Apple announced yesterday that the new iPad Pro can be ordered online starting tomorrow, November 11, and will be available in Apple Stores “later this week.” Because Apple is not calling the online order a “pre-order,” that makes me think that Apple will start shipping at least initial online orders right away, which should mean delivery by Friday or possibly even Thursday. As for the sales in brick-and-mortar Apple Stores “later this week,” Apple traditionally start to sell new products on Friday mornings, so I presume that is when you will start to see iPad Pro models in your local Apple Store. And you may even be able to order on Wednesday with in-store pickup on Friday so that you can be sure that an iPad Pro will be waiting for you in the store when you get there. Thus, if you want to be one of the first to get an iPad Pro, my guess is that whether you order online or shop in a physical store, you can likely get one starting on Friday.
[UPDATE 11/11/15: Apple started to take online orders at 4 am Eastern time on Nov. 11. If you opted to pick up an iPad Pro in an Apple Store, they were available to pick up the same day, and that is what I did. You could also just walk into an Apple Store on Nov. 11 and buy an iPad Pro, but quantities were very limited; for example, the model I wanted was not available for walk-in customers, even those first in line when the store opened. In many parts of the country (including for me in New Orleans), iPad Pro accessories were not available for in-store pickup, with shipping dates of 2-3 weeks.]
At the same time, you’ll also be able to order the Apple Pencil, the new stylus designed to work with the iPad Pro, and the new Smart Keyboard.
If you are trying to decide if the iPad Pro is right for you, I posted my initial thoughts after the introduction in September. I plan to get one, and I’m looking forward to learning how much more useful it is to have a larger 12.9″ screen screen, although I’m also curious whether the larger size will make the device too heavy. For comparison, an iPad Air 2 has a 9.7″ screen, and iPad mini has a 7.9″ screen.
