No rumored 9.7 inch iPad Pro can replace the iPad Air, for now.

When Apple introduced the iPad Pro to the world, last year, the sheer size of the device was a shocker, more than the Apple Pencil, the latter of which were expected for some time already.

As it happens for most Apple products, the initial response to the premium-sized tablet was overwhelming, however, owners of iPad Air 2 have been a little more difficult to persuade.





This is precisely the reason for Apple to try a different route, and create a new iPad Pro with the same form factor as the iPad Air, but with better hardware, better features, and better accessories.

The big question is whether this new, leaner, meaner version of the iPad Pro will be seen as a worthy replacement of the iPad Air, also in the short term.

The iPad Air 2 was introduced in October of 2014, and no other version was unveiled ever since, for the very same reason it’s extremely unlikely that an iPad Air 3 will ever see the light of day: it was, and still is, the perfect iOS tablet.

Weighing in at 14.5 ounces, and with a form factor of 9.7 inches, the iPad Air 2 is portable enough, and comfortable enough to be used anywhere, with enough battery life to perform daily tasks like email and web browsing, almost all day long. The Retina display resolution on the sixth-generation iPad is 2049 x 1536 pixels, which is still higher than most mid-range laptops.

The specs of the iPad Air 2 are high enough to render the making of an iPad Air 3 a pointless rehash, even in 2016, no matter how much thinner, or lighter a potential new version will be.

With that said, the answer to the above question about the iPad Pro potentially killing the iPad Air 2, is no, at least for those who already own an iPad Air 2. The reasoning behind this statement is simple: While most manufacturers build devices to replace the older version of the same models from the previous year, Apple builds devices for the long run.

The logic is undeniable when thinking about the iPad 2, the iPad Air 2, and a long list of MacBook Pro and MacBook Air laptops from as far back as 2011, and still being anything but obsolete today, With that said, Apple is well aware of this fact, which is indeed by design, under a strategy of long-term profits on devices that consumers will buy, not because they are new, but because they are simply amazing products to own and enjoy.

Just as the iPad Air once replaced the original iPad, the iPad Pro is created to take the iPad product line to the next level, this time through the addition of companion accessories, such as the Apple Pencil, and the Smart Keyboard. Advanced features, mere rumors at the moment, may include a flash, and a more powerful camera sensor, as well as the same high-end A9X CPU that powers the 12.9 inch version of the iPad Pro.



