iPad Air 3 release date, specs: Will iPad Air line be discontinued?

Various reports have pointed to the rumored iPad Air 3 getting a September 2016 or a March 2017 release date. But after Apple introduced its 9.7-inch iPad Pro earlier this year, many are now speculating that the latest iPad Pro has effectively replaced the iPad Air 3 and that the iPad Air line is being killed off.

Apple fans have been waiting in vain for the iPad Air 3 since 2015. While it was expected to make its debut at the event, the rumored new tablet was a no-show at Apple's September 2015 launch, which turned out to be for the unveiling of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. Another Apple event, the March 2016 iPhone SE and iPad Pro 9.7 launch, saw no sign of the iPad Air 3 either. The tablet was also conspicuously absent at Apple's WWDC 2016 in June.

Macworld UK originally predicted that the iPad Air 3 could debut during an October 2015 Apple event but later indicated that the new iPad Air could be announced along with new iPads in fall 2016, possibly in September, alongside the iPhone 7.

Meanwhile, PC Advisor UK has suggested that the radio silence on the iPad Air 3 could mean that there will be no such device.

However, the website also theorized that the iPad Air 3 could still be on its way out and that it would be geared towards those wanting a cheaper option than the iPad Pro.

As for the specs of the rumored iPad Air 3, Macworld UK suggested that the new tablet will be much thinner than its predecessor and that it will come loaded with iOS 10. It might also feature a Smart Connector port on its lefthand edge for attaching a Smart Keyboard Cover.

Like the rumored iPad mini 5, the iPad Air 3 is thought to feature the durable 7000-series aluminum body that the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus come in.

The iPad Air 3 could be made available in four variants: silver, space grey, gold, and rose gold.

Apple has not announced the official release date for the rumored iPad Air 3.