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Honestly what I'd like to see is a new design... The current design has been around since the first iPad Mini from 2012 and while it is still beautiful it's time for something new. But I don't see that happening in 2016. Seems like i am not upgrading from the Air 1 then.
 
I think there might be another angle to this; getting developers a bigger incentive to produce more Pencil-aps.
Making apps that only run on the PRO is a lot more expensive since your customer base is tied to just 1 model.
Like with with 3D-touch.. 6s/6s+ makes up what? 10-15%? of all iOSGadgets in use today..
Spending dev-time on a 3D-touch app vs spending the same amount of time on an app that works on all iOS-devices makes a big differens in ROI.. The iPad pro is what, 1%? :)

A very solid point. Apple needs to lead the way and carve a path for some more developers to follow. But, sadly, Apple software and update cycles have been fairly lackluster since about 2011. I agree that I don't think they gave developers enough momentum to carry the iPad Pro. However, the demand for Pencil has shocked the crap out of the eco system from what I can tell. There is most certainly a lot of folks wanting this to draw with it, but that only highlights the fact that folks wanted some kind of stylus...the thing is still out of stock and after almost 4 months are still having some kind of secret production issue.
 
I'm admittedly not expert when it comes to displays and software adaptations. But why would a higher iPad necessarily require an adaptation of existing apps? I personally don't think the iPad will have an actual 4k display, I was more hoping that it would have significantly more than the current 264 DPI. Take iPhones for example. The 6S has 326 DPI and the 6S+ has 401 DPI and yet apps don't need to be specifically adapted to the different resolutions, do they? (Screen real estate is different matter, of course.)

There is (or at least where) some scaling going on in the background of the Plus-size phones to solve this.
This hurts performance a few % here and there..
 
My prediction for Air 3:
1. iPad Pro resolution
2. 3GB RAM
3. iPad Pro quality speakers
4. No force touch
5. A9X SOC but slightly lower clocked than iPad Pro

If it has 4K resolution, we must simply not buy it as it will be a repeat of iPad 3 scenario. Underpowered for it's resolution.
 
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I think, the important thing you forgot to say is: the new iPad comes out in the first six month of this year (until June)!
Is this "confirmed"?
 
Most of this rumor sounds somewhat realistic except for the 4K screen:

1. 4K is a 16:9 aspect ratio resolution. iPads have always been 4:3 and all iPad native apps are designed for 4:3. If Apple were to change the aspect ratio, it would be an absolute headache for developers and users.

2. A 4K resolution screen will drain battery faster than the Blackbird leaked fuel. It would also kill gaming performance.

3. 4K resolution is higher than the iPad Pro. I doubt Apple will want to give the iPad better features than the iPad Pro.

What the iPad Air 3 (hopefully they'll just go back to calling it iPad) will most likely have:

1. The 4 Speaker design from the iPad Pro

2. 3 or 4gb of RAM

3. Apple Pencil support (this will be a big selling point for a lot of people)

3. A slightly less powerful version of the A9X
 
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Even though my air 2 is a lot better than the iPad 3 I have, the features I notice the most are the split screen and the ability to make the video player play in other apps. Both of those were done by software updates. I understand the specs need to be there, but the OS def needs to be updated so the iPad benefits from better features.
 
I would love a 4K display on it... it'd have to be higer than that to give the 16:9 window within it proper resolution, I'm cool with that...

Even without, if most of these rumors are true, they're going to separate me from close to $1000...
 
Come on, nobody needs 4k on 9.7". Just a waste of energy. I hope Apple leaves unneccesary stuff like that to Samsung & Co.
 
4 speakers will be huge

i got my pro yesterday and instantly the speakers was a huge positive to my air 2.
 
Pencil on iPad Air would really be strange at this point in time.

Why bother with developing, testing are releasing a pro in the first place.

It appears they are trying to create a market where none existed.

They could of just ditched the Pro idea, added all those features to the 9.7 (Pencil Speakers, etc) and immediately boosted sales of new iPad Air devices (4k excluded) and Apple Pencil sales.

It may be that more people want the pencil on the iPad Air 9.7 frame size than are buying the Pro.

Pencil on Air would quickly kill Pro sales.

Disagree and here is why:

The Pro is not a "mainstream" product. The "Pro" moniker rings true here. It fulfills a niche for people who need a large tablet to draw on or view pictures; i.e., artists, architects, photographers and such. People who buy the Pro buying because it's huge and because the Apple Pencil makes that big screen useful. But it is both of those features they are buying into. Without both they wouldn't be moved. OTOH it's too unwieldy and expensive for general use. It costs as much as a laptop but isn't as versatile or comfortable, even with a keyboard. (Keyboards have been available for iPads since the first one).

But there are still consumers that would like a product that is Pencil compatible so they can draw doodles and jot down notes as the brainstorm. iPad sales have slumped in past quarters because there is no new and fresh. The Pencil would give it that and wouldn't touch Pro sales -- though Apple is on the record saying it doesn't care or consider cannibalization. A speed/RAM bump is going to leave many Air and Air2 owners unmoved resulting in a continuing sales slump. The only question is whether Apple can get enough screens and at a cost to make Pencil access for the Air 3 cost effective. Otherwise there really is no reason not to include it.
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4 speakers will be huge

i got my pro yesterday and instantly the speakers was a huge positive to my air 2.

Yes, if they behave anything like the speakers on the Air 2 they'll out perform the Hitachi wand. Women will love it. :D
 
Yawn. Apple is taking the iPad nowhere and the world has responded with 12% fewer sales last quarter after an already steep slide in sales this past year. The reason is simple - you don't need a new iPad every year or two or three. But Apple has tried to fix that by creating bloated iOS updates that continue to use more memory and resources that make older iPads unusable. The other reason is that to create any real content, you need to go back to your laptop or desktop.

Apple had an amazing opportunity with the iPad Pro to turn the iPad into a content creation tool, but it blew that by saddling the iPad Pro with the decidedly non-pro iOS. Apple has no vision, because if they did, they would have adapted Mac OS X for use in the iPad Pro so that real pros could use it. If it can't run the full versions of the Adobe Creative Suite and give users access to all of the desktop functionality they've become accustomed to, then how can it possible be a "pro" product? Photoshop in iOS is a joke because if you want to do any real work, it still requires you to finish it on your real computer if you need to do more than the most basic of tasks.

And what kind of a "pro" computing product does not let you easily access a filing system or a way to get data into your computing product via a USB stick?

The world has grown tired of iPads and Apple's inability to grow it meaningfully into anything but a consumption platform.
 
I don't think its struggling because it doesn't have a 4K display. You would think something like 4K woud matter more on a larger screen. I won't be surprised if Pencil support comes to the Air. And the better speakers from the Pro. But I'm very skeptical it will have 4K display.

Agreed . Though people are suckers when they see 4K and think it's a big upgrade. It's pointless on an iPad Air.
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Seriously, with swipe/ SwiftKey keyboard I can't really bother having a pencil just for that. Works quicker for me.

The best user experience for many is the most natural one. A pen for writing is a natural as it comes to the general populace , swipe might be faster, but also more prone to error .
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Yes and when this device is shown off at the Keynote in October, we'll also continue to hear how iPhone and iPad sales are rapidly declining.

Not saying I hate Tim Cook as a person, but hopefully they'll find a more passionate CEO when it comes to tech products. Tim seems clueless about tech and only excels in sales, which are now falling.
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I don't see how adding a 4K display and adding 2 GB of extra RAM is going to boost sales.

The average consumer doesn't even understand what 4K is, or what RAM is.

I think the iPad needs it's own software, rather than sharing it with the iPhone.

4K is a markerting move , is being used in the industry as a whole. since its 4K it must be better....its for suckers, and people love thinking thier displays are superior
 
I can't disagree. I personally bought it for drawing and sold my original Air and 17" MBP for it. Drawing on this thing is pretty sweet. Beyond that, I type on it and browse the web. Haven't been able to find much use beyond that. Really think they need to focus on getting some software out that classifies it "pro". Make it able to interface with a desktop (think FCPX). Those kind of things would enhance its uses.

I agree it definitely needs some software differentiation but as far as it looks so far
Yawn. Apple is taking the iPad nowhere and the world has responded with 12% fewer sales last quarter after an already steep slide in sales this past year. The reason is simple - you don't need a new iPad every year or two or three. But Apple has tried to fix that by creating bloated iOS updates that continue to use more memory and resources that make older iPads unusable. The other reason is that to create any real content, you need to go back to your laptop or desktop.

Apple had an amazing opportunity with the iPad Pro to turn the iPad into a content creation tool, but it blew that by saddling the iPad Pro with the decidedly non-pro iOS. Apple has no vision, because if they did, they would have adapted Mac OS X for use in the iPad Pro so that real pros could use it. If it can't run the full versions of the Adobe Creative Suite and give users access to all of the desktop functionality they've become accustomed to, then how can it possible be a "pro" product? Photoshop in iOS is a joke because if you want to do any real work, it still requires you to finish it on your real computer if you need to do more than the most basic of tasks.

And what kind of a "pro" computing product does not let you easily access a filing system or a way to get data into your computing product via a USB stick?

The world has grown tired of iPads and Apple's inability to grow it meaningfully into anything but a consumption platform.

Agreed. I wonder if they are planning on transforming it into a pro device once it has gone stale (at least 3 generations). Very doubtful though, and apple specifically has mentioned they don't like the mixing of tablet's (although one would argue at 12.9" it is closer to a computer than a tablet) and computers.
 
It'll need the extra RAM to handle that 4k display.

Gary
because the ram and the resolution is soooooooooooo related *rolleyes*
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Well, a resolution bump at this point would make it just a perfect time for me to upgrade. For after all, my current iPad (the third generation model) was purchased on day 1 with improved resolution, and we all know how well the rest of the hardware could keep up with it. However, if it supports Apple Pencil, I might take the risk anyway. That old iPad 3 is in desperate need to replacement already.
I definetly feel the same.
 
Would absolutely LOVE a 4K display on the iPad Air!

Why? it won't be any different at normal viewing distance, maybe slightly better if you use it a couple of inches from your face. It'll tax the GPU and kill the battery for no noticeable gain.
 
There's no point in a 4K display. You can't see the pixels now either, so why waste both processor horsepower and more importantly battery life for a minimal display improvement?

It's for all those people who buy a 40" 4K TV, sit 2-3 metres away and can tell the difference between 1080p.

The markerting works. Many will update for the 4K display alone.
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because the ram and the resolution is soooooooooooo related *rolleyes*

Guess you never owned an iPhone 6 Plus ;)
 
Why? it won't be any different at normal viewing distance, maybe slightly better if you use it a couple of inches from your face. It'll tax the GPU and kill the battery for no noticeable gain.

Yeah that's why I'd rather see an updated iPad with the same resolution as Air 2
The GPU is not yet ready for 4K and I use and iPad 3 every day to test my app because it is the slowest iPad so far.
4K on iOS can wait
 
Having seen the difference between the old iMac and new 5k iMac (hardly any) I can't see the point of 4K on such a small screen. And the graphics processor will be melting. Why speakers at all ?? There will be all that tech going to waste because it made sense in a meeting with marketing.
 
"The same sources claim that in addition to a 4K resolution touch panel, Apple's new 9.7-inch tablet will feature up to 4GB RAM and improved battery life, and is scheduled to enter mass production in the second quarter of 2016."

That's mean that I can buy the iPad Air 3 not in March, but later, right? :(
 
4k Display AND better battery life (plus the rumors of it having 4 speakers like the Pro)? Either this iPad is going to get thicker than the Air 2 or it is not going to happen.

Well, you won't get both 4k AND battery life. The problem with too many pixels is it sucks battery life, especially when you need more processing power to render and display games at 4K along with the amount of energy the display needs, AND, if the new iPad Air is any thinner than it is.
 
A better display would be great, but the Pro 1 looks more and more like a product that'll get cleared out cheaply come the holiday season.
 
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