Consumers looking for a bigger tablet might be able to grab an upsized Apple iPad before the first half of 2014, if rumors are to be believed.
The tech world is buzzing about a 12.9-inch iPad, dubbed iPad Pro, puportedly in the works with reports from Korea revealing that the colossal display for the new tablet is already being manufactured by a local supplier.
The Korean Times reported that the new product will sport an ultra-high definition screen similar to what big screen TVs use. Apple has not commented about the rumors, which surfaced after the Korea Display Industry Association disclosed that Samsung Display is developing 10 and 13-inch displays meant for Galaxy tablets due for launch next year and in line with the goal of Samsung to conquer the tablet market.
"Apple's local first-tier display supplier is now producing a 12.9-inch Retina Display to be ursed in the new iPad, which will be coming out sometime early next year. That display is now being manufactured by the supplier's plant in Korea," said an official of the Apple supplier when interviewed over the phone by The Korea Times on Tuesday.
"The 12.9-inch iPad will have improved picture quality. As the Apple partner intends to boost its lineup for displays that have almost ultra high-definition quality, the upcoming iPad will provide very clear quality similar to that of UHD," added the source familiar with the said display production.
The Wall Street Journal also reported about the possibility of a bigger iPad as early as July when a local supplier of Apple in Korea revealed to the publication that the iPhone and iPad maker was testing screens for its product lineup.
"The tests with suppliers suggest that Apple is exploring ways to capture customer interest in smartphones and tablets from competitors that come in various sizes. Its biggest rival in the tablet and smartphone markets, South Korea's Samsung, offers products with different features and sizes in what its executives say is an effort to appeal to as many customers as possible," the WSJ report stated.
While one must treat rumors like this with a pinch of salt, Apple enthusiasts can also link it to earlier reports that Apple intends to introduce an iPad that can replace the laptop. With the introduction of the iPad Air in October, there is a possibility that an iPad Pro is in the works.
