iPad needs more than a larger display to boost productivity

When it comes to real productivity, bigger is better. The convenience of being able to access and view information on the go from a smartphone or tablet is awesome, but if you are trying to work with a complex spreadsheet, or research and type a lengthy white paper, you need more screen real estate. Samsung has a larger tablet. Microsoft made the Surface Pro 3 larger. Now, reports are circulating that Apple is developing a larger model of the iPad.

Bigger may be better, but it takes more than just being bigger to provide real value and productivity. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”” suffix=””]A larger iPad, in and of itself, would do very little to boost productivity[/inlinetweet]. Apple also has to make some changes to how iOS works, and in the accessories offered to use with the iPad if it wants to be able to capture market share among business users.

I wrote about the rumored super-sized iPad in a blog post:

Apple is reportedly planning to launch a 12.9-inch version of the iconic iPad tablet sometime in early 2015. A larger iPad could be a more effective tool for mobile business users, but only if Apple also addresses a few other issues.

A bigger iPad makes sense on a few levels. Samsung, Apple’s chief rival in mobile devices, already offers a larger tablet. And Microsoft recently bumped its Surface Pro tablet from 9.7 inches to 12.2 inches. Smaller tablets like the iPad Mini or the Google Nexus 7 fill a need, but when it comes to real-world productivity, bigger is better.

A larger iPad also seems logical given Apple’s new partnership with IBM to target enterprise customers.

If the rumor is true, though, it isn’t a given that it will be a hit. First of all, the iPad is already priced at the upper end of the acceptable range for a tablet. Customers have to struggle with whether to spend $500-plus on an iPad or save a couple hundred dollars by choosing a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1.

Click here to read the full post at PCWorld: Rumored 12.9-inch iPad could be better for business productivity.