In 2023, Apple did not make any updates to the iPad lineup, and it has been even longer because the iPad Air was refreshed. Apple final unveiled a brand new ‌iPad Air‌ in March 2022, so we’re on the two-year mark and it is overdue for an replace. Fortunately, rumors counsel that we’ll get new iPads as quickly as March, and there are thrilling modifications in retailer for the Air lineup.
On this information, we have rounded up the entire rumors in regards to the new ‌iPad Air‌ fashions thus far.
Dimension and Design
Apple is planning for an additional 10.9-inch ‌iPad Air‌ that is related in design to the present model, however for the primary time, we’re anticipating two ‌iPad Air‌ fashions fairly than one. As with the iPad Pro lineup, Apple will launch the ‌iPad Air‌ in two sizes.
The usual 10.9-inch mannequin would be the smaller measurement, and on the bigger finish, Apple is engaged on a 12.9-inch model. At 12.9 inches, the bigger ‌iPad Air‌ would be the similar measurement as the present 12.9-inch ‌iPad Professional‌.
There aren’t rumors of design modifications, so we are able to anticipate each fashions to have the identical edge-to-edge show with slim bezels and an aluminum chassis with flat, rounded edges that wrap across the display screen. The ‌iPad Air‌ has all the time been a bit thicker than the ‌iPad Professional‌ with thicker bezels, and that is going to proceed.
Rumors counsel that the upcoming ‌iPad Professional‌ fashions that may even be refreshed in March will have thinner frames because of the swap over to OLED show expertise. With OLED, the brand new larger-screened ‌iPad Professional‌ will probably be over 1mm thinner, whereas the 11-inch mannequin will probably be nearly 1mm thinner.
The modifications to ‌iPad Professional‌ thickness needs to be fairly noticeable and the design will distinguish the ‌iPad Professional‌ from the ‌iPad Air‌, despite the fact that Apple could have two iPads which might be roughly the identical measurement.
We have additionally seen leaked renders of the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Air‌, which counsel that the brand new fashions may have a redesigned rear camera with a protruding pill-shaped digital camera bump just like the design that we’re anticipating for the iPhone 16 digital camera.
Primarily based on rumors, we can’t see design modifications, however Apple will seemingly introduce new colour choices. The ‌iPad Air‌ is available in a spread of pastel colours proper now, and Apple may introduce a choice of new shades.
M3 Chip
Because the M1 chip got here out, Apple has used M-series chips within the ‌iPad Air‌ and ‌iPad Professional‌ fashions. This time round, we’re anticipating Apple to carry both the M2 chip or the M3 chip to the ‌iPad Air‌.
The ‌M2‌ chip is the prior-generation M-series chip that first got here out in 2022, and it is nearly two years outdated. The argument for the ‌M2‌ is that it could give Apple a strategy to additional distinguish the ‌iPad Air‌ from the ‌iPad Professional‌, plus it could hold prices down. The three-nanometer M3 chips are costlier to provide than the ‌M2‌.
If Apple opts for the ‌M2‌, it’ll carry pace and energy effectivity enhancements, however it could be a a lot smaller bump than the M3 chip. It isn’t completely clear which chip Apple will use.
The M3 chip got here out final 12 months, and it is the primary chip constructed utilizing next-generation 3-nanometer structure. It has an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, and it helps hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shading for video games with higher graphics.
Apple’s M3 Macs are in a position to play console-level video games like Loss of life Stranding and Resident Evil, so we are able to anticipate the identical expertise for the ‌iPad Air‌ if it finally ends up with the M3 chip.
The M3 affords 2.5x higher GPU speeds than the ‌M1‌ within the ‌iPad Air‌ with half the ability. As for the CPU, the M3 is as much as 30 % quicker than the ‌M1‌ efficiency cores and as much as 50 % quicker than the ‌M1‌ effectivity cores.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Because the present ‌iPad Air‌ is 2 years outdated, it is missing a number of the common expertise enhancements that Apple has delivered to different gadgets.
Apple has been updating its merchandise with Bluetooth 5.3, so we are able to anticipate that to come back to the ‌iPad Air‌. Bluetooth 5.3 brings extra dependable connectivity with Bluetooth equipment in addition to higher energy effectivity for longer battery life.
Wi-Fi 6E can be anticipated, and it’ll let ‌iPad Air‌ fashions hook up with quicker 6GHz Wi-Fi networks.
iPad Air vs. iPad Professional
Show expertise will probably be one of many foremost distinguishing components between the ‌iPad Air‌ and the ‌iPad Professional‌. Whereas the ‌iPad Professional‌ fashions could have an OLED show, the ‌iPad Air‌ fashions will proceed to make use of extra inexpensive LCD show expertise.
Apple would not use Face ID on the ‌iPad Air‌ and as a substitute the present mannequin has a Touch ID energy button, which Apple might preserve with a purpose to hold the premium ‌Face ID‌ characteristic unique to the ‌iPad Professional‌.
We’re not anticipating main variations in efficiency as each fashions rumored to make use of the M3 chip, however the ‌iPad Professional‌ might have extra reminiscence for the OLED show. Rear digital camera expertise may even be a differentiator as a result of the ‌iPad Professional‌ has a twin digital camera setup with Large and Extremely Large lenses, whereas the ‌iPad Air‌ has only a single-lens Large digital camera.
Pricing
The present 11-inch ‌iPad Air‌ is priced beginning at $599, and the brand new mannequin is more likely to have the identical beginning worth.
As for the 12.9-inch model, it could take advantage of sense to cost it at $200 over the 11-inch mannequin, so it may begin at $799. Previous to when the 12.9-inch ‌iPad Professional‌ was up to date with mini-LED, there was a $200 worth distinction between the 2 sizes.
Apple’s purpose with the ‌iPad Air‌ is to supply prospects extra choices at a wider vary of worth factors. For across the worth of the 11-inch ‌iPad Professional‌, prospects will as a substitute be capable of choose for a bigger 12.9-inch ‌iPad Air‌.
Launch Date
Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman has said multiple times that new ‌iPad‌ fashions will come within the March/April timeframe, and the newest information suggests a launch towards the end of March.
Apple generally holds a spring occasion proper round March, so we could possibly be listening to information a couple of potential occasion within the subsequent week or two.
