iPad Air 3, iPad Mini 4 Release Date, Rumored Specs and Update

May 21, 2015 06:40 PM EDT

During the summertime, there are many rumors that fly over what Apple is going to do when they unveil the latest versions of their smartphones and tablets.  There are many rumors surrounding the iPad Air 3 as well as the iPad Mini 4, and here is compilation of them, starting with the Release Date.

According to Expert Reviews, we can probably expect both the iPad 3 and the iPad Air to have the same release date. Ever since 2012, the new iPad models have come out in late October or early November, as to get in on the holiday rush.  The prediction is that the iPad Air 3 and the iPad Mini 4 will launch within a week or two around November 1st, 2015. 

As far as the specs for the iPad Air 3 are concerned, you can expect to see some kind of quad-core processor.  It would be difficult to make the iPad Air 3 any thinner than the Air 2, but leave it to Apple to design something, but hopefully not reduce the battery life. 

Of course it is possible that Apple could go the direction of the iPad Pro Plus.  This has been a rumor for a very long time about a possible 12-inch tablet.  Ecumenical News states that this new 12-inch iPad would be part of a plan to compete with other Samsung 12-inch tablets, not to mention the Microsoft Surface 12-inch tablet.  In addition to a larger screen, some sources have said that the iPad Air 3, iPad Pro, or iPad Plus will be as thin as an iPhone 6, between 6.9 mm and 7.1 mm. 

As far as what is inside the iPad Pro or iPad Plus, it could be the Apple A8X/A9 chip with 2GB of RAM, or it could be an A9 processor with 4GB of RAM with 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB, and even 128 GB storage options.  Other features could include a fingerprint scanner as well as a convenient stylus, which would be a departure from Apple's stylus-free style. 

What is very interesting is the audio aspect as many sites claim it will have up to four speakers.  One of the reasons why we know this are leaked images of not only the tablet itself but of the accessories, which are not only accommodating of a large screen but openings for the four speakers, one near each corner. 

As for the iPad Mini 4, Macworld has suggested that Apple might not release a new mini this year, as they seem to being going to a "bigger is better" with the huge screen of the iPhone 6 Plus and that rumored iPad Pro Plus. 

If Apple did release an iPad Mini 4, it would have an A9 processor that is expected to launch with Apple's new smartphones in the fall.  As far as the memory is concerned, it will have 2GB of RAM, along with 802.11 ac WiFi. 

Apple is planning on holding their WWDC (WorldWide Developer's Conference) 2015 starting June 8 at San Francisco's Moscone West.  This would be a very good time for them to announce their latest tablets like the iPad Air 3 (or iPad Pro Plus) and the iPad Mini 4 as they have used WWDC to announce big products before.