iPad Pro 2 release date, specs news 2016: model to be positioned as a laptop alternative; will it also have a Smart Keyboard?

Catherine Salvador Monday, December 12, 2016

The current Apple iPad Pro was displayed during an Apple media event in San Francisco, California, September 9, 2015. | Reuters/Beck Diefenbach

Aside from iPhone 8, Apple enthusiasts are looking forward to the possibility of iPad Pro 2, though the latter device has yet to be announced. However, according to the latest rumor, the Cupertino-based company is apparently gearing up for the availability of iPad Pro 2.

This year, Apple fans have witnessed the release of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro in March and they started speculating about the tablet's availability on the shelves. Some believe that the device will become available in March 2017, but the company has yet to reveal its plans.

According to the latest rumor, Apple will initially manufacture two million units, but it may manufacture about five million to six million, depending on the demand for the device. The device is said to come in three variants: 9.7-inch, 10.9-inch and 12.9-inch display sizes.

Under the hood, the iPad Pro 2 is expected to be installed with a new processor, allegedly the A10X Fusion. This is said to be a huge leap from the current model, which has an A9X processor. The current model also as 4 GB of random-access memory (RAM), but the anticipated model may come out with a 6 GB of RAM.

Sources say that the increase of RAM size is beneficial to the future owners of iPad Pro 2 as it may be launched as a powerful alternative to laptops. The first iPad Pro model has a Smart Keyboard that users can also use for PC-related tasks. However, according to Value Walk, the keyboard did not perform well in the market.

Just like what people expect of the iPhone 8, iPad Pro 2 is believed to have an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display as well. The display will reportedly have its own light emission due to its ambient light sensors. It also does not require more power consumption so the device can preserve its battery life.

Other alleged specs include the removal of the home button, a bezel-less technology, 12-megapixel back-camera sensor, 4K video function and TrueTone Flash.