Apple is reportedly prepping up to unveil the much-awaited iPad Air 3 in less than two months from now.
The rumor mill started when 9to5Mac reported that the third-generation iPad Air will be on display at a special event in March.
The keynote date is set for the week of March 14th, but it could still change under circumstances. Reports also say that the new Apple Watch will also be unveiled along with the iPhone 5SE.
One of the iPad Air 3’s newest features could be a pencil-ready display, allowing users to use the pressure-sensitive stylus that debuted with the iPad Pro last year.
Business Insider notes that launching the device by March could help turn around the company’s slumping sales of its tablet line, which plummeted another 25% last quarter.
Although it sold 16.1 million iPads during the last quarter, sales of the tablet have been shrinking dramatically in recent years with the emergence of other gadgets.
Apple attempted to change that trend by introducing the iPad Pro, but the iPad business did end up contracting anyway. The iPad Pro was considerably expensive compared to other tablets, with a starting price of $799.
The iPad Air didn’t get an update when the tech giant unveiled the iPad Pro and the iPad mini 4 in September last year. Apple hasn’t given its iPad Air an update since October 2014.
Reports say that one factor having a huge bearing to the rumor that the iPad Air is in dire need of a refresh was because the traditional 9.7-inch model was neglected of updates for the longest time.
According to MacRumors, the next-generation device could adopt the iPad Pro’s four-speaker design and gain an LED flash next to the rear-facing camera.
Leaked designs of what the iPad Air 3 will supposedly look like have surfaced earlier this month on the internet further fueling reports that a March reveal is indeed in the wings.
If leaked designs of the upcoming iPad Air is true, it will have two speakers on both the top and bottom.
However, the inclusion of LED flash in the rear camera seems trivial as the iPad is not a camera device in the traditional sense.
MyDriver suggests that the device is likely to retain its 9.7-inch display with a 4k screen resolution. The Touch ID is also expected to make a return with the upcoming iPad Air.
Reports say that the iPad Air 2’s successor will be a huge step from the 2014 device. Rumors say that it will be running on a faster A9 or even A10 processor, Oxide TFT display, Smart connector, and improved cameras.
The iPad Air 2 runs on the A8 processor chip while the iPad Pro runs on the A9X processor. To complement the faster processor, the device could get more RAM too. Its predecessor comes with 2GB of RAM while the iPad Pro comes with 4GB.
The Oxide TFT display technology will allow for more uniform color and brightness, and improved contact on the iPad Air 3.
It is also rumored to adopt iPad Pro’s refresh rate technology enabling the third generation iPad Air to have a longer battery life.
If the device becomes available by March, it will likely run on iOS 9, but if it comes later this year, expect the gadget to launch with the iOS 10.
The latest Apple operating system introduced improvements to Siri and Apple Maps. It improved the multitasking function for iPads, a new keyboard, and more.
Apple hasn’t given any confirmation on the iPad Air 3 in general so it’s best to take reports with a pinch of salt until the tech giant makes it official.
Meanwhile, Apple Insider reports that along with the iPad Air 3, Apple is set to debut the iPhone 5SE. The newest iPhone is not the latest flagship phone but a mid-range 4-inch iPhone.