transportation issues in recent weeks.
Apple is also expected to launch other devices this spring, including a low-cost iPhone and an updated 13-inch MacBook Pro that packs the new scissor switch keyboard, more powerful processor and graphics chips, and other improvements first introduced with the 16-inch model last year.
2 iPad Pro refreshes in 2020?
The spring iPad Pro refresh could be one of two Apple has planned for 2020. A recent rumor, also from Digitimes, hinted at a second update, planned for later in the year, that could bring super-speedy 5G connectivity. The second update is expected to “significantly drive up demand” for A14 chips.
