iPad Air 3 Release Date, Specs Rumors: Leaked Case Suggests iPad Air 2 Successor Coming with Smart Connector, Rear LED Flash, 4 Speakers

By Jomar Endriga
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Photos of a case rumored to be for the unannounced iPad Air 3 has surfaced online. (Image via Alibaba|1688.com) Image via Alibaba|1688.com

Apple is holding a press event on March where it is expected to launch a smaller version of the iPhone and an updated Apple Watch. The event is also rumored to be where the company will unveil the next-generation iPad Air. There have been multiple reports which suggest what features the upcoming iPad will bring. Now, a freshly leaked photo of a purported iPad Air 3 case gives Apple fans an idea of how the device will look like.

Photos of the case that have surfaced on the web come from a Chinese online retailer and first spotted by French tech site NoWhereElse.fr. The design rendering of the unannounced Apple device likely came from a third-party manufacturer. It appears that the iPad Air 3 is going to be similar to the recently released 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

In the leaked photo, it is evident that the case has a cutout that appears to accommodate the magnetic-powered "Smart Connector. " It is a feature present on the iPad Pro which allows users to magnetically connect accessories such as the Smart Keyboard.

Moreover, the cutout for the rear camera extends downward, indicating that the iPad Air 3 could sport an LED flash. This is in line with earlier rumors that Apple may indeed integrate a rear camera flash on its next iPad. If this turn out to be accurate, it means that the iPad Air 3 will be the first tablet from Apple to sport an LED flash.

Other design clues that users can derive from the leaked case show that the upcoming iPad will have four speakers as evidenced by four distinctive cutouts on each corner of the slab. There is also a hole in the upper left corner apparently intended for a 3.5mm earphone jack. This is interesting to note especially given the lingering speculation that Apple is planning to release the iPhone 7 without an earphone jack.

When it comes to specifications under the hood, the iPad Air 3 is supposed to carry a 9.7-inch screen similar to its predecessor. An Apple A9X chipset, the same chip powering the iPad Pro, will likely be integrated inside supported by 4GB RAM. The device is also predicted to provide support for the Apple Pencil.

As mentioned, the iPad Air 3 is expected to be unwrapped at Apple's forthcoming March event along with a 4-inch iPhone and the new Apple Watch. Apart from those, the Cupertino-based tech giant is also rumored to launch new MacBook Air and Pro models which sport Intel's latest Skylake processors.

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