It has been over a year since the iPad Air 2 launched, hinting at a new launch schedule for the 9.7-inch tablet sometime early next year. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo backed this up with a new research note, asserting that the iPad Air 3 would launch in spring 2016.
While not giving a specific date, an expected March event springs to mind. It would be Apple’s only hardware event in the first half of 2016, and we have heard the Apple Watch 2, 12-inch MacBook, and iPhone 6C might be present at the event.
The research note also claims that the iPad Air 3 will not feature Force Touch, Apple’s new pressure-sensitive display technology for iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. The iPad Pro didn’t have Force Touch, so it is unlikely the iPad Air 3 would receive special treatment.

There haven’t been many other rumors surrounding the iPad Air 3. In September MyDrivers reported the iPad Air 3 may feature a 2,334 x 3,112-pixel display, a huge leap from the current 1,536 x 2,056-pixel display on the iPad Air 2.

The iPad Pro features an A9X processor, Apple’s newest chipset, and we suspect the iPad Air 3 will run on the same chip. The A10 processor has not been revealed yet, and Apple usually adds a new number chip to the iPhone first.

Accessories are a possibility for the iPad Air 3, considering the iPad Pro launched with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. We might see a smaller keyboard for the 9.8-inch tablet to interest professional types who want a smaller display, though this is nothing more than speculation for the moment.

We expect a lot more leaks and rumors to arrive in the time between December and March, and we will continue to update this article as we receive more information.