New Rumors Claim Apple’s 12.9″ iPad Maxi is in Final Prep for a March 2014 Launch
There’s still no real evidence to back up the ongoing rumors about Apple planning to make a larger iPad, but we might be seeing that proof soon.
PadNews, a Chinese gadget blog, reported today that a prototype for the iPad Maxi is being tested by Foxconn. According to their source, Foxconn is performing the final pre-production debugging with the possible intention of shipping the tablet next March. If such a device does exist, it could look something like this mockup created by MacRumors:
While there have been numerous rumors about a 12.9″ iPad, I have yet to see any real proof that it exists. As with all Apple rumors, I want to see leaked components before I take rumors seriously. That rule of thumb has worked well with almost every new Apple device, so I am sticking with it.
And in the case of the iPad Maxi, I am expecting we will see those components eventually. Yes, I am backing down from my previous arguments that Apple wasn’t going to develop a larger iPad.
A lot has changed in the 3 months since I last touched on this rumor July. Since that time Apple has released a poor quarterly report and they have launched a couple new iPhones and a doubled up on the iPad Mini. Apple is devoting more and more energy to releasing mobile devices, and I think we could see that culminate in a larger iPad model.
I know that I have raised the point that the Modbook was effectively an iPad Maxi, which meant there was no need for Apple to release a similar device, but I think I could have been wrong. An iPad Maxi priced at $800 to $1000 wouldn’t be a direct competitor to the Modbook. Those babies start at $2700 and go up from there, so a comparatively cheap iPad Maxi wouldn’t even be in the same market.
What’s your best guess for the price and specs? It’s going to have an A7 chip, obviously (assuming it exists) but how much to you think it will cost?
Comments
Scott_Tx November 4, 2013 um 12:59 pm
A maxi pad. we’re never going to hear the end of this.