Release of new 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models reportedly pushed to May or June

Apple is widely expected to hold a media event next month to announce new iPads and perhaps refreshed iMacs and other products. A new report from Digitimes reiterates much of what we already know about Apple’s planned iPad refresh, including the launch of new 9.7-inch, 10.5-inch, and 12.9-inch models.

The report notes, however, that the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch models may not ship until May or June…

The report cites industry sources who claim that the 10.5-inch and 12.9-inh iPad Pro models won’t actually hit retail shelves until May or June, thus affecting the performance of supply chain companies like TPK Holding, General Interface Solution, and Foxconn.

Originally, the plan was for three new iPads to be released in the first quarter of 2017, but the delay for the new iPad Pro models pushes them into the second quarter.

Vendors have hoped that at least one of the two large-size tablets, 10.5-inch iPad or the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, will be released in the first quarter of 2017 along with the entry-level 9.7-inch iPad.

However, the sources said that they are now more certain that both of the planned two large-size models will not come until May-June, thereby affecting first-quarter sales of supply chain makers.

As for what we can expect with the new iPads, an investor note from KGI claimed that the 12.9-inch iPad Pro would be an iterative update over the first generation model. The star of the show, however, is expected to be the new 10.5-inch model that features narrow bezels and thus similar form factor to the 9.7-inch. The 12.9-inch and 10.5-inch models are expected to feature the A10X processor, while the entry-level 9.7-inch model will use the A9 processor.

Apple’s iPad lineup has faced declining shipments for a while now and the company hopes to combat that with its refresh this year. New software features for the iPad are also expected at some point, something that may help more than the actual hardware refresh. As for specifics, we’ll have to wait and see.

What do you think of the rumors concerning Apple’s iPad lineup for this year? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments.