Rumored 12.9-Inch 'iPad Pro' May Include More Powerful A8X Processor - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Rumored 12.9-Inch 'iPad Pro' May Include More Powerful A8X Processor

Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro tablet is rumored to be landing as soon as early 2015, with the latest report from Taiwan's TechNews (via G For Games) suggesting the tablet will feature an improved A8X processor. Similar to Apple's previous A5X and A6X processors, the A8X would presumably be an graphics-enhanced version of Apple's current A8 processor that debuted in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

ipadpromockup
Apple shifted away from using an "X" version of its base iOS device chip last year, opting to power the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini with the same A7 chip found in the iPhone 5s, albeit clocked slightly faster on the iPad Air. But with a higher-resolution "iPad Pro", the graphics needs are likely high enough to require an enhanced main chip.

In its recent report, TechNews also reiterates its previous claim that Apple's iPad Air 2 will feature 2 GB of RAM. This increased RAM would be a boost from the 1 GB present in both the current-generation iPad Air and the company's new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus handsets. It also may serve to set the iPad Air 2 apart from the next Retina iPad mini, which is rumored to keep its current 1 GB RAM configuration.

While the iPad Pro may land next year, Apple's iPad Air 2 is expected to be introduced sometime in the coming month. The new tablet may launch in time for the holiday shopping season with a redesign possibly including marginally a thinner body, redesigned speaker grille and other improvements such as Touch ID.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)

Popular Stories

imac video apple feature

Apple Released Yet Another New Product Today

Friday March 20, 2026 2:39 pm PDT by
Apple has unveiled a whopping nine new products so far this March, including an iPhone 17e, iPad Air models with the M4 chip, MacBook Air models with the M5 chip, MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, the all-new MacBook Neo, an updated Studio Display, a higher-end Studio Display XDR, AirPods Max 2, and now the Nike Powerbeats Pro 2. iPhone 17e features the same overall design as...
iPhone 18 Pro Deep Red Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Wednesday March 18, 2026 7:39 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another six months or so, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component...
ios 26 4 pastel

iOS 26.4: Top 10 New Features Coming to Your iPhone

Friday March 20, 2026 2:44 pm PDT by
iOS 26.4 isn't the major update with new Siri features that we hoped for, but there are some useful quality of life improvements, and a little bit of fun with an AI playlist generator and new emoji characters. Playlist Playground - Apple Music has a Playlist Playground option that lets you generate playlists from text-based descriptions. You can include moods, feelings, activities, or...

Top Rated Comments

sshambles Avatar
150 months ago
4 bend jokes in a row there. How original! :rolleyes:
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
150 months ago
I can't wait to watch porn on this thing.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
McFreggle Avatar
150 months ago
*sigh*

I guess we'll have to learn to live with the "will it bend" "joke" with every Apple-related news item in the coming weeks. :(

Oh well. At least nobody's asking if Safari runs snappier on it.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
150 months ago
calling it now.. only 1GB of RAM
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ombrenelcielo Avatar
150 months ago
But the real question is: will it bend?
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bushido Avatar
150 months ago
i will probably get flamed for this on here but its useless if they wont re-design iOS to take full advantage of bigger screens with adjusted features in the future.

lets face it our iPads basically run the iOS of a 3.5/4.0 device (i mean just look at the damn folder layout) and even the iPhone 6 / 6+ doesnt add much more functions than being able to read more at the same time.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Related Apple News: Health | Iphone | Culture | Travel | Reviews