According to a report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will likely launch a hardware stylus to enhance the user experience of its long-rumoured 12.9-inch “iPad Pro.”
The Cupertino-based company is expected to launch a stylus in the second quarter of this year to compliment the larger iPad. In his report, Kuo wrote:
“Given that it’s more precise than a person’s fingers, a stylus can be more convenient to use than the combination of keyboard and mouse in some cases. Therefore, we believe Apple’s stylus will improve the user experience of 12.9-inch iPad.”
Kuo believes that users will not need a stylus initially, prompting Apple to launch the device as an optional add-on. The report notes that the stylus will be simple to start and future generations of the device will add features like 3D handwriting.
The stylus will reportedly use the Lightning connector to charge. Wireless charging would be the more convenient option for users, however adding that feature would likely increase the final cost of the device. The device will likely give birth to a new breed of applications, specifically for artists and for the educational market. The company has already filed for various patents related to a stylus, including a stylus that allows users to transcribe handwritten notes into digital notes that are viewable and editable from an iPad.
Several reports have noted that the device will be between 6.9 and 7.5mm thick, and will feature four integrated speakers (two on top and two on the bottom). The iPad Pro is expected to feature a screen size of 12.9 inches along with an A8X processor, 2GB of RAM, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
It is still unknown as to if or when Apple will launch its larger-screened iPad. Ming-Chi Kuo has suggested that production would begin sometime in the second quarter of 2015 due to the increased attention on iPhone 6 and 6 Plus production.
[via MacRumors]
