Microsoft's Surface Pro 4 is expected to be launched in October and if the rumor mill would have its way, Apple's iPad Pro will also be announced around that time, and perhaps even the iPad Air 3 and the iPad mini 4. This would then become quite a dilemma for those who are planning to purchase a new slate before the holidays.
Tablet buyers, in general, are not a complicated bunch of people. They look at the screen size, the processor, operating system, internal storage, display, and for some, the camera. These factors are often what bumps a device up or down the shopping list, depending on the buyer's preferences and priorities.
The Surface Pro 4, according to unconfirmed reports, will have a huge screen, somewhere around the 12-inch range (it is believed that a 14-inch variant will also be available), with a resolution of 2160 x 1440 pixels. It will be powered by a Skylake processor, as Venture Capital Post revealed, coupled with up to 16 GB RAM and a 1 TB internal storage. This new Surface will be a showcase device for Windows 10. Microsoft's direction seems to be geared toward bridging the gap between laptops and tablets, and buyers of the Surface Pro 4 will probably fall into this demand category.
The closest competitor to the Surface Pro 4 in the iPad line would be the rumored iPad Pro or the iPad Plus. This Apple device, according to reports, will boast a 12.9-inch screen with a 2732 x 2048 pixel resolution. It will be powered by an A8X processor and will carry the new iOS 9. The new iPad will have 2 GB of RAM. Even with the sketchy hardware, the iPad Pro will have the NFC and Force Touch. From this standpoint, it seems that the iPad Pro is a weak contender to the power, speed, and usability of the Surface Pro 4.
Meanwhile, the iPad Air 3 will still maintain its 9.7-inch display and will be complemented with an A8X or A9X processor, iOS 9, options for 16 GB up to 128 GB of memory, and an 8 MP iSight camera. In power and usability, again the Surface Pro 4 wins the day, unless of course portability is the motivation behind a purchase.
The iPad mini 4, on the other hand, will share almost the same specs with the iPad Pro and iPad Air 3 except for its smaller display size that comes in at 7.9 inches (1536 x 2048 pixel resolution, 324 ppi). The iPad mini 4 is also a Force Touch-capable device.
However, Apple is clearly busy hiding its plans for October as everybody is still guessing specs and release dates of iPad devices. But if these rumored specs are accurate, then it seems that Apple is maintaining its direction of making tablets as an entirely different platform from the laptop. Portability and hassle-free mobile browsing is valued more than power and productivity.
