Apple is reportedly gearing up to launch three new iPads in 2017, including a 10.5-inch variant, which will be exclusively designed bearing the enterprise and education sector in mind. As expected, Apple's 2017 line of tablet computers has been subject to a slew of rumors and leaks.

The rumor mill is up and running at full force regarding the impending iPads' release date, specs and other details. Previous reports pointed to a March 2017 launch date for the new tablets. However, a Taiwanese publication, DigiTimes claims the new iPads are highly unlikely to hit the store shelves until the second half of the year.

Apple is rumored to be hard at works on a 10.1-10.5-inch and a mammoth 12.9-inch tablet, which could be the iPad Pro 2. The 10-inch model, on the other hand, could be the budget-friendly iPad Air 3, according to PC Advisor.

The Cupertino-based tech firm is reportedly planning to commence mass production of the 9.7-inch iteration of the iPad in Q1 2017, with other models going into mass production in Q2 2017. If rumors running rampant online are anything to go by, the 9.7-inch iPad will sport LCDs from South Korean LED maker, Seoul Semiconductor.

There's no word about the processor that will be powering the device. On the contrary, there's hearsay that the powerful A 10X chipset will be powering up the 10.5-inch and the 12.9-inch variants.

The past few quarters have witnessed a considerable drop in the tablet sales. Apple will be hopeful that the 2017 line of iPads breathes new life into the fading segment. In their bid to lure more and more buyers, Apple is reportedly planning to oust the standard Home button and debut a brand spanking new bezel-less design.

In addition, the tablets are also expected to sport the True Tone display, a feature that was introduced with 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The iPad Mini is expected to boast water-resistant feature and come bearing the IP68 dust protection certification. Some optimistic tech pundits go as far as hazarding a guess that the iPad Mini 5 will feature an Apple Pencil.