'iPad Pro 2' rumors: Apple to go 'radical' and 'revolutionary'

Apple is set to undertake the first massive overhaul of its tablet lineup in years as the company eyes on expanding its marketing reach from the consumer to enterprise and education markets. Reputable tech industry analyst Ming-chi Kuo at KGI Securities mentioned in his research note to investors that the Cupertino-based giant is likely to implement a slew of iPad design makeovers that are "radical" and "revolutionary."

"Revolutionary iPad model likely to be introduced in 2018F at the earliest, with radical changes in form factor design & user behavior on adoption of flexible AMOLED panel," Kuo predicted as reported by Apple tracking blog MacRumors.

With these changes, Kuo believes that iPad inevitably go the way of iPhone's adoption of active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) flexible displays. Apart from design overhaul, Kuo also noted that the tech giant will add three variants next year to its current iPad Pro lineup: 10.5-inch, 12.9-inch, and a budget 9.7-inch model.

The industry leakster, however, cautiously estimated iPad shipments within a realistic range of 35 million to 45 million units from the previous 45 million to 50 million forecast. The lack of new models released this year and Chromebook's recent incursion into the education market drove him to cut his sales forecast for iPad down, Apple Insider reported.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has just slammed Apple's attempt to recast iPad Pro as a legitimate full-fledged computer in an attack ad that highlighted the tablet's alleged inferiority to the Windows maker's Surface Pro 4 hybrid.

In a report by The Verge, the commercial claimed that the iOS device doesn't have the requisites of a fully-functioning computer such as an Intel processor, USB ports, track pad, and full Office version. The attack ad comes at a time when Apple is making a sales pitch of its products to enterprise users amid an ongoing global slump in consumer demand for smart devices.