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iPad Air 3 Wish List

BWhaler

BWhaler

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 8, 2003
3,789
6,249
After experimenting with—and returning—the iPad Pro, I've turned to dreaming about the iPad Air 3.

Here's my wish list, in order of importance:

1. 3D Touch + iOS and app updates to support the feature and speed workflow
2. New screen to support Apple Pencil (and more resolution, better color, etc. as a nice-to-have)
3. Stereo speakers a la iPad Pro
4. Faster CPU + GPU + Same or better battery life (as always)
5. Faster TouchID (nice-to-have)
6. Lighter, thinner (as always)

I'd be interested in an Apple keyboard for it, but not sure I would buy it. But an Apple pencil, most certainly.

How about you? What are you hoping for?
 
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1 fix the speaker vibrating issue
2 extend the battery life to 12 hrs

I don't have a lot of asks.

Why do people ask for yet a thinner and lighter ipad? Silly if you ask me.
 
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3D Touch is something I love on my 6S plus so it's one feature I think is needed on air 3
 
Newtons Apple said:
Not that interested anymore as my IPP has pretty well replaced my Air 2. I likely would not even purchase a Air 3 anymore.
Click to expand...

Same here. My ipad Air is relegated to kid and family duties, browsing and reading books. The demands on the ipad to perform are now much lower since the ipp took over as the "serious" device. The Air will now have a significantly longer life than it might have done previously.
 
After owning mini models for the past few years, I think I am finally ready to step up to something bigger. I finally got my hands on an iPad Pro at my local Apple store and I loved it but it was waaaaay too big. Not to mention IMO the price was just too much for an oversized iOS device (if it ran a modified version of iOS that was more capable it would be another story).

Dream list for iPad Air 3:

1. Apple Pencil support! (After using it in the Apple Store, I am more than convinced. I'd much rather have Apple Pencil support than 3D touch).

2. A9x processor (perhaps a little less powerful than the one in the iPad Pro).

3. Keep the same screen resolution but bump the screen's color gamut up to DCI-P3 (same color gamut that you see in movie theaters).

4. Make 32gb the entry model (or lower the 16g price to $399).

Essentially, I think the iPad Air 3 (or maybe they'll just go back to calling it just iPad) should be a smaller and cheaper iPad Pro. Hopefully it launches soon.
 
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I want 3D Touch, Apple Pencil support, 12 hour battery, no more than 10% heavier, no more speaker vibration issue.

I don't think that's much to ask for after 2 years.

Bonus points for an iPhone 6 like design with curved glass edges.
 
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I'll be real and expect minimal improvements. It'll get the A9 or A9x, upgraded Touch ID and maybe 3D Touch, better unnecessary camera, maybe a better screen.. Generally speaking it will have to be an upgrade from the Air 2 obviously but I think Apple will keep it well away from the Pro.
 
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"Real" doesn't mean "worst case scenario".

Commy1 said:
I'll be real and expect minimal improvements. It'll get the A9 or A9x, upgraded Touch ID and maybe 3D Touch, better unnecessary camera, maybe a better screen.. Generally speaking it will have to be an upgrade from the Air 2 obviously but I think Apple will keep it well away from the Pro.
Click to expand...
 
iPad Pro style four speaker won't happen. Because it'll take up space. I'd like two front facing speakers. That's more useful that fancy four speakers.
 
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Do people think apple gives air 3 pencil support? I can't as what advantage would it be having the pro over the air apart from screen size?
 
FallenLegend said:
"Real" doesn't mean "worst case scenario".
Click to expand...
Think about it.. what motivation does apple have to give the Air 3 pencil support when that requires more time and money to make in exchange for a 100$ pencil when they could just not bother and have people buy the much more expensive iPP and $100 pencil. It's an all in or all out business move.
On a more positive side I suppose, if Apple did put Pencil compatible screens on the Air 3 then it's almost guaranteed that everyone who has an iPad would finally be willing to upgrade from their older "good enough" models even Air 2 users would probably justify the upgrade.
I personally lean more towards the entire Pro concept, that the Pencil will be an exclusively iPad Pro tool and I'm ok with that.
 
I'd like to see 3D Touch.

Had a look at the iPad Pro in my local Premium Reseller today and whilst it's a nice device (but something I've no need for) the temptation to "Peek and Pop" without being unable to so felt strange!
 
Faster TouchID, 32 GB base storage and Apple Pencil support are really the only things I want to see. I think Pencil support is unlikely at the moment, they're most likely going to give us 3D Touch this year and both 3D Touch and Pencil support the year after when they figure out a way to combine both in a single screen.
 
The Game 161 said:
Do people think apple gives air 3 pencil support? I can't as what advantage would it be having the pro over the air apart from screen size?
Click to expand...
I do. A greater install base will give greater incentives to update apps to support the Pencil. Apple cares about making a sale. An air 3 + Pencil is better than just an air 3 sale. People who prefer the air form factor are not going to move up to the Pro just for the Pencil.
 
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mdridwan47 said:
iPad Pro style four speaker won't happen. Because it'll take up space. I'd like two front facing speakers. That's more useful that fancy four speakers.
Click to expand...
The iPad Air already has two stereo speakers, just not front facing; they are lacking in a few fundamental ways:
1. The speakers are too close together to provide adequate stereo imaging.
2. Sound is always mono on left or right in landscape (movie) orientation (arguably, the orientation where stereo imaging is most important).
3. Resonance and vibration issues.
4. Volume suffers from speaker vent design.

I don't expect Apple to ever make front-facing speaker vents, but I have noticed significant volume improvements from recent speaker vent designs.

Either add a single speaker to the top so that stereo sound may also be realized in landscape (movie) orientation,
Or include just two iPad Pro style speakers, one on top and one on bottom for stereo only in landscape orientation.
 
Some iPhone 6s plus specs:
3D Touch
7000 series aluminum
Strongest cover glass
2nd-generation Touch ID
LTE Advanced and Faster Wi-Fi
Retina Flash

Stereo audio for landscape orientation
 
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