A 128GB Apple iPad is set to be launched shortly according to sources. The move to a larger memory device comes as Microsoft gets set to launch 128GB Surface Pro tablet.

While the design stays the same, the memory has been bumped up. It will join the 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB fourth-generation iPads, which Apple already has on the market according to 9to5Mac

It comes after Microsoft last week announced its plans to market a pro version of its surface tablet in the USA from next week.

Powered by an Intel x86-type processor, the Microsoft Surface Pro will run a full version of the latest Windows 8 OS, allowing it to use fully featured Windows software rather than just the slimmed-down apps currently available for Windows RT.

That has allowed Microsoft to position the gadget as a complete laptop replacement.

It comes in both 64GB and 128GB versions but, unlike Apple’s tablets, does not have a SIM slot to enable connection to mobile networks.