The tech world is pretty stable at the top, where CEOs and high ranking staff at the biggest companies often stay in one place for long periods of time. However, there are still interesting moves that take place, sometimes by choice and others times, well, not so much. Such was the case for Steven Sinofsky, at least if you believe what the tech press had to say about his departure from Microsoft back in 2012.
I’m an iPad fan and have been user since the original back in 2010. And here we are. This is an iPad-centric site and new iPad Pros are coming tomorrow. Normally I would be really excited. Normally there would be exclamation marks trailing the title of this post and I would be anticipating getting home from work to get my hands on new toys. Normally, we wouldn’t find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic.
The hot Apple rumor du jour is that we will be getting a brand new 11″ iPad Pro alongside a refreshed 12.9″ version at WWDC. iPad Pro rumors are nothing new right now, as we have been hearing reports of new Pros with Face ID, no Home Buttons, and much slimmer bezels since late last year. However, today’s report from the Taiwan-based Economic Daily News adds a new twist in predicting that the current 10.5″ model will jump up to a larger 11″ screen.
Back in June, I reviewed the Logitech Slim Combo Keyboard Case for the 10.5” iPad Pro. I came away giving it a recommendation, in spite of a few flaws. It had a high quality keyboard, which I have come to expect from Logitech. However, the plasticy feel of the exterior didn’t completely match up with the expectations at that price point. The 10.5” version also ended up quite a bit thicker than it had to be thanks to a large amount of dead space between the keyboard and iPad screen, making it a bit awkward to hold.
I noted in my review that there were some differences between the 10.5” and 12.9” versions of the Slim Combo. However, since I didn’t have a review unit in that size at the time, there was no way I could go beyond Logitech’s written descriptions of the differences. Well, a few days ago I saw a 12.9” version of the Slim Combo on the shelf at my local BestBuy, and I decided to take a look for myself. I decided to write a separate review because there are actually enough differences between the two versions of the Slim Combo that my first one doesn’t adequately cover the 12.9” version.
If you’ve been thinking about pulling the trigger on an iPad Pro, today is a great time to buy. For the second time this month, BestBuy is running a $100 off special on all WiFi models of the current generation Pro.
On Monday, I asked if anyone cared about the 12.9″ iPad Pro, and many of our readers took the time to tell me that they definitely do (and a BIG thank you to all who took the time to join in the discussion). I was actually surprised at how much enthusiasm was expressed for the device. I see now that I’m not alone in preferring the larger size of the original model, and that several fellow users have some really cool and unique use cases for which the larger screen is advantageous. It’s always great to share experiences like that and learn from fellow users. The 12.9″ model may not have as much Apple marketing push behind it these days, but it is obvious to me that it should continue to have a place at the iPad table.
When the 12.9″ iPad Pro was released in November of 2015, it definitely caused a bit of a stir. A device with a larger screen than many laptops, new multitasking features, and advanced stylus support demanded that we rethink what the iPad was and what it could be. Considering that the momentum had last swung in the opposite direction with the release of the iPad Mini and its successors, the iPad Pro was a definite departure from the norm. I’m pretty sure that is exactly what Apple wanted at the time.
As we close in on the month of March, which seems almost certain to hold the promise of an Apple Event, the rumors of new iPads continue to abound. However, in the last week or so, they seem to have taken a turn. While there is growing certainty that there will be an event in March, whether we will actually get iPad hardware that soon is now being called into question.
Over the last few days, Apple has released four new iPad Pro ads that take the messaging for the line in a little bit of a different direction. Where the last ad from six months ago compared the iPad Pro to a computer by showing off ways that it could perform similar tasks, but in a more portable and easier to use package, the new commercials are all about contrasts between the two.
As we close the book on January, the rumors of a March Apple event centered on the iPad are coming fast and furious now. There are multiple reports of a new iPad Pro in a different size, an Apple Pencil refresh, and potentially some other Apple device updates, as well. With the iPad line progressively trending away from the Air and Mini and toward the Pro line over the last year, this next event should give us some clarification as Apple’s intentions for the tablet category going forward. This will be especially interesting given the continuing declines in year over year sales and profits for the iPad line that we recently learned about during Apple’s quarterly sales call.