iPad Pro -- UPDATED (again)

I'm not a big fan of unsubstantiated Apple rumors. I'm highly dubious that PicoP would end up as its first big release in an Apple Product, but this bears watching.

UPDATE 4:

Geek Snack -- iPad Pro Projector

There will be improved camera setups on the iPad Air Pro, and the projector the company will be using will be even better than those used by Lenovo in their Yoga line-up, and those are pretty darn good indeed. Besides having a projector, the iPad Air Pro will also come with a magnetic keyboard and stylus, to make the device a true multitasking beast, especially fit for office work and editing work.


UPDATE 3:

iPad Pro WILL be at September 9 event

PCMag

UPDATE 2:

A reader reminded me of this from Patently Apple. (Thanks for jogging the memory.) 

Again, please don't interpret this as a prediction being made that there will be a projector in the iPad Pro. I'm simply collecting evidence and finding places to watch for the appearance of PicoP. 

It does look very interesting though.
At Patently Apple

So some things from the recent past
Apple TV
Desk Free computer
Apple & Primesense (mentions MicroVision)

End Update #2

UPDATE: So, a friend calls after seeing this, (thank you Jason!) and is quite excited, because he recognized something about the case shown here. It puts things in interesting perspective:

The case is a case and a stand. (Which make the idea of a a USB-C port in that location seem even less likely) Here are the pictures of the case he sent me. I think he's onto something.

As you can see, the form factor of the case he has, and the one in the leak are very similar.

The cutout in the side of the flap doesn't look like much, unless you know what it does:

 

This doesn't make me sure of anything, but this combined with keystone correction (that we know SONY/MicroVision do) and this is a VERY interesting combination.

All of my previous cautions about getting too excited still stand.

by the way, if you have a comment or insight, respectful comments are certainly welcome. (I'll post everything that isn't rude or spam.)

-- End Update -- 

I am including this because:

•  a previous report speculated that there would be a projector in the iPad Pro, from a credible source. (iPad Air Pro) 
• This report relies on information from Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, who has been very accurate in his Apple predictions.
• The additional opening is in an optimal location for a projector
• The additional opening is credited to be for a USB-C connector, but it is (in my opinion) not an optimal location for a USB-C connection, and it seems, (particularly in the second image) to be significantly larger than it would need to be for a USB-C connection.

Again this is simply something that I'm going to watch, I've listed above the reasons I'm going to watch it much more closely.

knowyourmobile.com

Openings for stereo speakers on the bottom and top of the case, as well as an additional opening on the left side for an additional Lightning or USB-C port indicate this could be the real deal. The cases are also remarkably similar to the ones Sonny Dickson leaked last week. 

And then there's this spurious beauty from China's Weibo network...

iPad Air Pro -- UPDATED

This is a rumor, so far, based on leaks. Please take this with that grain of salt.

It is however the kind of rumor and the kind of leak we've been waiting for. If this is a SONY PicoP component going into the iPad, that would be fantastic. If not it will still get us significant attention if this rumor gets legs, and especially if it pans out. 

Again, this is a small bit of information in a large sea of it. It will be interesting if it pans out, but there are no guarantees. The wording of this leads me to give it reasonable credibility... November is a long way off.

UPDATE (7-23-15)
Further support for the existence of this iPad (but perhaps not support for the projector.) IT does give this further credibility.
From Business Insider
From Wall Street Journal


From GeekSnack -- there's a lot more to the article than the paragraphs I've pulled below -- go check out the original article

The iPad Air Pro release date coincides with that of the iPad Mini 4 and another mysterious device, which might be a new iPad Pro or a new Mac. The third device is a mystery, as there are only a few unofficial statements from people saying they’re “insiders” or “close to the matter” stating that three big launches are to be expected this Fall. The iPad Air Pro release date is tipped for November, although that does refer to the public release rather than the launch event itself. The iPad Air 3 as some might call it will most likely be launched in October, after the iPhone 6S or iPhone 7 release concludes.
There will be improved camera setups on the iPad Air Pro, and the projector the company will be using will be even better than those used by Lenovo in their Yoga line-up, and those are pretty darn good indeed. Besides having a projector, the iPad Air Pro will also come with a magnetic keyboard and stylus, to make the device a true multitasking beast, especially fit for office work and editing work. Specifications will be over the roof, but there’s no word on whether Apple plans to innovate in the battery life department as well. Adding a projector to the mix will surely bring up power consumption in the iPad Air Pro, which might be a challenge to resolve.

Our sources tell us not to expect the iPad Air Pro price to be below $1500, which is quite a lot to pay for a tablet. But it’s a reasonable price for a convertible, which is why we’re leaning towards the belief that Apple is going to approach a new type