iPad Pro release date: Top 5 features to expect in Q2 2015

Apple's iPad Air 2[Photo credit: Apple]

It was initially thought that the iPad Pro release will be late 2014 to take advantage of the holiday season, but new reports are claiming that the tablet-laptop hybrid will be announced in the second quarter of 2015.

According to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, the iPad Pro will not enter mass production until the second quarter of 2015. The release was allegedly pushed back so that the tech giant can focus on the production and delivery of new iPhones and iPads.

Below are the top five features that are products of the rumor mill and are speculated to land in the new tablet-laptop hybrid device.

12.2-inch screen display

The iPad Pro is rumored to sport a larger screen display than the current iPad Air 2. One of the most popular alleged features of the iPad Pro is the 12.2-inch screen display. Being a hybrid device, the tablet is also reported to replace the MacBook Air sporting an 11-inch screen.

Keyboard accessory 

Another rumored feature of Apple's hybrid device is a separate keyboard accessory that will transform the tablet into a laptop. This technology is similar to that of the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablet.

Better audio system 

Latest reports claim that the iPad Pro will pack a better audio system. There will be top and bottom speakers, which could be the first in all Apple devices.

A9 processor or Intel chipset

The current iPad Air 2 is powered by an A8X processor, and there are speculations that the iPad Pro will upgrade to an A9 processor considering its larger screen and other features. Others predict that the hybrid device will be equipped with the upcoming Intel Broadwell processor.

iOS 8

Although nothing is set in stone yet, the iPad Pro will most likely come with the latest version of iOS 8 along with all of its new software features like Apple Pay and Health Kit.

However, the Cupertino-based company has not commented on the rumors yet.