New 12-inch iPad Pro with 3D camera rumored for March launch

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

The current iPad Pro models come with 11-inch and 12.9-inch screens, which is why a new report has us feeling perplexed. That report claims the highly anticipated 2020 iPad Pro will be available with a 12-inch display. 

The news of the upcoming iPad Pro potentially whittling down its footprint comes from DigiTimes -- a Taiwanese tech outlet that has an inconsistent track record of Apple product-release rumors. 

"After upgrading its 9.7-inch iPad to 10.2-inch spec in 2019," DigiTimes wrote, "Apple is set to release its new 12-inch iPad Pro model featuring a rear-end three-lens ToF 3D sensor in the spring, in a bid to boost its share of the global tablet market."

Tech pundits, though, have questioned DigiTimes' "12-inch display" rumor. We, too, at Laptop Mag, have questions. 

Will Apple release a "middle-ground" version that will hover between the current 11-inch and 12.9-inch models? Will the new 12-inch model be an upgrade of the current 11-inch model? Or, in an unlikely move by Apple, will the upcoming 12-inch model replace the current 12.9-inch iteration?

Perhaps DigiTimes made a typo and meant to type "12.9-inch" instead of "12-inch." Only time will tell if Apple actually goes with a smaller display size.

The tech world is also gushing about Apple's rumored implementation of a rear-facing, triple-lens camera on the 2020 iPad Pro -- an inherited feature from the iPhone 11 series. This trio of photographic prowess should surely enhance your picture-taking experience.

DigiTimes also mentioned that a time-of-flight 3D sensor may be added to the iPad Pro's camera DNA. This mechanism heightens the device's depth perception using infrared light (lasers invisible to the human eye), which would add a new layer of technological "snazziness" to your selfies and photos.

If you're concerned about the coronavirus disrupting the upcoming launch of the iPad Pro, fear not. Although DigiTimes reported that Apple won't reach its peak production rates of the new iPad Pro model until April due to production slowdowns, the upcoming 2020 device is still expected to debut in March as scheduled. 

Kimberly Gedeon

Kimberly Gedeon, holding a Master's degree in International Journalism, launched her career as a journalist for MadameNoire's business beat in 2013. She loved translating stuffy stories about the economy, personal finance and investing into digestible, easy-to-understand, entertaining stories for young women of color. During her time on the business beat, she discovered her passion for tech as she dove into articles about tech entrepreneurship, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and the latest tablets. After eight years of freelancing, dabbling in a myriad of beats, she's finally found a home at Laptop Mag that accepts her as the crypto-addicted, virtual reality-loving, investing-focused, tech-fascinated nerd she is. Woot!