Rumors of a 12-inch iPad just won't die.
The latest reports come from the Japanese magazine Mac Fan (via Macotakara), which has published schematics of the purported larger-screened tablet.
The magazine alleges that the iPad Air Plus, as it is dubbed, will be 7mm thick and powered by an A9 chip, and the screen will be 12.2 inches across. It will also feature four speakers for stereo sound, according to the report, and the expected ship date is between April and June 2015.
Mac Fan adds that a new iPad mini 4 will also be aimed for a spring release, featuring the same A8X processor and the same design language as the iPad Air 2.
Rumors of a larger iPad have been in the works for quite some time. Reports from The Wall Street Journal in early October indicated the device's launch date was delayed due to demand for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Although Mac Fan has a decent track record of supply-chain leaks, we're still skeptical of the rumor. iPad sales and tablets in general are on the decline, so it's unclear how a larger iPad would help reverse the situation. Perhaps more importantly, it's unclear whether consumers would actually want a 12-inch tablet.
Sure, the Surface Pro 3 is a hit, but that's because it is sold as a laptop that can be used as a tablet in a pinch.