Apple Suppliers Said to Begin Production of 12.9-Inch Retina Display for Early 2014 'iPad Pro'

An official at an Apple display supplier in Korea has told the The Korea Times (via Unwired View) that production of a 12.9-inch Retina Display to be used in the next-generation iPad is underway, with the tablet's release set for early next year. The report states that the 12.9-inch iPad will have an improved display nearing ultra high-definition (UHD) quality, which would be significantly bigger and contain many more pixels than Apple's current 9.7-inch iPad Air.

“Apple’s local first-tier display supplier is now producing a 12.9-inch Retina Display to be used in the new iPad, which will be coming out sometime early next year,” an official at a local Apple supplier in Korea told The Korea Times by telephone Tuesday.

...“The 12.9-inch iPad will have improved picture quality. As the Apple partner intends to boost its lineup for displays that have almost ultra high-definition (UHD) quality, the upcoming iPad will provide very clear quality similar to that of UHD,” said the official.

12_9_ipad_ipads_dark

Mockup of 12.9-inch iPad next to iPad Air and iPad mini

Reports of a 12.9-inch iPad have surfaced occasionally throughout the past couple of months, with The Wall Street Journal reporting in July that Apple and its suppliers had begun testing screens for a 12.9-inch iPad and a larger iPhone, which followed a sketchy rumor in May that said Apple was launching an "iPad Maxi" to target the ultrabook market. Supply chain research done by NPD DisplaySearch in October also suggested that a 12.9-inch iPad is set for debut next year, though that report did not specify when exactly the tablet would be released.

However, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo countered reports about a larger iPad in a research note last month, stating that he expects the company will instead release a new sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPad with 30%-40% higher pixel density than Apple's current iPad line. Apple just released the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display earlier this month, with the latter experiencing supply constraints, and a new "iPad Pro" would expand the iPad family to encompass three sizes.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Caution)

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Top Rated Comments

JaySoul Avatar
149 months ago
Costing 1,999 dollars.

(For the 16gb wifi only version).
Score: 68 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Wild-Bill Avatar
149 months ago
"Make just a few things, but make them Insanely Great". - SJ


iPhone 5C (yeah, that was a success... :roll eyes: ), iPad Mini, iPad Pro, etc....

Cook needs to stop expanding the lineup. Seriously.
Score: 59 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
149 months ago
Filed under: I'll believe it when I see it.
Mac mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

iPad mini, iPad Air, iPad pro


Filed under: common sense
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MikhailT Avatar
149 months ago
I still think this is the Retina display for next year's Macbook Airs, not iPads.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
La-d-da Avatar
149 months ago
The Maxi iPad!
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmChimera Avatar
149 months ago
hmmm......
This will run iOS or OSX?

Neither. This isn't happening any time soon.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)