Techies and Apple fans are preparing themselves for the company’s upcoming launch event later this month where several devices, including the second-generation iPad Air tablet, are slated to make their debut. Other products Apple may be showing off at the event include an updated iPad Mini, an all-new iPad Pro with 12.9-inch display (although this is highly speculative at the moment), OS X Yosemite, and several more.
Those who have been following the development of the iPad Air 2 have likely already seen several of the leaked photos and speculated technical aspects of the tablet. The pictures so far released have indicated that the next-gen device will feature the Touch ID fingerprint scanner found on the iPhone 6, as well as the possibility of a gold-colored case offering. The gold body was also rumored for a previous iteration of the iPad, but turned out to be little more than a rumor.
Some more recent photos were leaked of what is alleged to be the iPad Air 2’s motherboard. The pictures confirm previous speculation that the tablet will boast 2GB of RAM and Apple’s new snappier A8X processor, as well as confirming that the Touch ID technology will indeed be featured. None of these revelations come as a surprise, except for perhaps the A8X processor.
Former rumors suggested that the Air 2 would use the A8 CPU found on the iPhone 6, but it looks like it will actually be getting a faster one. The 9.7-inch tablet model won’t just borrow the Touch ID and A8-series CPU from the latest iPhone, however. It is reportedly similar in appearance to its smartphone cousin as well, with rounded edges and a thickness of just 7mm.
The slimmer profile and impressive technical specifications are sure to make the iPad Air 2 a winner, which Apple needs right now considering that sales for their famous tablet lineup have been lagging recently. The launch event will take place on Thursday, October 16 at 10am Pacific Time, and will be watchable online through the iTunes app.