Originally posted by beachgardener my prediction: K3-II replacement announcement maybe Sept. 2017 for an April 2018 release
"is being researched" = AF is being researched, essentially. AF development is tricky. I wouldn't expect a K3 replacement before 2018, it would be in the same league as a 7DII or D500.
There is often only a short path between doing landscape photography (taking advantage of a full frame sensor) and wildlife photography in the same environment.
For owners of a Pentax K1 who also do wildlife photography , there is an interest to also own a fast aspc dslr , sharing the same lenses.
IMO, it is possible to see a new apsc body that would have the size of the K1 body (similar to the D500 body size) for housing a larger AF module. Could be designed like a K1, without the tilt screen and top wheels, but with the inner guts designed for speed: deep buffer and UHS II for speed without the cost of XQD.