Apple is said to be preparing an all-new size for its iPad range. A 10.5-inch iPad Pro is rumoured for release in the first quarter of 2017.

At present, Apple has the 7.9-inch iPad mini 4, plus 9.7- and 12.9-inch iPad Pro tablets. The 9.7-inch iPad Air 2 is also still sold by the manufacturer. A 10.5-inch model would bridge the size gap.

The rumour comes from Digitimes, which reports that claims come from Taiwanese manufacturers in the supply chain. They say the enterprise and education sectors are keen on an iPad of that size. The 12.9-inch is said to be too expensive for them, so something slightly larger than the iPad Pro 9.7 would be welcomed.

Digitimes also says that a 10.5-inch iPad Pro would sell around two million units in the first quarter of 2017, straight after release, with a further three to four million shifting before the end of the year.

A new, cheaper 9.7-inch iPad will reportedly also be launched to compete directly with Android rivals.

Both devices could utilise a faster version of the A10 processor in the iPhone 7. According to sources, it will follow the same naming conventions as previous mid-generation upgrades and be called the "A10X".

Previous rumours have suggested that Apple will hold an iPad launch event around March next year.