Feb 15, 2017 07:42 AM EST By Lucy McClaren, UniversityHerald Reporter

The iPad Pro 2 may have a 10.5-inch model, which indicates Apple's move to edge closer to the Macs than the iPhone as it seeks to tap the professional market. The latest Apple tablet could be the supercomputer that Apple advertised if it has productivity features that go beyond its skinny bezel looks.

The iPad Pro has been suffering from a decline in sales as more people have discovered its many shortcomings as a productivity tool. The device has not been embraced by professional users despite its productivity-minded accessories like the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard. It is clear that the Cupertino-based giant needs to rethink its whole Pro lineup starting with the iPad Pro 2 in order to deliver on its earlier claims.

Renowned analyst, Ming -Chi Kuo has provided some interesting reports that the iPad Pro 2 will have a 10.5-inch model along with ultra thin bezels. The new iteration will inevitably put the 9.7-inch in a low-cost category and may be indicative that the iPad mini may be killed altogether. The large design affirms Apple's new direction of making its Pro lineup more Mac than an iPhone.

Apple has been advertising the iPad Pro as a supercomputer, but it has not yet delivered on that promise. To start, the tablet still runs on iOS which is intrinsically made for a smartphone. Apple has efficiently integrated tablet-centric features and improved multitasking with Split View, Slide Over or Picture in Picture. However, the large screen can still be optimized in the iPad Pro 2 by scrapping the grid icon and then adding some functional widgets like a notepad or a calculator, which are regular tasks that do not require a full screen.

Another useful addition would be to fit in the iPad Pro 2 with a USB-C port. Though Lightning has served its purpose, the USB-C is just as efficient and versatile. This inclusion can align the tablet to the MacBook as well as give it access to a wide array of accessories, hubs, and even monitors. Apple could even permit desktop drivers and other accessories to work with iOS according to MacWorld.

The Pencil Pusher may also be improved and made to appeal not just to artists. The iPad Pro 2 will be more productive with the integration of the Inkwell-type handwriting recognition technology to help writers particularly in applying a system-wide annotation. The same thing goes with the addition of a Magic Trackpad in the keyboard. This could be in the form similar to a Touch Bar or any kind of keyboard-based navigation that makes the iPad usable to professionals.

Lastly, the iPad Pro 2 could do with a revamped Smart Keyboard although the existing one has contributed much to its usability. Earlier this week, a patent for the Smart Keyboard 2 has been published with some new interesting features. It now has the "share" key for easy access to email, messaging, facebook, printer and more and the "search" key that pulls up a menu for the Settings, photos, camera, calendar, notes and the likes. Tapping the same key many times will also launch Siri plus another key for new emojis, Patently Apple reported.

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