There is no stopping the avalanche of scuttlebutt about the iPad Pro, hinting that the new Apple device is on its way this year. But if rumors prove to be true, there is a chance that the tablet would cannibalize the sales of the MacBook Air.
The rumored iPad Pro, also dubbed as iPad Air Plus, is reported to make an appearance in one of the Apple events this year. The tablet is purported to sport a massive screen of 12 to 13 inches to ignite the iPad line, which is experiencing a decline in sales. In addition, the device will be a tablet hybrid that can be transformed into a laptop using a detachable keyboard, similar to the Windows Surface Pro 3.
The MacBook Air, on the other hand, is also bound for release this year, according to rumors. The original MacBook Air comes in 11-inch and 13-inch variants, but a 12-inch model sporting a Retina screen display and Intel Broadwell chipset is reportedly on its way to production early this year.
There is even a wild rumor that the two devices will share the same release date. According to reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, the iPad Pro could be released in the second quarter or between April and June this year. A similar timeline has been given by speculators to the MacBook Air's announcement, based on the release of the updated MacBook line back in April 2014.
If there is truth behind the rumors, there is a possibility that the two devices will divide consumers. Although both Apple devices will have their respective advantages, the iPad Pro offers functions and capabilities of two devices in one. It also offers touchscreen display since it is an iPad, which could be one of its selling points. Although some expect that it may have lower computing power than the MacBook Air, the device may be capable of completing minimal tasks that some consumers could be looking for in their device. Moreover, it will be lighter and more portable than Apple's laptop.
Consumers may have to wait and see until Apple announces something official with regard to these alleged devices.
