Apple to launch smaller iPad Pro next month

A new report from 9to5Mac says that Apple will show a new 9.7-inch iPad Pro at next month’s event. Like the original iPad Pro, this smaller model would be compatible with the smart keyboard and Apple Pencil. The difference between the two is that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro would feature numerous same specs of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, but in a smaller package.

It’s said that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro will offer the same A9X processor and RAM as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. That means that Apple will have a 12.9-inch version of its top-of-the line tablet, and a 9.7-inch variant.

Looks like Apple won’t release an iPad Air 3 after all.

The update solves the issue of iPad Pro waking from sleep randomly when connected to the keyboard.

Apple is expected to launch the new iPad Pro in March alongside the iPhone 5se, which will basically be a smaller version of the iPhone 6s and will be less costly compared to Apple’s flagship iPhones. The new iPad could go on sale as early as March 18, according to 9to5Mac.

Multiple users of the iPad Pro Smart Keyboard have noted that a software update has begun rolling out to fix connectivity issues. As my colleague Steve Kovach said in his review, “the iPad Pro acts like a jumbo-sized version of the iPad Air 2”.