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Second Source Claims Apple Will Launch 10.5-inch iPad in 2017

A report from the Taiwanese supply chain emerged overnight claiming Apple will release a 10.5-inch "education and enterprise" tablet as part of its iPad line-up next year (via DigiTimes (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20161122PD207.html)). The 10.5-inch iPad is said to be equipped with Apple's A10X processor, also expected in next year's refreshed line-up, with production slated to begin next month.





(http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2016/08/ipad_lineup_2016_sides-800x167.jpg)

Apple is launching the 10.5-inch iPad mainly because 10-inch and larger tablets have been popular among enterprises and the education sector in the US, the sources said. Its existing 9.7-inch iPad may be too small and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ipad-pro/) too expensive for such procurement, the sources indicated.

A number of claims have emerged recently suggesting Apple plans to extend its iPad line-up with a new tablet dimension in the 10-inch range. Earlier this month, Barclays analysts claimed Apple will release a bezel-free 10.9-inch model (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/11/barclays-bezel-free-ipad-march/) alongside refreshed 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPads, citing its own supply chain sources, while in October Japanese website Mac Otakara (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/10/03/trio-new-ipad-pro-models-spring-2017/) said a new 10.1-inch iPad Pro would launch in early 2017.





However, today's report marks the second independent source to suggest Apple plans to introduce a 10.5-inch mid-tier iPad. In August, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ming-chi-kuo/) said the same thing (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/08/15/kuo-10-5-ipad-pro-2017/) and earmarked the same A10X processor for the tablet, suggesting there may be more substance to this particular rumor.





In addition, Kuo claimed Apple will also launch lower-price versions of the 9.7-inch iPad. Today's sources corroborate that claim also, citing Apple's apparent intention "to compete with Android models".





Shipments of the rumored 10.5-inch iPad are expected to reach two million units in the first quarter of 2017 and may reach 5 to 6 million units in the year, DigiTimes sources said.





More "revolutionary" changes to iPads, including a switch to OLED displays, are expected in 2018, according to Kuo's earlier report.

<div class="linkback">Related Roundups: iPad Air 2 (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ipad/), iPad Pro (http://www.macrumors.com/roundup/ipad-pro/)
Buyer's Guide: 9.7" iPad Pro (Caution) (http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#9-7-iPad-Pro), 12.9" iPad Pro (Caution) (http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#12-9-iPad-Pro) </div>
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Source: Second Source Claims Apple Will Launch 10.5-inch iPad in 2017 (http://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/24/apple-launch-10-5-inch-ipad-in-2017/)