iPad Pro 2 release date, specs & features news 2016: tablet to replace iPad Air and iPad mini lineups?

There are a lot of reports floating around about the iPad Pro 2 including the possibility that it will mark the end of the iPad Air and iPad mini line.

It is being said that there will be three variants of the second-generation iPad Pro. According to Mac Otakara, there will be a 10.9-inch variant.

However, Apple is reportedly going for a nearly bezel-less design so that this iPad Pro 2 model will have the same overall footprint as the 9.7-inch version of the iPad Pro, which was practically a replacement for the iPad Air 3.

Letting go of the bezels in the 10.5-inch iPad Pro 2 means that the home button will also be ditched. The top bezel will be kept so that the front-facing FaceTime camera can be put there.

Rumor has it that there will also be a 7.9-inch iPad Pro with the same dimensions as that of the iPad mini tablets. Whether this will double as the long-demanded iPad mini 5 or not remains to be seen.

There are a lot of rumors that Apple is going full Pro with its iPad line. This would explain why the iPad Air 3 and the iPad mini 5 are no longer expected to see the light of day.

For the former, it is said that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro from early this year served as its replacement while the latter is said to have been discontinued as Plus versions of Apple lowered the demand for it.

Meanwhile, there is also a 12.9-inch version iPad Pro 2 to expect to arrive with the abovementioned models. All of these units are expected to be powered up by the A10X processor, which is the first from its line to use 10-nanometer (nm) technology.

A "low-cost" iPad Pro with a 9.7-inch display is also rumored to be released. This one is expected to house an A9X processor.

As far as the release date goes, Apple is said to release these second-gen tablets by March next year.