Apple Ipad tablet
IN PHOTO: An illustration picture shows application icons on an Apple Ipad tablet held by a woman in Bordeaux, Southwestern France, February 4, 2013. Reuters

New rumours about Apple's iPad Pro nearing release date surfaced anew that suggested the device is virtually designed to replace the MacBook Air - replicating the latter's numerous purposes in the fields of education, business and even gaming.

Reports, pointing to Japanese tech blog site MacOtakara as source, are saying that Apple is indeed going ahead with its planned jumbo-sized tablet that will easily dwarf over the 9.7-inch iPad Air 2 recently rolled out.

Provided specs by the same report from Japan indicated of a tablet build that is optimised for multiple use with focus on education and productivity or gaming. The latter two, however, is achievable with the use of accessories such as keyboards or control pads.

MacOtakara and other reports furnished the following details that appear to support the speculations that the iPad Pro will boast of extended functionalities compared to the iPad Air 2:

Retina 12.2-inch display screen

What could prove as the largest iPad is set to be deployed with a 12.2-inch display panel. While this deviates from the 12.9-inch profile earlier speculated, it remains close to the 13-inch MacBook Air thus making the iPad Pro suitable laptop alternative when required.

And like the iPad Air 1, 2 and the upcoming MacBooks, the supersized iPad will be laced too with Retina display panel.

Super-slim build

In order to qualify as replacement for the MacBook Air, the iPad Pro needs to be as portable as possible. According to MacOtakara, despite its overstretched screen that overtakes a regular ruler the iPad Pro will sport a razor-thin make.

In absence of the specific number, the estimate hovers around the 6mm iPhone 6 and the 7.1mm iPhone 6 Plus or likely thicker than the iPad Air 2.

Default landscape orientation

The iPad Pro's main distinction from that of its earlier iPad siblings is its out of the box orientation, which according to MacOtakara is in landscape mode. This somehow hints that the slate will most serve the purpose of users in the gaming, education and business sectors.

Stereo speakers

Also, supporting the claim of an iPad Pro in default landscape mode is the supposed inclusion of stereo speakers that are located on the left and right edges of the device.

Its own iOS version

It is likely too that the iPad Pro will be powered by what Apple Insider described as "a completely new flavour of iOS," perhaps a tweaked iOS 8 that is optimised for the tablet's jumbo screen and unique features.

Apple was originally expected to issue the iPad Pro before the end of December 2014 but development and production challenges, reports said, pushed back the tablet's supposed release in the first quarter of 2015, at the earliest.