Bad news for those awaiting Apple’s rumored 12.9-inch iPad — you’ll have to wait even longer.
Apple has told suppliers to delay the iPad’s mass production from the first quarter of 2015 to the second half of the year, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Apple hasn’t officially announced the bigger iPad, which would be its largest ever, but several leaks from the supply chain have suggested since last fall that the “iPad Air Plus” or “iPad Pro” is in the works.
The delay will reportedly allow Apple more time to finalize the iPad’s design, which may include USB ports and better synchronization software as Apple tries to break into the fast-growing enterprise market.
See How Tech CEOs Spend Their Money
Steve Jobs
The Apple CEO's super yacht Venus was designed by Philippe Starck's design company Ubik. Jobs spent approximately $131 million on it but passed away in 2011 before it was completed.Ed Oudenaarden—AFP/Getty ImagesSteve Ballmer
In 2014, former Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer spent $2 billion to become the owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.Jeff Gross—Getty ImagesLarry Ellison
Outgoing Oracle CEO Larry Ellison owns 98% of the 141-square-mile Hawaiian island of Lanai, which he bought for an undisclosed price. He is turning it into a "model for sustainable enterprise," he's said, though details remain sketchy.NASA/ReutersLarry Page and Sergey Brin
Google CEO Larry Page and co-founder Sergey Brin have been attending the Burning Man Arts Festival since the company's early days. There they fund a "theme camp" and how exactly the funds are used is left up to participants' imaginations.Jim Urquhart—ReutersBill Gates
The former Microsoft CEO is currently the richest man in the world, according to Bloomberg. Since 2000, Gates and his wife have been running the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In total it has issued grants adding up to over $30 billion.Pius Utomi Ekpei—AFP/Getty ImagesElon Musk
PayPal Co-Founder Elon Musk (in driver's seat) began as a Series A investor in 2004 and is now the CEO and chief product architect of Tesla Motors. The company created the first mass-produced, highway-capable electric car and is valued at over $18 billion.Robyn Beck—AFP/Getty ImagesRichard Branson
Founder of Virgin Group, comprised of more than 400 companies, Branson has invested heavily in spaceship tourism with the SpaceShipTwo vehicle .David Paul Morris—Bloomberg/Getty ImagesMark Zuckerberg
To ensure his privacy, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg bought four of his neighboring houses in 2013 for an estimated $30 million-plus in Palo Alto, California.Noah Berger—Bloomberg/Getty Images
Apple’s tablet sales have struggled lately, with 2014 marking the first year in which worldwide iPad shipments declined, according to a report by IDC. But it’s not just Apple: the global tablet market has seen a “massive deceleration” in growth as big-screen smartphones cannibalize tablet sales, IDC said. In other words, the number of tablets shipped worldwide is still going up—but less and less each year.
Here’s a closer look at IDC’s tablet market forecast:
