Apple launched the iPad Pro, a plus-sized tablet, towards the end of 2016 and the tech giant is marketing the product as the perfect replacement for laptop. Going by the company’s latest TV commercial for the iPad Pro, the company is confident that its product is in a position to work better than a laptop/desktop.
Latest Apple Developments
Over the last two years, Apple has considerably replaced its laptop line whereby it has upgraded its MacBook Pros and introduced a 12” MacBook. The Air seems to have been left out of these new developments since its hardware has not been refreshed in two years and Apple is yet to reveal whether it has plans to revive the Air. However, the company appears to be luring people to part with about $1,300 for a brand new MacBook or about $600 for the iPad Pro base model. Although the lines of both the MacBook and iPad remain separate on Apple’s website, the company uses the term “Super Computer” when referring to the iPad Pro.
The company’s new marketing strategy for the new iPad Pro is all about answering users’ ‘real problems.’ Apple highlights real tweets with various complaints users have had with their computers only to respond that the iPad Pro wouldn’t have similar issues. In other words, the company wants people to view the iPad Pro as the most useful and approachable computer for the average user. For example, a user who just wants to print only one piece paper, someone looking to make his/her life easier or users who don’t want to carry around heavy laptops.
Whether the iPad Pro is in a position to function like a laptop or even better is debatable. However, the company is convinced that the iPad Pro is the perfect replacement for the laptop. The iPad’s revenue has been on a downward trend over the last couple of years. This is contrary to some years back when the iPad was the company’s second-largest revenue segment. For instance, in the first quarter of 2013, the iPad pulled $11 billion plus in revenue. However, iPad’s revenue is currently trailing behind the likes of the Mac, Apple’s services business, and the iPhone.
The fact that Apple is releasing larger iPhones year in year out means that people will love to carry around smaller iPads. The iPad Pro comes with a more powerful processor and a stylus keyboard making it stand out from other iPad models and the iPhones. This makes perfect sense why Apple is pushing it as the go-to device for the average user. Expect to hear more about the iPad Pro from the company in the coming few weeks.
Apple Product Release Rumors
Usually, the company holds a product release event in either March or April. However, according to reports, the Apple product release event might come early this year. Rumors have it that Apple will hold its product launch event in the coming few days. Also, the company will release three new iPhones this year. According to MacRumors, Apple will launch three iPad Pro models in the already available 9.7” and 12” sizes as well as a new 10.5” size model. All the models will have slimmer profiles compared to the already available models.
It is believed that the company will make public the updated iPhone SE during the upcoming product launch event. The updated iPhone SE is a smaller iPhone, which is designed in the same way as the iPhone 5. However, the company has not said anything in relation to its launch plans.
In most cases, the tech giant informs the media approximately 12 days prior the product launch event. Since it is yet to do that, the event is unlikely to take place before March 24. Alternatively, Apple might decide to call an emergency press event and showcase its new devices. Or the company might choose not to hold any event. By the look of things, this is going to be a great year for Apple, which is celebrating 10 years since the first iPhone was launched. It is totally understandable if it doesn’t follow the usual script. Besides the sleek aluminum products the company is hoping to release this year, it appears like the future of computing will be more of a tablet with an attached keyboard, as far as Apple is concerned instead of the traditional laptop.
Also See: 9.7-inch iPad Pro: Will it live to the Expectations?
Conclusion
Apple is confident that its iPad Pro will replace the laptop in the future. The company is even marketing the new product in a way to imply that it is way much better than a laptop/desktop. According to the tech giant, the iPad Pro will not put people through the same problems as a laptop. The company describes the iPad Pro as a useful and approachable computer for people who don’t want to bring to class heavy laptops or people looking to do minimum printing. It is not easy to tell the best device between a laptop and the iPad Pro, and this remains to be an interesting topic of discussion.
