14 DAY TRIAL // The hybrid-iPad rumor is back. Despite Apple vehemently denying that they’re working on such a thing, sources in the upstream supply chain are convinced that the company is targeting a 2015 release.
Citing the usual industry sources, DigiTimes claims to have heard that “Apple has two 12.9-inch tablet prototypes in development: one is a 2-in-1 device and the other is a regular tablet.”
Sniffing out the clues
Rumored to enter mass production in early 2015, the tablets would go head-to-head with existing enterprise-grade solutions offered by the likes of Microsoft and Samsung.
In fact, the rumor seems to be based on feeble observations by analysts in the far east who noticed that “Apple's Mac OS 10.10 Yosemite, unveiled at WWDC 2014, showed many features that are very similar to those seen in iOS such as calendar, notification center and phone function.”
Yes. It’s called Continuity, and it’s something Apple implemented to further bridge the gap between its devices. It’s not necessarily evidence that a hybrid OS is on the way.
The sources also observed that Apple had applied patents that seemed to suggest the upcoming release of Siri for Mac.
Not much to go on
As you can see, there’s nothing solid to support this rumor. Such as a piece of hardware, a newly-forged partnership with a supplier, or anything in between. Just some “what-if” industry chatter that has been corrugated into a so-called news story.
It’s worth noting that the Taiwanese trade publication dishing out these rumors has a track record spotted with inaccuracies. Which is concerning for a source that claims to offer good advice for investments.
Never say never
That being said, it’s also quite possible that Apple is indeed working on such a thing. The company is known to backtrack on some of its decisions when the situation calls for it. A good example is the introduction of the iPad mini in 2012. Jobs himself had shot down rumors of the device coming into existence not long before his death.
The Apple Watch is also a recent addition to Apple’s agenda. If the technology sector morphs into a place where 13-inch slates suddenly start to make perfect sense, you can bet Apple will want to be a top player in that category. So far, however, there is little indication (in terms of actual leaks) that the company is rapidly moving towards releasing such a product.