Apple’s iPad may rule the roost by a considerable margin, but is nonetheless drawing more and more criticism all the time. Why? Simple really – even the latest and undeniably greatest iPad Air doesn’t live up to its rivals across the Android market in screen quality stakes.
The resolution of the iPad Air is quite frankly stunning, but is nonetheless bested by the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX – a slate the majority would no doubt consider an inferior imitator.
Of course, this isn’t the kind of thing Apple is known to take lightly and chances are 2014 will see some pretty big changes rolled out. And we do mean ‘big’ when we say it – analysts are bracing for the launch of the gigantic 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which could debut next summer with a full 4K Ultra-HD display.
Right now, the very best Apple is able to serve up comes from the iPad Air – 2,048 by 1,536 pixels equating to a pixel density of 264ppi. Compare this to the 2,560 by 1,600 resolution of the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 – 339ppi – and you begin to see why Apple is attracting the odd frown or two.
4K could see the iPad Pro going as far as 4,096 by 3,072 pixels, which is considerably more than you’d get with some of the very best TVs on the market today.
In terms of release date estimates, chances are we won’t heat any mention of the iPad Pro for at least a few months as the iPad Aid is still doing its things and chalking up superb sales for Apple. As such, the earliest sensible estimate falls around Apple’s 2014 WWDC event in the early summer months, which could be followed by a late summer or early fall launch as usual.
