Latest Rumor: Apple iPad Pro With 4K Display Now In Development By Foxconn

When Tim Cook says Apple has "Big Plans" for 2014, perhaps what consumers can look forward to is the ultra high resolution in their new products.

According to latest rumors, Apple will be producing the "iPad Pro" with a 4K Retina display. There are reports coming from supply chains in China claiming that Foxconn has already display a model for the 12.9-inch 2K iPad Pro, and is currently developing the 4K model and the display resolution could be 4096x3072 pixels.

As of now, the iPad Air's Retina Display has a resolution of 2048x1536 pixels, which already qualifies it as a 2K display, and it's only a matter of terminology whether to call it Retina or 2K.

During the end of 2013, Samsung UHD TV went on sale in Walmart, and they had displays of 65" or 85", with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels. Which means Cook's "Big Plans" could be the creation of a handheld device that had a display in the same range in terms of resolution. If Apple is to be 'years ahead' of its competitors, perhaps a handheld 4K display would do it.

To Apple, the greatest challenge would be to manufacture the iPad Pro with a 4K resolution that was still as thin and mobile as the iPad Air. This will be an essential design feature for the iPad.

The current iPads distinguish itself from all the other tablet computers in two ways: Firstly, the look and experience of iOS 7 is superior according to many people's tastes, but secondly it is the form of the iPad Air, being as thin as it is, makes all the other tablet computers look chunky. If Apple wishes to keep its differentiation from its competitors, this design feat must be maintained.

If we were to ask the more essential question: Other than watching high resolution movies, what would you do with an insanely high resolution iPad? Well, Duke University researchers are developing a 1 billion pixel camera that would capture photos with incredible details. Other than that, with breakthroughs in medical imaging and virtual 3D models, the high resolution just might be useful in such 'Pro' situations.