Apple is at a bit of crossroads when it comes to its line of tablet products. Once hailed as a revolutionary post-PC device, there's no doubt that the iPad was nearly single-handedly responsible for sparking the craze of tablets in the modern world of tech. Sales were so strong that several upgrades have been made and a spin-off product, the iPad Mini, has now carved a strong niche for itself in the market.

However, sales of the tablet have been slipping for several months now. It is clear that Apple is expecting the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 to restore the tablet line to proper form. How effective it is at doing that will not be clear for some time, but for now here is what the critics are thinking about the latest iPads.

The Wall Street Journal Review

First comes the iPad Air 2. The Wall Street Journal says that it is the culmination of everything that Steve Jobs intended with the device and said, "If you've been waiting to replace an older iPad, now's the time." However, they also feel that the iPad is looking outclassed by its competition from Microsoft and Samsung. It was speculated that Apple was going to take a step into making its tablet focus more on productivity, and it is disappointing to see that lacking this time.

The sentiment of this device feeling more evolutionary than revolutionary is a sentiment shared in the Re/code review. The review even goes so far as to say that it may not be worth upgrading if you have the original iPad Air. Moreover, the iPad Air 1 may even be more attractive to consumers thanks to it being $100 cheaper.

Yahoo Tech Review

Yahoo Tech was a bit more optimistic. They site that the technology inside of the device is and that even if consumers were not thrown any curve ball, that does not mean that the iPad is not a worthwhile advancement. The review notes that, "with the impressive iOS 8 and Apple's universe of online services behind it, this iPad will light up a lot of faces under the 2014 Christmas tree."

Over all, the idea for the iPad Air 2 is that while it is not a huge step forward, but it is an advancement nonetheless. It will vary on the consumer to tell if that is enough for them.

As for the iPad Mini 3, the criticizing it of having limited upgrades like its larger format counterpart would almost be a compliment according to some reviewers.

Engadget Review

Engadget says that the only major upgrade is the Touch ID sensor. Other than that, there really is little reasons for consumers to make the jump over to the third generation of the Mini. Engadget goes on to say that they are, "not sure where the Mini 3 fits into Apple's strategy."

CNet Review

CNet echoes these feelings, saying that now that the iPad Mini 2 is $100 cheaper than the current model, it is the smarter buy, "unless you really want it in gold."

Both of these devices are now available for pre-order. There is no exact confirmation for a release date, but the tablets will probably be out some time next month.