iPad Air 3 release date rumors: tablet rumored to arrive in 2017 as prices slashed on iPad Air 2

Apple Logo at one of its storesCreative Commons

Apple fans have not lost hope that an iPad Air 3 is currently in the works and an early 2017 launch will happen. Meanwhile, the iPad Air 2 gets a discount anew, at US$250, for a limited time.

Rumors of a possible iPad Air 3 launch are on the internet again after fans were disappointed with not seeing it during the recently concluded World Wide Developer Conference or WWDC. They were also aware, though, that the conference was dedicated solely to software and nothing hardware related would be announced. The iPad Air 3 has been expected to show up since October of 2015, The Bitbag reported.

However, there are also numerous reports that the iPad Air 2 will be the last model of the series, and there will never be a predecessor. This was the conclusion of some observers when Apple released the 9.7-inch iPad Pro last March, which offers the same screen size as the iPad Air model.

But iPad Air fans do not want to give up. The recent discount offer for the iPad Air 2 is a good sign for them. Ebay is currently listing a WiFi only 128GB iPad Air 2 tablet, which comes with a Retina display for US$449.99, which is a US$250 discount from its original price of US$699.99 The reason for the discount is it's an open box item, but the tablet is brand-new and comes with a one-year warranty with the purchase.

The description says, "The item in this listing is an Open Box in the original retail package (packaging maybe slightly distressed) The unit powers on with factory settings restored and includes the original accessories. The accessories (USB and Charger) are original and the unit includes the startup guide."

For the meantime, fans are waiting until March 2017 if the iPad Air 3 will materialize or not.