If you think the first gen iPad Pro’s claim of being a laptop replacement seems like a stretch, then brace yourself for the upcoming Pro 2.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has been busy working on a new superchip, one that has enough processing power to outperform a traditional desktop. The A10X, which is the beefed up version of the A10 that powers the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, boasts a faster, more robust processing power. The new chip will be seen in action on the upcoming iPad Pro. And if rumors are true, the iPad Pro may finally be the desktop killer that Apple claims it to be!
It was last year when the Cupertino tech titan launched the first gen iPad Pro alongside the iPhone 6S. And while the 6S became a hit, the iPad Pro got a lukewarm reception. Long before the unveiling, Apple has been marketing the Pro as a super powered laptop replacement but the idea didn’t really fly with users.
Despite having a beefed up A9X chip on the inside and outselling Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Surface tablet, the iPad Pro was considered as one of Apple’s greatest failures. It’ll be interesting to see if Tim Cook can compel more people to get rid of their laptops in place of these super powered slates.
Fueling the rumor of a super chip is a report by Dutch tech blog Techtastic, which featured the A10X’s Geekbench test results. To illustrate its multitasking power, Apple’s superchip was given a multiprocessor score of 6,588, which is a huge jump from A9X’s 4,990. This means A10X’s processing speed is about 28% better than its older sibling, making the first gen iPad Pro appear sluggish to say the least.
In addition, the newest chip’s scored a rating of 4236 for its single core performance. To compare, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus’ A10 chipset has a single core rating of 3500 and 5600 for multi-core performance. On the other hand, the single core rating of the A9X is around 3000.
It’s worth noting that benchmark tests have been used to determine the performance of all iOS products, including the iPhone 7. According to reports, the A10X benchmarks tests were conducted in August.
Apart from a super chip that’s likely to blow rivals out of the water, long-time Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo predicted that the company will come out with 3 new iPads, including a iPad Mini Pro. The refreshed iPad Pro 2 (12.9 inch) will be launched together with a rumored 10.5 iPad Pro and a cheaper 9.7″ iPad.
The premium iPad Pro slates will come with a True Tone screen, featuring advanced ambient light sensor to adjust the illumination and color intensity of the screen according to the environment. The top tier iPad Pro will also come with 12 million-pixel iSight camera and True Tone flash.
As usual, Apple went radio silent on the details (and rumors) surrounding the new iPad Pro. However, the newest iPads are likely to be launched in the spring of 2017.
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