iPad Air 3 Release Date, Specs, Features & Price: vs Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 [Rumors]
The competition for the world's greatest tablet has never been more cutthroat -- not to mention the public's booming interest in smartphones with larger displays. Phablets and laplets, among other hybrid devices, have started to gain traction.
In October 2014, Apple introduced the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3. Despite being released just a few months ago, word about their successors, the iPad Air 3 and iPad Mini 4, are already everywhere.
Also dubbed as the iPad Air Plus, the 12-inch iPad Pro has likewise sparked interest for quite some time.
But Apple isn't lone in the rumor mills. Today, speculations over Samsung's Galaxy Tab S2 are louder. At launch, it is pegged to rival existing iPads.
The Galaxy Tab S2 is purported to ship in two sizes -- one with an 8-inch display and another with a larger, 9.7-inch screen. According to the Master Herald, the smaller device rivals the 7.9-inch iPad Mini 3, while the larger version perfectly matches the iPad Air 2. TechRadar sees potential competition in the iPad Mini 4 and the iPad Air 3.
We've curated the latest information on the iPad Air 3 to see how it compares with the Galaxy Tab S2:
Release Date
Before we get into specs, note that the iPad Air 3 is suggested to launch beside iOS 9. As told by the Inquisitr, the new operating system is expected on the second half of this year, so we could set eyes the earliest in July.
The Galaxy Tab S2 might land just around the same time. TechRadar says it's out "probably summer 2015."
Display
The iPad Air 3 might come with a 4K 7-inch screen, Appinessh notes. Take this with a grain of salt, but if Tab S2 reports are to be believed, the iPad Air 3 looks smaller.
The Tab S2's resolution comes at 2048 x 1536 pixels, TechRadar cites. SuperAMOLED technology and a 4:3 aspect ratio are expected.
Design
While Apple is known for producing thin-profile devices, the Galaxy Tab S2, interestingly, could be thinner and lighter than the latest iPads.
According to SamMobile, the 9.7-inch Tab S2 measures 237.1 x 168.8 x 5.4 mm and weighs 407 g. The iPad Air 2, in its Wi-Fi version, measures 240 x 169.5 x 6.1 mm and weighs 437 g.
Appinessh expects to see the iPad Air 3 to be "near around 5 mm." This looks like a close fight.
Camera
As previously speculated, the iPad Air 3's main camera shoots at 13 MP, while its front snapper captures at 5 MP. The Tab S2 is pegged to pack an 8.1 MP main camera and a 2.1 MP snapper, Master Herald says.
Processor & RAM
The iPad Air 3 is touted to ship with an A9 processor, Load The Game tells. The same chipset is expected to run the allegedly-waterproof iPhone 7. In a recent article, the Venture Capital Post cites 4 GB of RAM.
Citing Tab S2 units arriving in India for testing and evaluation, GSMArena notes the tablet's packing of an Exynos 5 octa chipset and 3 GB of RAM.
Operating System
As prospects expect the iPad Air 3 to run iOS 9, Master Herald is convinced that the Tab S2 comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop.
Price
Details on the possible pricing of the iPad Air 3 are scarce, but for an insight, Macworld predicts, "Most likely it will cost pretty much what the iPad Air 2 cost when it launched."
For the Tab S2, TechRadar sees a starting price of $399.