For several years, there have been rumors that Apple is developing a bigger version of the iPad and if rumors turn out to be true, then this year will finally see the device's release.

The recent rumors about the iPad Pro point to the tablet having a 12.9-inch flexible display. This particular piece of information emerged from suppliers in Asia who described how the flexible touch panel will allow for the device to come with Force Touch technology — a feature senses whether the user is pressing down hard or is exerting a lighter pressure.

However, this rumor also indicates that the flexible display samples had just been put into production, which means the iPad Pro will only be released in 2016.

More recently however, MacRumors states that Apple is not sure whether the device would become popular with customers, which is why the company refrained from placing large orders of components with suppliers. Also, the fact that the global demand for tablets has dropped significantly over the years has played into the company's cautious approach.

Meanwhile, others have taken to pouring through the beta code for iOS 9 which points towards the keyboard being scaled to a much bigger size. This, according to many industry pundits, indicates that a bigger iPad model is in the works.

As for the release date, rumors suggest that it would be launched in November as Apple is expected to start the production of the device in September.

In terms of other features and hardware on the device, the iPad Pro is expected to come with a Bluetooth enabled stylus and an NFC chip which will allow the device to function as a payment terminal. It reportedly will come with the latest A9 version along with 2 GB of RAM.

Unfortunately, all news involving the bigger iPad remains unconfirmed as the company has never even acknowledged the existence of the iPad Pro.