Apple is all set to reveal the 4-inch iPhone, now confirmed as the iPhone SE, on tomorrow, March 21st at 10AM Pacific Time (1PM EST), but sources say that a smaller, 9.7-inch iPad Pro is getting prepped for the announcement as well. Few details have emerged, but what we now know is that the smaller iPad Pro will have a 9.7-inch display (after the iPad Air), but will have better specs than the current iPad Air series.
In what may prove to be a surprise for some, Apple intends to give the smaller iPad Pro 32GB of storage instead of the 16GB of basic storage that comes with the iPad Air series. Along the same lines, the iPad Pro will get a 12MP camera instead of the 8MP that’s currently found in the iPad Air series, along with 4K video recording (for those who use their iPad to do nearly everything). An A9X processor chip will be under the hood, bringing what may prove to be a large improvement in the graphics scene. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro will likely run iOS 9.3, though we’ll have to wait until the announcement to confirm.
As for the starting price, you can expect to cough up the cash: the iPad Pro will start at $599 for 32GB, which runs right in line with the current iPad Air series; the exception this time is that Apple doesn’t look to offer a 16GB, 9.7-inch iPad Pro — whereas Cupertino does offer a 16GB model with the iPad Air. Apple is looking to beef up its smaller iPad (9.7 inches is now small, compared to the 13.3-inch iPad Pro) in order to boost sales, but some say that the declining tablet sales trend won’t stop anytime soon. It turns out that most individuals change phones because smartphones allow you to do a lot on the go with great portability, but tablets change as slowly as laptops and PCs: some just don’t see the need to replace them, with the average replacement rate for tablets coming in at around every 4-5 years. We’re not sure if the 9.7-inch iPad Pro will be enough to turn the tide, but Apple has brought the Apple Pencil to the 13.3-inch iPad Pro in order to attract artists. Perhaps business professionals, artists, and musicians will find the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, alongside of the 13.3-incher, to be a refreshing change.
