iOS 9 Code Suggests 12.93-Inch 'iPad Pro' Could Have 2732×2048 Display

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Taiwanese iOS developer Hiraku Wang has shared further iOS 9 beta code (via Steven Troughton-Smith) that suggests the 12.9-inch "iPad Pro" could have a 2,732×2,048 pixels display at 264 PPI based on Apple's @2x high-resolution modifier. The findings corroborate a DisplaySearch report from last January, in which the research firm said that Apple had a tablet display with a resolution of 2,732×2,048 pixels and 265 PPI under development.

ipad_pro_2732
Apple's existing lineup of iPads with Retina displays, ranging from the third-generation iPad to iPad Air 2, each have 9.7-inch screens at 264 PPI, so it would make sense that the larger 12.9-inch "iPad Pro" would have a scaled up resolution with the same pixel density. Specifically, a 2,732×2,048 display with 264 PPI points towards an approximately 12.93" diagonal screen size. As a @2x display, this would represent 1,366x1,024 points as shown in the onscreen dimensions for the keyboard.

iOS 9 iPad Pro Strings

Earlier today, iOS developer Steven Troughton-Smith discovered that the new iPad keyboard on iOS 9 beta is capable of scaling to a larger size with rearranged keys, providing further evidence that Apple could be planning to release the much-rumored 12.9-inch "iPad Pro" in the future. The A9-based tablet is rumored to feature a flexible display with increased pressure sensitivity, built-in NFC chip, Force Touch, USB-C port and possibly a pressure-sensitive Bluetooth stylus.

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Top Rated Comments

MikhailT Avatar
MikhailT
136 months ago
Still at a loss as why Apple needs iPad Pro. I mean the tablet market in general has declined and what "professionals" are preferring today are hybrid devices like Surface Pro and detachable laptop touch screens. Not sure Apple truly understands that a tablet only with "casual" business applications may not be enough to kick start iPad sales again. I think Apple discriminating against hybrid devices is another poor decision that will come back to haunt them when their customer base demands an Mac Air hybrid with removable touch screen.

Apple seems to think professionals just want a bigger tablet screen, but professionals want to run REAL applications on a device that isn't based on a phone processor that can also double as a tablet when the need arises. Professionals don't want a backpack full of devices to choose from.

In this respect Microsoft was way more forward thinking then Apple. Merging their kernels into one universal OS will clearly cater to more products that professionals want, while Apple continues to fragment their OS for a bunch of add-on devices.
For all intents and purposes, the device doesn't exist. So, what's the point of worrying about what Apple's thinking here? Let Apple explain the purpose when it is out.

Oh by the way, iOS, OS X and watchOS all share the same kernel just like Microsoft. Don't confuse the top levels of the OS as the kernel.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
Rogifan
136 months ago
Still at a loss as why Apple needs iPad Pro. I mean the tablet market in general has declined and what "professionals" are preferring today are hybrid devices like Surface Pro and detachable laptop touch screens. Not sure Apple truly understands that a tablet only with "casual" business applications may not be enough to kick start iPad sales again. I think Apple discriminating against hybrid devices is another poor decision that will come back to haunt them when their customer base demands an Mac Air hybrid with removable touch screen.

Apple seems to think professionals just want a bigger tablet screen, but professionals want to run REAL applications on a device that isn't based on a phone processor that can also double as a tablet when the need arises. Professionals don't want a backpack full of devices to choose from.

In this respect Microsoft was way more forward thinking then Apple. Merging their kernels into one universal OS will clearly cater to more products that professionals want, while Apple continues to fragment their OS for a bunch of add-on devices.
You're making some broad generalizations here. What "professionals" are you referring to? It's not like the surface Pro has been lighting the world on fire in terms of sales. And iPad is still huge in enterprise.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sniffies Avatar
sniffies
136 months ago
I hope it's called iPad Fudge.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DTphonehome Avatar
DTphonehome
136 months ago
Why is the iPad Pro rumored to include an NFC chip? Using an iPad Pro for Apple Pay would be even more cumbersome than the smaller iPad sizes. If this rumor is true, hopefully it means Apple is planning to allow developers to access the NFC chip!
You could potentially accept payments from a phone on the iPad, making it a great point-of-sale system.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
blackcrayon Avatar
blackcrayon
136 months ago
Blew the chance to go 16:9. More like iPhone, 11"Air and iMac, please.
I wanted the MacBook for the retina screen, but 16:10 is such a "wrong" aspect ratio for me.
4:3 / 3:4 is a much more sensible aspect ratio for a tablet as it's designed for portait (closer to documents) and landscape. 16:9 is ok for a landscape only device... Even Microsoft recognized 16:9 was a bad idea and went some of the opposite way with the 3:2 Surface Pro 3. A long skinny tablet just seems wrong for every type of content except movies.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
a.gomez Avatar
a.gomez
136 months ago
Anything running iOS should never have the word "pro" in the name.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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