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iPad Air 3 release date, specs rumors: Apple to launch last Air tablet in March 2017?

A photo of customers standing beneath an Apple logo at the Apple store in Grand Central station in New York City in July 2015. | Reuters/Mike Segar

Rumored to be the last tablet from Apple's Air product line, the iPad Air 3 will reportedly be unveiled at a keynote event early next year. With rumors that the upcoming Apple device will sweep Apple loyalists off their feet, many are now curious at what its possible features could be.

According to Mobile & Apps, the iPad Air 3 will be protected by its 7000-series aluminum body and will boast a much thinner design compared to the iPad 2. The gadget will sport a 9.7-inch mammoth screen with a 4K resolution display. The device is rumored to not only be dustproof, but also waterproof.

The Apple iPad Air 3 is also rumored to have improved compatibility with the Apple Pencil technology. The gadget will reportedly come with a smart connector for the use of a smart keyboard. And with multiple reports online that the Apple is currently developing its foldable technology, iPad Air 3 may just come out as a foldable tablet.

As it has always done before, Apple is expected to update the chipset that will be used for the iPad Air 3. Since the iPad Air 2 was launched with the power of the A8X chipset, Apple users expect an upgrade to at least an A9X chipset or possibly even an A10 Fusion processor, according to Value Walk.

According to PC Advisor, Apple's iPad Air 3 is also expected to sport a 12-megapixel camera, an improved Bluetooth capacity, and 4 GB of RAM. The tablet will reportedly be released in three variants: 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB.

With various claims that Apple will be ousting the Air lineup soon for strategic reasons, the iPad Air 3 may indeed be the last tablet incarnation to be seen from the soon-to-be-discontinued product line. However, Apple has yet to confirm or deny these rumors, so most people will have to wait until next year to find out.

The much-awaited iPad Air 3 is expected to be launched by Apple sometime in March 2017.