Apple looks to kickstart tablet sales with 12.9in iPad

Apple is reportedly developing a larger 12.9in iPad, as the firm looks to shake up its tablet line.

The 12.9in iPad is expected to launch in 2015 after a year of development, sources told Bloomberg.

No other specifications are available at this time, but the tablet isn't expected to deviate from the standard design and is likely to boast the highest resolution screen to date.

The new form factor is expected to extend the range and not replace the two current models.

An annual refresh of the iPad Air (9.7in) and iPad Mini (7.9in) devices is scheduled to go ahead before the end of 2014.

Apple has traditionally positioned the iPad as a content consumption device, suitable for web browsing, watching video and playing games.

However, it's proven popular with business users due to its email capabilities and the ability to view and edit documents on the move.

Increasing the screen size is likely to blur the line between the iPads and MacBook Air range, something Apple has avoided up to now.

Depite being the most popular tablet on the market, growth of the iPad has slowed.

The firm's tablet sales peaked at the beginning of 2014 with 26 million units shifted in three months. At the last quarterly count, this had dropped to 13 million units.

The Best Buy CEO, Hubert Joly claimed recently the tablet market has crashed and laptops are undergoing a revival. But, in a recent interview with Recode, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the tablet market is going through a "speed bump", which happens in every category.