We might soon be seeing an iPad Pro 2 tablet from Apple, with the first photos allegedly showing the device already surfacing online.
The iPad Pro stirred a great deal of hype last year, introducing more powerful specs and features for power users. Apple initially released a large 12.9-inch model, followed by a 9.7-inch version later on.
Newly leaked images now purportedly show the next-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro, presumably launching as the iPad Pro 2. The photos were allegedly taken by an employee at Apple's Asian supply chain and sent to Apple-centric publication AppleInsider.
An anonymous tipster sent the two images on Sunday, claiming they come from within a Chinese supplier working on the next iPad Pro model set to enter production in late September, reveals the publication.
The photos show what looks like a new iPad with an unknown device identification number, indicating that Apple is gearing up to start production on new generation. The model number is MH1C2CD/F, which is not assigned to any past or current iPad models.
Nevertheless, the identifier follows the device numbering convention Apple typically uses. According to AppleInsider, this "applies derivatives of order number ML0G2LL/A — ML3N2LL/A for cellular models — to existing 12.9-inch iPad Pro iterations."
Of course, falsifying a device identifier would not be impossible, so the publication cannot guarantee the authenticity of this leak and information.
That said, considering Apple's typical release schedule, a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro should hit the market sometime this fall, one year after the original iPad Pro made its debut.
If these leaked photos turn out to be accurate, it would seem that the unit is a pre-production one, or a prototype device. The slate seems to have only 12 GB of native storage, for instance, which would be the minimum for loading an OS and applications for hardware debugging and internal testing.
The images also reveal an OS build number that would fall in line with Apple's latest iOS 10 beta, released earlier this month to developers.
No other information is currently available at this point, as the images offer no additional details regarding screen size, design, hardware features or anything else.
Nevertheless, Apple is expected to pack a faster processor (likely A10X), an upgraded camera, True Tone display technology and more enhancements in its 2016 iPad Pro refresh.
As always, we'll keep you in the loop as soon as more details hit the surface, but take all leaks with a grain of salt in the meantime.
