With the release of the iPad Air 2 right around the corner, many are wondering exactly what the specs of the device will be.
While nothing has been officially announced and won't be until Apple's Oct. 16 event, there have been a number of rumors that point to the specs of the upcoming device, as well as a number of assumptions we can make based on things like the iPhone 6.
Processing Power
It is largely expected that the iPad Air 2 will come with Apple's new A8 processor. Analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo, from KGI agree with this, especially since the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus ship with the new chip.
However, there is a possibility that the iPad Air 2 could ship with a different processor. Leaked photos, which may or may not be real, show the iPad Air 2 with an A8X chip rather than an A8 chip. This would mark a return for Apple to making specialized chips for its tablets. These processors will be more powerful than those found on the iPhone, especially when it comes to graphics.
Storage and Memory
Apple increased the amount of storage on the iPhone 6, so it is definitely possible that the same thing could happen with the iPad Air 2. We could see the storage options jump to 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB, with no option for 16 GB.
There have been a number of leaks concerning the iPad Air 2, with one suggesting that the device will include 2 GB of RAM. This is interesting considering the fact that both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus only ship with 1 GB of RAM. It is also double the amount found in last years model. If we do see 2GB of RAM, it is likely that we will see improved features in iOS 8 for the iPad, including things like split-screen multitasking.
Camera
According to a number of analysts, the iPad Air 2 will include the use of an 8-MP rear-facing camera, which is up from the 5-MP camera that was found on last years model.
Not too much else has been released about the camera, so we will have to wait and see what the device includes.
Touch ID
Many are hoping that the iPad Air 2 will finally include Apple's Touch ID. These rumors are supported by analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo, as well as the fact that the biometric kit for iOS 7.1 included mention of iPads.
Conclusions
It is clear that the iPad Air 2 will include a slew of great new features. While none of these rumors have been confirmed, none of them would be completely unexpected from Apple, so it is safe to assume that at least some of the rumors will turn out to be true.
