iPad Air 3 Arriving Early Next Year? [Specs, Features, Release Date, Price & Rumors]

The Apple iPad Air 3 was originally rumored to have a launch date alongside the iPad Pro in September 2015. However, the next-generation tablet was not featured during the announcement, spurring talks about the reasons for the postponement.

Chinese tech website MyDrivers revealed that the iPad Air 3’s launch date may have been moved to the first quarter of 2016, specifically in March. Apple announced the MacBook Retina model in March 2015, so users are optimistic that the company will also have a new device to unveil in the same period of 2016. There have been talks that Apple wanted to focus on the bigger 12.9-inch iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4 models first, and then proceed to release the iPad Air 3 at a later time to prevent the latter from eating into potential sales, Yibada stated.

Venture Capital Post reported that the iPad Air 3 may have a 9.7-inch screen with a resolution of 3112 x 2334 and 401ppi, which is the same as the iPhone 6s Plus. The tablet may have an A9 or A9X chipset and 2GB or 4GB of RAM. The Air 3 may feature an 8-megapixel rear camera and a 2.1-megapixel front shooter. It is said to be a mere 5mm thin, but will be dustproof and waterproof. There will be different storage variants – 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB.

Alphr wrote that the iPad Air 3 may have a smaller battery, compared to the 7340mAh of the iPad Air 2. The downgrade may be due to some features that Apple integrated in next-generation models.

Tech News Today cited that the iPad Air 3 may have a resolution of 4096 x 2160 with 401ppi and a 4:3 aspect ratio. Its waterproof and dustproof features make more resistant and durable. The device may run on the iOS 9 out of the box.

DigiTimes wrote that supply chain companies are already preparing for the release of the Air 3, which will be faster and sleeker compared to its predecessor. There are also rumors that the release of the Air 3 may be due to declining sales in the tablet market, which caused a number of component manufacturers to work in other sectors. Apple is allegedly hoping that its new premium and professional tablet, the iPad Pro, will renew the interest of tablet users in the coming months, just in time for the release of the Air 3.

Apple has yet to confirm the specifications and features. The device is expected to retail at around $619 at least.