iPad Pro

Unlike the iPhone which is primarily released in the fall, Apple’s launch schedule for the iPad has been all over the map the last couple of years. Instead of releasing a new iPad once a year like in the past, Apple has staggered its launch schedule due to slumping sales. In 2017 the company released a new entry-level 9.7-inch model in March, and on Monday it launched its newest iPad Pro models. Here is what the current iPad lineup looks like for 2017.

So much for an Apple event this month. It appears more likely the company will surprise everyone with refreshed products hitting the Apple Store as early as tomorrow. In fact, the official System Status page declares that the Apple Online Store will be down for maintenance overnight. According to the announcement the store "will be updated and unavailable during this time." Apple has taken the store offline during previous product launches, so what might be in the works this time?

Hot on the heels of Apple's WWDC17 announcement comes another media event purportedly scheduled for March. According to Mac Otakara, Apple will host the upcoming event to showcase new iPads as well as several other products coming soon. The March announcements will likely take place at Apple's new "spaceship" campus, which is nearing completion in Cupertino.

As expected, Apple has released a little brother to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Essentially, the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro is just a successor to the iPad Air 2, but support for the Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard accessory seem to have pushed Apple to calling it an iPad Pro. However, if you are in the market for a new iPad, there are some key differences between the two "Pro" iPads you should be aware of.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) opened the week at $101.90 and continued its climb, peaking midday Thursday at $106.34. After slipping on Friday, Apple stock closed the week at $105.92 for a gain of $4.02 (+3.95%) over the five-day period. There is much anticipation for new product releases at today's media event, especially for the iPhone SE. This update to Apple's 4-inch iPhone is expected to boost iPhone sales around the globe. More headlines in the world of AAPL follow below.