Apple Will Release 9.7-inch iPad As iPad Air 2 Successor; Specs To Include A9 Chipset But No Pro Features Expected [VIDEO]
Apple Inc. has been reported to revamp its iPad line-up and now news has it that the Cupertino-based tech giant will be replacing the iPad Air 2 with a 9.7-inch iPad. The upcoming tablet is also anticipated to be engineered by A9 chipset but then Pro features are not likely to be incorporated.
According to Ars Technica, Apple Inc. silently announced through a press release that it will no replace top-end iPads. The company even stated that only two-year-old midrange iPad Air 2 will obtain a replacement. The upcoming handset from the Cupertino-based company is just simply a 9.7-inch tablet which will be named as "iPad." The forthcoming 9.7-inch iPad will be engineered by Apple A9 SoC and its most fascinating feature is its price which starts at $329. It is noticeable that there is a $70 less compared to the previous starting price of the Air 2.
Aside from the A9 chipset, MacRumors has learned that the 9.7-inch iPad will feature a 2,048‑by‑1,536 resolution that is coupled with 264 PPI. This tablet will house an 8-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera and a 1.2-megapixel front-facing FaceTime snapper. Other features that will be included are two speakers, Lightning connector, 3.5mm headphone jack, Touch ID that can be used in Apple Pay, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, and Bluetooth 4.2.
Moreover, it is worth mentioning that the 9.7-inch iPad lacks iPad Pro features which are not surprising since its price is lower compared to the Pro line. These include the True Tone display with a wide P3 color gamut, Smart Connector, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard support. The upcoming device from Apple also doesn't sport 4K HD video recording, LTE Advanced, Live Photos, True Tone flash and four-speaker audio.
As for the release date, the 9.7-inch iPad will become accessible for order starting March 24. Meanwhile, the consumers who will place an order will start to receive their iPads next week.
