The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is pretty enormous when it comes to tablets. It’s certainly the biggest (and perhaps, for that reason, best) Apple slate, and being the only model to pack a mini-LED display, it’s arguably the best option out there for artists. But if rumours are to be believed, it could be dwarfed by what Apple has planned next – and I’m not sure how to feel about it.
We’ve heard tell for a while that Apple is working on iPads with even larger displays, potentially even matching the largest MacBook display at a whopping 16 inches. And now, a new report has suggested it could arrive as soon as next year. (For the lowdown on the latest model, check out our iPad Pro M2 review).
According to a new report from The Information (opens in new tab), Apple is planning to further blur the boundaries between tablets and laptops with an enormous new 16-inch iPad Pro – and it hopes to release it “in the fourth quarter of next year”. And with the Apple Watch Ultra announced last month, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the name iPad Ultra next year.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard about a whopper of an iPad. Last year, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said Apple “has engineers and designers exploring larger iPads” which could “blur the lines between tablet and laptop”. Indeed, while accessories like the Magic Keyboard have helped the iPad compete with laptops, screen size is one of the biggest drawbacks for creatives who need plenty of screen real estate.
It’s easy to imagine how a larger iPad could benefit graphic designers. While the current top-spec iPad Pro is already incredible (check out our M1 iPad Pro (12.9-inch) review), a larger digital canvas can only be a good thing. That said, it would no doubt come at the cost of portability – even the new iPad 2022 (opens in new tab) is pretty heavy when paired with a Magic Keyboard Folio, and we can’t see a 16-inch iPad being easily tossed into a tote bag. The size and weight of this thing already sounds a little scary.
Time will tell if an even bigger iPad is indeed on the way – but one thing’s for sure, it’ll prove divisive. And Apple’s recent product line-ups have proven that the company is very much intent on going big, with the iPhone mini jettisoned in favour of the iPhone 14 Plus. That said, the new giant iPhone isn’t exactly faring well.
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