Apple iPad Air 2: What we expect for the release date, specs and price of the next iPad

Apple iPad Air 2: What we expect for the release date, specs and price of the next iPad

Now that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are real products, speculation about Apple's other overdue devices are getting more traction in the rumor mill.

A refresh to the Apple iPad is expected before the arrival of the gift-giving holiday seasons, along with some new Mac computers, and an updated iPad Air and iPad Mini are on the short list of predictions.

Apple iPad Air 2

The Cupertino, Calif., company hasn't revealed details of when an announcement for the next generation of iPads will happen, but lately there have been hints at an October release date. Apple has a consistent history of refreshing its tablet line-up during the fall, so the presumption of an October date falls in line with the company's MO.

At this point, nothing is for certain, but there are a few safe bets on what we can expect to see. The upcoming iPads will run iOS 8 and Apple is expected to add a Touch ID sensor, an A8 processor, and possibly NFC capabilities, all of which can be found on the new iPhones. However, more details on new features remain purely speculative.

There are rumors about a 12.9-inch iPad

On the iPhones, Apple doubled the available capacity at the top two price points (64GB and 128GB for the price of last year's 32GB and 64GB models, respectively). Currently, for the 64GB and 128GB models, the Apple iPad Air is priced at $699 and $799, respectively. If Apple replicates its game plan, that would make those prices could drop to $599 and $699. It would be a welcome sight, since anexpandable storage option is highly unlikely, but it's unclear if we'll get that.

There are dubious rumors surrounding the announcement of a super-sized 12.9-inch Apple iPad, however, the gossip points towards a 2015 release. Extra large tablets haven't exactly caught on, with Toshiba and Samsung being two of the most recent manufacturers to attempt to tackle the task, but Apple's strong following might catch on to the flailing trend.