Aug 05, 2016 11:54 AM EDT By Vinay Patel, UniversityHerald Reporter

If rumors doing rounds are anything to go by, iPad Air 3 will sport an Apple Watch-like digital crown.

The impending Apple device is slated to hit the store shelves in October this year, according to MacWorld UK.

Rumors were rife of the highly-anticipated tablet indicating that it will be announced alongside the iPhone 6s in September, or in March along with the iPhone SE. But the Cupertino-based tech firm rolled out 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch variants of the iPad Pro.

Apple launched an iPad Pro in the same 9.7-inch form factor as the iPad Air. This sparked speculations among avid Apple fanatics that the popular tech firm will button down the Air range in a bid to promote iPad Pro variants.

There is still no confirmation regarding whether Apple will add to its iPad Air portfolio in the course of time. If speculations doing rounds proved to be true, the iPad Air 3 will come with a mechanical input just like the Apple Watch.

The tablet will reportedly don a digital crown like that seen on the watch. Also, the upcoming Air 3 is rumored to be slimmer than the Apple iPad Air 3.

It's no secret that Apple has lately focused on the thinness of the products, with the MacBook 2016 becoming leaner than before. In fact, rumors are running rampant that the upcoming 2016 MacBook Pro will be comparatively slimmer than the current MacBook Air.

According to new reports, the new iPad Air 3 will boast a Smart Connector, which will enable the tablet to connect with a slew of Smart devices including the Apple pencil and the keyboard.

Apple is reportedly gearing up to announce an array of devices before the end of this year. Beside the MacBook Pro 2016, iPhone 7, Apple Watch 3, the iPad Mini 5 are also expected to be released.

It is confirmed that the upcoming iPad Mini will be powered by an A9 chipset that pack solid features.

The purported iPad Mini 5 is rumored to boast a smaller battery pack, contributing to a lighter and slimmer design. According to a report on Mirror, the device will be merely a 5 mm thick and will come with the 3D Touch screen feature.

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