iPad Air 3 release date, rumors: device to arrive as the 'low-cost' iPad Pro 2?

There is still hope for those who are waiting for the iPad Air 3. The latest reports suggest that Apple could be releasing one, but with a completely different name.

In the latest research note of ever-reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, he reiterated that there will be a "low-cost" iPad Pro 2 model with a 9.7-inch display.

The said screen size was, of course, once unique to the iPad Air range. This is until Apple released a smaller 9.7-inch version of the iPad Pro early last year, which is the same year the iPad Air 3 did not see the light of day.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro 2 is one of the three expected versions the tablet will come in. The other is the 12.9-inch model and the last one is a new one that Kuo believes will be between 10 to 10.5 inches.

It is believed that the low-cost tablet could actually be the iPad Air 3. Although in the Cupertino tech giant's effort to make its tablet line full-on Pro, it will not be called as such. Instead, it might be part of the iPad Pro 2 line.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro 2 could be the replacement of the iPad Air. After all, it would not make sense for Apple to release both as they will likely be virtually the same.

The 9.7-inch iPad Pro 2 is expected to be powered by the A9 processor instead of the new A10X chipset. This specification is what makes it "low-cost." Even though it will make use of a last-generation processor, it still counts as an upgrade from the iPad Air 2, which had an A8 processor.

Interestingly, late last year, Japanese tech portal Mac Otakara reported that Apple is working on a 10.9-inch iPad Pro 2 that will have no home button and bezels so that it can have the same 9.7-inch footprint.

This version, should it come to existence, could be the new iteration of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro from last year. This will make the low-cost iPad Pro 2 much like an iPad Air 3 in disguise.

The iPad Pro 2 models are expected to be released in the coming months.