Apple is finally refreshing the iPad Air nearly 1.5 years after its last launch. The new product does not have many design changes, but the machine comes with many impressive hardware upgrades inside.
According to Engadget, like its predecessor, the new iPad Air comes with an edge-to-edge screen design, a power button with a Touch ID sensor, and a flat chassis. However, inside the machine comes to the latest hardware components.
The first is the ultra-wide camera on the front, which is upgraded from 7 MP to 12 MP through the new sensor. It supports the Center Stage feature, which uses machine learning to automatically track the user’s head while keeping the user in the frame when making a FaceTime call. Meanwhile, for those who need fast mobile data, the new iPad Air can also be configured with optional 5G connectivity.
On the inside, the biggest upgrade is the addition of an M1 chip that gives the iPad Air a significant boost in performance, putting it on par with the iPad Pro more expensive Thanks to the new chip, Apple claims the new iPad Air is now twice as fast as a similarly priced Windows laptop. Unfortunately, the tablet’s memory doesn’t appear to have increased in size as the standard model is still a relatively small 64 GB SSD, or 256 GB if you want to upgrade for a higher amount.
The screen size of the iPad Air will remain the same at 10.9 inches, with the highest brightness at 500 nits. Like its predecessor, it also works with a range of accessories including Apple Pencil, Magic Keyboard, and Smart Keyboard Folio.
iPad Air will have 5 colors for users to choose from: Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, and Blue, with prices starting at $599 for the Wi-Fi version or $749 for the 5G version. Pre-orders for the product will start on March 11, and hit shelves on March 18.