Recent rumors suggest that the Apple iPad Air 3 will not be able to launch this year and even early next year. It is speculated that the next-gen tablet will be made available in mid-2017, and it is even rumored that it may not come at all.
It has been two years since the iPad Air 2 was revealed, and up until now, the Cupertino-based tech giant has been totally quiet about the successor to the tablet. Tech observers have noticed that the company is pacing the releases of its tablet lines. Perhaps this is due to the influx of 2-in-1 hybrids that is flooding the market, which seems to be replacing the plain old tablet. The company is getting on the bandwagon with the release of their 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and roughly four months later, the 9.7-inch version.
According to a report by Mac Rumors, Ming-Chi-Kuo, KGI Securities analyst, even suggested that Apple could introduce a 10.5-inch model of its iPad Pro to cover all the needs of the market. Kuo added that the mid-size model could be targeted for "commercial and education markets."
Kuo also mentioned that big changes might only happen to the iPad lineup by the 2018 fiscal year, and form factor revisions and the inclusion of a flexible AMOLED display panel are expected from the tablet line. However, even with the changes expected from Apple, they will not drive up sales. The tablet market is experiencing a decline, and it is not only with products by Apple. Other tech manufacturers are affected as well.
If the tech giant decides to push through with an iPad Air 3, it is rumored to be sporting an A10 processor, 64 GB of internal storage, and the iOS 10. It may not arrive with an AMOLED display, but it should retain its 2048 x 1536 pixel resolution with 264 ppi pixel density.
Other reports suggest that the alleged slate will have the following upgrades: the processor will be bumped up from A8 to the A9 chip, a 12-megapixel camera will replace the 8-megapixel main camera, and it will be generally lighter and thinner than its predecessor. It is also speculated to include three internal storage options, Touch ID, and Apple Pencil support.
