Bloomberg reports today that Apple is preparing a 12.9-inch version of its popular iPad for release in early 2015. Bloomberg’s report cites the ever popular “people with knowledge of the matter”.
The new iPad will have a screen measuring 12.9 inches diagonally, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the details aren’t public. Apple currently produces iPads with 9.7-inch and 7.9-inch displays. The Cupertino, California-based company has been working with suppliers for at least a year to develop a new range of larger touch-screen devices, said the people.
Bloomberg reached Apple spokeswoman Trudy Miller, however she (of course) declined to comment on the possibility of a 12.9-inch iPad.
This could be possible. Apple CEO Tim Cook is said to be working to shake up the iPad lineup, as sales have declined for two straight quarters.
A 12.9-inch iPad could prove to be popular with business users, and could even allow Apple to get their foot back in the door with such customers as the LA Unified School District, where the program to hand out iPads to all students in the system was recently shutdown, due to – among other issues – complaints about the small screen size of the iPads.
Apple is expected to debut new models of their 9.7-inch iPad Air, and the smaller Retina iPad mini later this year, likely around late October, in order to be ready for the holiday sales season.
