Apple is refreshing its iPad lineup on Tuesday, which is a little overdue since the previous iPad Air was announced more than two years ago. The most important addition to the new iPad Air is that it now comes in two sizes: 11 and 13 inches. This screen is still an LED screen. if you want an OLED screen, you’ll have to buy an iPad Pro.
“For the first time, iPad Air comes in two sizes: a redesigned 11-inch Air and the stunning all-new 13-inch Air,” said John Ternus, SVP, Hardware Engineering.
Ternus also used Tuesday’s event to redefine what the iPad Air means to the overall iPad lineup. It’s not as efficient as the iPad Pro, but it has more features than the base iPad model. For example, the iPad Air supports the second-generation Apple Pencil (the one you attach magnetically to the side of the tablet) and the Magic Keyboard.
“iPad Air is designed to deliver advanced features pioneered in iPad Pro and make them available and even more affordable,” said Ternus.
The system on a chip in the device has been updated. The previous version came with Apple’s M1 chip. the company now uses the M2 for the iPad Air. The iPad Air supports Wi-Fi 6E, and customers can optionally get a model with 5G support.
The camera has also been moved to look more natural when holding the iPad in landscape orientation. Both the front and rear cameras have 12MP sensors. For the aluminum body, there are four color options: blue, purple, star and space gray.
While the new iPad Air still comes with 128GB for $599 (or $799 for the 13-inch option), Apple is adding more storage options: 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. In other words, if you need a lot of storage, you no longer need to buy an iPad Pro.
The new iPad Air models are available for pre-order on Tuesday and will be available next week.
