Arguably the biggest announcement for Apple this year was the one that included the iPhone 7 and the Apple Watch Series 2, and while the Cupertino-based company did have several other products and devices launched this year, the third-generation iPad Air was unfortunately not one of them. So the biggest question observers and fans are asking is if there is really an iPad Air 3 coming.

An earlier report from Macworld claimed that the most feasible date for an iPad Air 3 launch is March of next year, suggesting that the rumor of it not in existence isn't true at all. The same report also added that it is not practical for Apple to release it together with the iPad Pro 2 considering that both devices bear similarities.

To recall, the last time an iPad Air was launched was two years back, when the iPad Air 2 was announced alongside the iPad Mini 3. So in the literal sense, the third-generation device is already two years overdue considering that Apple has this habit of releasing new iterations of its premium products every year. Nonetheless, it's too premature to say that the iPad Air 3 is no longer coming.

As far as specs are concerned, Neurogadget previously speculated that the device could be powered by Apple's A9 processor and will be offered in two storage variants — a 16 GB or 32 GB model. Random access memory is listed at 3 GB, while a 4K screen resolution is also very possible. Also, the traditional 3.5 mm headphone jack may be ditched, just like what Apple did to its current flagship smartphone, the iPhone 7.

Finally, everyone expects that the iPad Air 3 will be substantially thinner and lighter compared to its would-be predecessor and that the American company will be offering several new features and upgrades to make sure the iPad lineup remains on top of this particular mobile device segment.