iPad Pro Rumors: Apple's Launch Schedule Too Crowded For Its Biggest Tablet Yet, May Likely Be Unveiled Next Year

Before 2013 ended, a juicy rumor spread like wildfire throughout the Web as insiders claimed that Apple will be releasing a huge 12.9-inch iPad for the upcoming year. Tim Cook's letter to Apple employees which a focus on 'something big' didn't help either in keeping the iPad Pro rumors down. 

The rumors were so believable that it may have triggered rival Samsung to create its own 12-inch slate - the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2, which was announced as early as January, during the CES event in Las Vegas. 

While the expected iPad Pro release date drew near, reports said Apple may have shelved the device 'indefinitely' following the not-so-good performance of the huge Samsung Android tablet in the market, particularly due to its steep price tag. 

In a note by KGI securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo, as well as other sources which claim to be insiders, the Cupertino manufacturer may have stopped the development of the iPad Pro for the meantime due to its tight schedule. That is true indeed. 

This year, Apple has yet to launch any new devices and products in its laptop and mobile devices lineup. This time last year, half of the new MacBooks were also launched, and Apple was already preparing for the iPhone 5s launch. 

However, this time around, those devices are no where to be found, which makes the company's schedule to be very tight, with the likes of the iPad Air 2, iPad mini Retina 2, 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 phones, iWatch and the new MacBook Air and Pros coming up in the next couple of months.

While the preparation and development of these devices have certainly hindered the development of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, we can still expect the Apple slate to make its way to the market next year. 

According to rumros, the iPad Pro could be a laptop-tablet hybrid where a keyboard dock would automatically be included in the product. Others claim that instead of the existing iPad's A7 chip, the iPad Pro will get an Intel chip instead to boost its poweer, while maintaining portability.