Apple will be releasing three iPads in 2017 according to new rumors reported by a Japanese blog. If the report is to be believed, the new line of iPads will have smaller models, specifically 7.9-inch and 10.1-inch in addition to the regular 12.9-inch device.
According to Mac Otakara, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will have better camera with iSight technology, True Tone flash and a corresponding True Tone display. It doesn't state whether these hardware upgrades will be seen on the other two smaller iPads.
Another upgrade is a switch from a dual microphone setup to quad. The change is said to be seen in all three devices. It seems that Apple is not completely discontinuing the headphone jack yet, as these iPads will still have the 3.5mm audio jack.
The blog went on to state that the iPad Mini 4 is to be renewed as an iPad Pro. With the same 7.9-inch display, it's supposedly going to have the four-speaker output used by current iPad Pros, as well as the iSight camera, True Tone flash and True Tone display. The Inquisitr speculates this device could be renamed as the iPad Mini Pro, and not iPad Mini 5.
The 10.1-inch iPad Pro may not be at all accurate, as The Verge reports that another reliable source says it will be a 10.5-inch iPad Pro, not 10.1-inch.
Another Apple blog, Mac Rumors, has warned that Mac Otakara "does not have a perfect track record with Apple rumors, but its sources have proven accurate on multiple occasions in the past." One such instance was when Mac Otakara predicted the removal of the headphone jack, which was true for the iPhone 7.
The iPad Pro was launched in November 2015 and introduced the unexpected 12.9-inch display. Later in March 2016, a smaller 9.7-inch iPad Pro was introduced, which had all hardware specs as its bigger predecessor.
The latest iPad Pro release is expected to happen in spring of 2017.
