Is Apple's Alleged iPad Pro Really a Good Idea? Some Suggest There's Just No Call

Apple is expected to launch a 12-inch iPad Pro hybrid later this year, but not everybody is convinced it's a good idea…or even that it will happen.

Apple's fabled iPad Pro has been the talk of the town for quite some time, but there are some industry insiders out that that aren't convinced we'll ever see the device brought to life.

And if we do, they don't think it will work out nearly as successful or lucratively as Apple and the rest of us seem to think.

It's pretty obvious and undeniably interesting idea on the whole. Apple's iPad Pro is said to be a gigantic 12-inch tablet PC that's built alongside a special docking station that transforms it into a fully-functional laptop. As such, buyers are in essence able to take home the best of all worlds – iPad plus MacBook – for one mid-range price.

Market-wise, the iPad Pro is tipped to be aimed at educational institutions and corporate buyers, while the standard consumer public will of course beat a path to its door…as always.

But here's the thing – does the iPad Pro really have any legs, or is it a case of pure hype and curiosity clouding better judgment?

Well, as far as the folks over at Motley Fool are concerned, it's more a case of the latter.

We know that Apple secured a patent to the kind of technology the iPad Pro demands and we also know that hybrid devices of a similar nature or nothing new. The thing is though, while tablet PC sales are once again expected to blow the roof off the tech industry throughout 2014, Gartner belies that the market for hybrid devices will climb at a much slower pace, improving just 5% on last year's sales.

And compared to standard tablet PCs, last year's hybrid sales were pretty paltry to say the least.

Which is where the theory begins to take shape – it's suggested that Apple really doesn't have enough justification or call for a device like the iPad Pro to push it out just yet. Educational and corporate markets haven't taken to hybrid devices nearly as quickly or unanimously as expected, so there's no guarantee the iPad Pro would be the device to make.

Of course, it's all pure speculation for the moment as Apple hasn't said a word on the subject either way. Food for thought though if nothing else – in the absence of an iPad Pro, where exactly will Apple take the iPad next time around?

Over to you…

This article originally published at HIGHLIGHTPRESS