When Apple Takes the iPad Pro to 14”, Does That Mean the 12” As well?

Key Points:

• I've given up on Apple ever releasing a 12" MacBook
• I will settle for a 12" iPad Pro
• The screen would be big enough for most productivity work. 

I have given up on Apple ever releasing a 12" MacBook for the foreseeable future (or in my life time). Apple's philosophy regarding hardware designs suggests that going bigger is the right path for them. I am sure they have their reasons and you cannot knock Cupertino for believing in this given Apple's $3 trillion valuation and $100 billion in net income with sales of around $400 billion in the last four quarters. 

The iPads have gotten bigger (and it’ll get bigger still and it is why I’ve started on this post). So have the iPhones. Last year, the mini with the 5.4” screen got dropped. The iPhone SE is the only smallish phone with its older 4.7” screen. Rumors has it that it will be replaced with a new SE in 2024 that comes in at 6.1”. Essentially, think of it as the iPhone XR with updated specs.

And then there are the iPhone Plus and iPhone Pro Max both with 6.7” screens. There is still room yet for these screens on future iPhones to become bigger with the form factors getting bigger as Apple push out the bezels.

Back to the iPad Pro line up. Apple will be going big on the iPad Pro as well. The two models currently come in at 11” and 12.9”. Apple has been working on an even bigger iPad Pro. The biggest iPad Pro will have at least a 14” screen. That being the case, what does this leave the 11” and 12.9”. 

Apple can conceivably keep around - giving users three Pro models to choose from. However, the more like path Apple will take is to replace the iPad Pro with 12” and 14” screens.

If I am right, the 12” iPad Pro with M3 chip is going to be my go-to computing device. I am still on my 12” MacBook from 2016. The keyboard is useable but I feel likely I am making too much compromises when I am typing. Also, the battery is half what it once was at best. On top of that, it is no longer on the latest MacOS. While Apple provides security updates, there are some dev tools that are no longer available. 

Now, I know you cannot run Xcode on the iPad Pro but I can continue to use Playgrounds to learn and test some codes. And when the time comes, I can get a Mac mini or Mac Studio for when I need more serious computing muscles for my other projects.