Apple has not refreshed its iPad Air tablet lineup since the debut of the iPad Air 2 in October 2014, but March 2016 could be the lucky month for fans waiting to get their hands on the Apple iPad Air 3.

According to unofficial sources, the Apple iPad Air 3 release date will be on March 15. The tech giant is also expected to launch its 4-inch iPhone 5se and a refreshed Apple Watch 2 on the same platform.

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Speculations indicate that Apple’s new generation of iPad Air 3 specs may outshine its much appreciated iPad Pro released last fall. The launch of the Apple iPad Air 3 is believed to bring a significant overhaul to its 9.7-inch tablet series.

Prevailing speculations suggest that, just like iPad Pro, the iPad Air 3 will sport a Smart Connector port for connecting various accessories. The alleged iPad Air 3 case design shows space for a Smart Connector as well as holes for four speakers. This means the device will come with support for a connected keyboard and other accessories, reports Apple Insider.

Moreover, the most recent rumours indicate that the next generation iPad Air tablet will feature a rear-camera LED flash. If revealed to be true, this will be a major upgrade of the third-gen iPad Air. Apple's giant screen iPad Pro does not have a rear camera flash.

The iPad Air 3 is also believed to come with a support for Apple pencil. A recently leaked schematic of the iPad Air 3 revealed that the slate will be a smaller version of the 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro.

The tablet will be powered by an Apple A9X processor coupled with a massive 4GB of RAM. The device is also expected to be slimmer and lighter than its predecessor. The Apple iPad Air 3 is tipped to feature an impressive 9.7-inch 4K resolution panel as compared to the 2K display of the iPad Pro.

But there is one top-notch feature which may not make it to the iPad Air 3 - Apple’s revolutionary 3D Force Touch. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts the Cupertino-based tech giant may not include its much appreciated pressure-sensitive display technology in the Apple iPad Air 3.

The company is said to be keeping its annual fall event in September for exclusively launching the next iteration of the iPhone 6s series, the iPhone 7 lineup. Apple's much anticipated 4-inch iPhone 5se will reportedly feature a full metal design, an Apple A9 processor, 1GB of RAM, Apple Pay and come with support for Live Photos. As reported by 9to5Mac, the 16GB model of the iPhone 5se will start from US$450.

Related: A roundup of 4-inch Apple iPhone 5se specs

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