iPad Air 2 Rumor Roundup

Apple Inc.'s AAPL next-generation iPad is expected to be unveiled at the company's next press event on October 16. One of the most recent leaks indicates that the iPad Air 2 will be everything consumers anticipate: lighter, thinner and contain a new home button for Touch ID. The tablet's thickness has supposedly been reduced from 7.5 millimeters to just 7 mm. By comparison, the iPhone 6 has a depth of 6.9 mm, while the iPhone 6 Plus comes in at 7.1 mm. It's almost hard to believe that the next iPad could be thinner than an iPhone, but that seems to be the form factor Apple has strived to achieve. Read on to see what else the rumor mill is saying about the next iPad Air.

Related Link: Is PayPal Stronger Against Apple Inc. Without eBay Inc?

New Colors

The gold iPhone 5S was a big deal when the handset was released last year. Many customers had to wait three to four weeks to get their gold-colored device. Similar results could be experienced if Apple adds the color to its lineup of tablets. It is not yet known exactly how the next iPad will look, but Bloomberg's sources claim that a gold version is on the way.

Related Link: Apple Inc. Tax Probe Could Be Expensive For Everyone Involved

Same Price

Prices typically remain constant between iDevice releases, but that changed after Apple expanded its tablet lineup. The fourth-generation iPad maintained the starting price of $499, but the 16GB iPad Mini initially started at $329 -- roughly the same price of a 32GB iPod Touch. One year later, Apple launched the iPad Mini with Retina Display at $399. Consumers could purchase an iPad Air for just $100 more. That pricing structure is not expected to change in 2014, but investors may wonder if Apple will make an adjustment to account for a decline in sales. The company has effectively reduced the price of the MacBook Air three years in a row, which may have helped Apple sell more units.

Anti-Reflection Coating

Could the iPad Air 2 be the first iPad that is easy to view outdoors? If a Bloomberg report is correct, the answer is yes. According to the report, Apple may be using an "anti-reflection coating" that will make the display easier to read. Unfortunately, Bloomberg also said that the coating may have caused manufacturing complications that could restrict supply output.

Larger Size

Could Apple release the iPad Air in a larger size? Rumors insist that one is coming eventually, but other reports warn that the large tablet may not arrive before 2015.

Apple Pay

Apple Pay is already coming to the iPhone 6 and Apple Watch -- and it could also come to the new iPad as well. While some consumers may not want to pay for items with a tablet, many individuals already carry their iPads wherever they go. Apple Pay would be perfect for those users, but may not sway consumers who prefer to leave their tablets in the car. Disclosure: At the time of this writing, Louis Bedigian had no position in the equities mentioned in this report.