Apple is gearing up to unveil its next-gen iPad Air 3 at a special event in mid-March. Sources familiar with the matter told 9to5Mac that the Cupertino company was planning to hold the keynote during the week of March 14th, but it is yet to finalize a date. The iPad Air 3 will be unveiled alongside a new iPhone 5se and a series of refreshed Apple Watch models.
iPad Air 3 to feature 4GB RAM
Apple has not upgraded its mid-size iPad since October 2014. Last year, the company launched an updated version of the iPad mini and a larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Recent supply chain leaks suggest that the new iPad Air may feature a rear-facing LED flash to take better pictures in low-light conditions and additional speaker grills to improve the audio quality.
Sources told 9to5Mac that Apple was also testing 9.7-inch display panels that are compatible with Apple Pencil. Separately, Taiwanese publication Digitimes reports that the new iPad Air will be equipped with 4GB RAM, 4K display, and an improved battery life. Supply chain sources told Digitimes that TPK Holding and General Interface Solution will be supplying touch panels for the new iPad Air 3.
iPad Air 3 may boost Apple’s tablet sales
Apple said in its latest quarterly report that the iPad sales tumbled 25% YoY. The iPad Air 3 may help Apple revive its tablet sales. The company is testing a Classroom app for a new version of iOS that may help it sell more tablets to educational institutions across the world. Apple is expected to release the new iOS 9.3 soon after the event. The updated software may also bring Night Shift to help improve people’s sleep.
The 4-inch iPhone 5se is rumored to feature A9 processor, updated cameras, support for Live Photos, more storage, an NFC chip for Apple Pay, and support for always-on Siri activation. In terms of design, it will be similar to the iPhone 5S. The Apple Watch upgrade will include many new color options for the Sports Bands and Hermes bands, as well as a black version of Milanese Loop.
