New iPads could come sooner than expected

Hold off on that new iPad purchase -- there may be as many as four new models coming very soon, according to a report from Japanese Apple blog Mac Otakara (and discovered by MacRumors).  That report suggests that the new lineup will be unveiled at an event in March along with a 128GB iPhone SE and red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. The iPad lineup could include updates to the 9.7-inch and 12.3-inch iPad Pro models, a new 7.9-inch slate (to replace the aging iPad Mini 4) and a 10.5-inch iPad with an almost borderless screen and no home button. The 7.9-inch tablet will allegedly gain a smart connector, essentially giving it Pro functionality with the use of a keyboard. Previously, we heard about a potential trio of new iPads for this year from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, though that report didn't note a smaller 7.9-inch size.