Apple’s iPad Air 3 may not see a UK release until later in 2016 but plenty of rumours have already leaked online. Here’s what we know about the iPad Air 3 specs, features and UK price/release date, in a nutshell.
Apple iPad Air 3: Design
One of the biggest question marks for the iPad Air 3 surrounds Apple’s 3D Touch tech, which debuted in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. 3D Touch is a clever touchscreen feature that measures how hard you poke the display, performing different actions for soft and hard prods.
However, these 3D Touch displays are reportedy slowing down the production process quite seriously – probably one of the main reasons why the iPad Pro didn’t bother supporting the tech. Hence, unless Apple can sort out its production issues in the next few months, it seems unlikely that the iPad Air 3 will be 3D Touch compatible.
One very interesting new design feature of the iPad Air 3 is the four side-mounted speakers, as seen in the leaked Air 3 case photo below. This shows that the tablet will boast powerful built-in audio, just like the iPad Pro.
The new iPad Air 3 should pack the usual sleek Apple design, boasting the slimmest and lightest frame yet – with rumours suggesting that the tablet’s battery will be scaled down to achieve this. You can also expect a 9.7-inch Retina screen (we’re not convinced that Apple will go full 4K just yet) and Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
Apple iPad Air 3: Specs and other features
We’re hoping to see Apple’s latest A9X processor stuffed inside the Air 3 – the same chip found in the iPad Pro. Since the iPad Pro is capable of editing multiple 4K video clips simultaneously, this will make the iPad Air 3 seriously more powerful than the iPad Air 2 and a solid choice for creative users who don’t want the insanely big screen of the Pro.
We’d expect Apple to finally ditch the 16GB model, with 32, 64 and 128GB models on offer instead. Apple will also be adding its latest camera tech to the Air 3 along with an LED flash for the rear cam, as confirmed by leaked iPad Air 3 case photos (see below) – although taking photos and shooting video with an iPad still makes you a massive douche.
Apple iPad Air 3: UK price and release date
Rumours are pointing heavily to a March 2016 iPad Air 3 UK release date. We certainly expect to see something before September 2016 (Apple’s big launch event of the year), as the iPad Air 2 is already well over a year old and the iPad Pro is a very niche product.
As for an iPad Air 3 UK price, we expect the 32GB WiFi model to cost around £449, rising to around £579 for the 128GB WiFi model. Add an extra £100 to that for the cellular model.
This article is being updated as we hear fresh iPad Air 3 news.
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