14 DAY TRIAL // A report from Bloomberg today reveals that Apple has plans to introduce a new color option for its next iPad refresh: gold.
The move would bring the iPad range on par with the iPhone line of smartphones, where customers have three color options: Silver, Space Gray, and Gold.
“People familiar with the plans”
The info comes from the usual people-familiar-with-the-plans who asked not to be identified because of reasons too obvious to even bother mentioning. However, the leak seems solid and the iPads could be unveiled in a matter of weeks.
“New versions of the company’s 9.7-inch iPads, anticipated to be unveiled this month, will include gold as a choice of color for the rear metal cover, adding to the silver and gray available for the lighter iPad Air...”
A new color for a new iPad
Apple can’t just iterate the iPad Air by coating it differently and leaving the specs intact. As such, the iPad Air 2 is believed to include a faster processor, more RAM and more GPU power, and at least the same 10 hours of battery life that the company has been advertising for its tablets since day one.
The iPad Air 2 is not expected to include any major design changes. While the iPad 2 differed from the iPad 1, iPads 3 and 4 retained the design from the second-generation model. Moreover, iPad Air borrowed its design from the iPad mini.
However, there are also some rumors that iPad Air 2 – essentially the fifth generation of Apple tablets – will now adopt the curvy lines of the iPhone 6. It wouldn’t be unheard of, and it’s something that will undoubtedly help spur even more sales.
iPad Pro in 2015
At Apple, there are also plans on the table to introduce yet another new type of iPad to the market. A larger version with a display that measures 13 inches (33 centimeters) on the diagonal and is geared towards the business sector. It’s unclear what this iPad will be called, but there’s a good chance Apple will name it Pro or Plus (like the MacBook Pro or the iPhone 6 Plus).
The same report mentions the bigger iPad as well. RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani tells the news agency that “The more important milestone will be the introduction of a larger iPad [...] because it would appeal to new types of customers, particularly business people.”
The device will have a 12.9-inch screen and will see the light of day next year, according to people briefed on the plans.