Another iPad Air 3 Design Drawing Points to Smart Connector, Similar Dimensions as iPad Air 2

Seems like Apple is responding to the downward spiral of the iPad sales by going all out on this new iPad Air model.
They are adding about everything they possibly can, if it comes with support for Apple Pencil and fully featured A9X it will be a beast.

But will that change anything? I guess the Pencil part will make Apple sell more units, but the big problem with iPad sales is that each model is simply too good. I know a lot of people with iPad 2 and they still find them to more than good enough for what they use it for. They will all grab themselves a new iPad down the road, but not until the one they already have is falling in some way or another.


Compared to the iPhone, the iPad is considered a secondary devices or a "luxury" device they can't afford to replace as often as their primary and most personal device being their phone. Combine that with the fact that iPad has been so great for so many generations whereas most people do not feel any real need for upgrading even their old iPad 2's, Apple will have a really hard time making people upgrading these as often as Apple would like them to.



Apple is also to blame in terms of the software. The home screen and the utilisation of the screen real estate is getting really long in the tooth. I do understand that Apple do not put much attention to the home screen and the whole "springboard" as users spend 99,99% of their time within actual apps so what's the real point in wasting time on changing the home screen / springboard when users are only seeing it for a split second while their launch one of their apps.

But looking at the iPad Air, and especially iPad Pro those huge icons with tons of wasted space between them is getting rather ridiculous.

I just want it to be able to use the Apple Pencil. The rest is just gravy.

Based on those pics, it's going to be ANOTHER year of the super boring 2012 iPhone 5 chamfered edges?

Please Apple, leave the chamfered edge design in the past, time to get with the program and update the design language. This should look like an iPhone 6/6S with curved glass. Spare me the spiel about curved glass for swiping on your phone, you can do that on the iPad too.

I refuse to update my Air 2 until there's actually a fresh design from a cosmetic standpoint. Adding speakers and a flash to the existing design doesn't count - I want something entirely new to look at.

Just give me pencil support

Interesting that there is still a headphone jack on this. Why would they keep it on the iPad but drop it from the phone?

Soon they will sell the I-weight to give some weight to their products to avoid them flying away upon a breeze...

Owning an ipad 3 and a mini 2, this version with 4speakers sounds interesting but will it be overpriced?