iPad Pro Planned For September 9th
The “iPad Pro” (which is actually the planned name of the device) is currently scheduled to hit retail outlets in November, following a pre-order campaign that will launch toward the end of October, sources indicate. While whispers within Apple point to the MacBook-sized tablet making its debut on next week’s stage, it is possible that Apple could still hold back the larger iPad for an early October event given the currently planned November ship date. Following recent announcements of Apple iOS enterprise collaborations with Cisco and IBM, sufficient component availability to meet anticipated year-end demand appears to be the only question mark at this point.
Announcing early in September for a November launch sounds weird the first time you read it, but does make a lot of sense. It gives developers time to adapt to the new features of the iPad Pro such as adoption of pressure-sensitive drawing. At the most basic level, apps will need reworking to take advantage of a larger ~12 inch canvas.
As the iPad Pro is the first in its line, there’s no Osbourne effect at play. Announcing the iPad Pro early is unlikely to affect Apple sales in the interim period. It also gives Apple a window to start promoting the iPad Pro to businesses before they go on general sale. Enterprise purchase have lead times: it’s not like the consumer market where there will be people ready to buy the new iPhone as soon as its available.
I can see why they want to announce now but it comes at a cost. Its another thing they have to talk about in their presentation, something that was already expected to be jam-packed. Gurman says his sources describe at as an “unprecedented blitz of product announcements”. The way I read that, its a kinder way of saying that there will be rushed announcements.
I really wish Apple would spread out their announcements more. They have an entire year to play with but shove eighty percent of their new products into two months of the year. I’m not suggesting they should host an event every month. Even just adding one more regular event to the schedule in say, January, would help relieve the pressures of the fall lineup.