While it is expected that Apple will come out with a new iPad Pro 2 lineup early next year, speculations suggest that the much-awaited iPad Air 3 is also likely to make its appearance.
Apple's reported shifting of its focus for its tablet lineup points out that the iPad Pro 2 will be a three-version lineup next year, with a new 10.5-inch version joining the 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch variants. However, even with the 9.7-inch version being the smallest of the three, it will still come out with mid-range specs and features.
This leads to speculations that Apple will still release the iPad Air 3, positioning it as an entry-level Pro slate. However, there may be some who will observe that Apple will then have two 9.7-inch iPad Pros. However, a side-by-side comparison will likely place the iPad Air 3 as the entry-level slate in the new Apple lineup. Essentially, the iPad Air 3 is supposed to be a tablet version of the iPhone 7.
Should this be true, fans can expect that the iPad Air 3 will feature some of the specs of the iPhone 7, such as being fitted with the brand-new A10 processor, as well as at least 2 GB of RAM. While the A10 processor is relatively new, it will still serve as a base model variant to the reported specs of the iPad Pro 2 lineup, which is said to be featuring a new A10X chipset.
Other purported specs of the new iPad Air 3 include the same camera setup for the iPhone 7 — a 12-MP main camera at the back and a 7-MP FaceTime shooter, a base storage of 64 GB, similar color options, and water- and dust-resistance features.
However, it remains to be seen if Apple will push through with the idea. The iPad Air 3 has been waiting for far too long in the pipeline, even fueling rumors that Apple will cancel the entire iPad Air lineup. The iPad Air 3 is supposedly scheduled to launch late last year but had to give way to at least two launch events for the iPad Pro lineup.
