After nearly a decade since the last iPad, Apple has officially confirmed that the next model is on the way – and you don’t have long to wait.
The next iPad Air was revealed during Apple’s May event. It will come in two sizes, giving customers the option of a larger display, just like with the iPad Pro range (which also got a refresh at the event).
The original model launched back in November 2013, and became the most expensive iPad ever at the time. It’s long since been replaced by the iPad Pro at the top of Apple’s tablet range, but acts as a middle ground between it and the regular iPad.
The next generation of the iPad Air is the sixth, and Apple has finally lifted the lid on all the specs to expect. Here’s everything you need to know about its release date, pricing and key specs.
When was the new iPad Air released?
After being announced at Apple’s ‘Loose Event’ on 7 May 2024, the iPad Air is on sale now.
If you don’t want to go direct, the device is also available from the likes of Amazon and Currys in the UK and Amazon and Best Buy in the US.
Alongside the iPad Air, you can also get your hands on the new iPad Pro, Smart Folio Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro.
Interestingly, these new products landed just under a month before Apple’s WWDC developer conference, which is confirmed to begin on 10 June 2024.
For context, here’s when recent iterations of the iPad Air arrived:
- 5th generation: March 2022
- 4th generation: September 2020
- 3rd generation: March 2019
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How much will the new iPad Air cost?
Here are the different prices for the iPad Air:
iPad Air (2024) 11-inch prices
- iPad Air 11-inch (128GB, Wi-Fi): £599/$599
- iPad Air 11-inch (128GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £749/$749
- iPad Air 11-inch (256GB, Wi-Fi): £699/$699
- iPad Air 11-inch (256GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £849/$849
- iPad Air 11-inch (512GB, Wi-Fi): £899/$899
- iPad Air 11-inch (512GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £1,049/$1,049
- iPad Air 11-inch (1TB, Wi-Fi): £1,099/$1,099
- iPad Air 11-inch (1TB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £1,249/$1,249
iPad Air (2024) 13-inch prices
- iPad Air 13-inch (128GB, Wi-Fi): £799/$799
- iPad Air 13-inch (128GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £949/$949
- iPad Air 13-inch (256GB, Wi-Fi): £899/$899
- iPad Air 13-inch (256GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £1,049/$1,049
- iPad Air 13-inch (512GB, Wi-Fi): £1,099/$1,099
- iPad Air 13-inch (512GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £1,249/$1,249
- iPad Air 13-inch (1TB, Wi-Fi): £1,299/$1,299
- iPad Air 13-inch (1TBGB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £1,449/$1,449
Apple
For reference, here’s how much the last-generation iPad Air range costs:
- iPad Air (64GB, Wi-Fi): £569/$599
- iPad Air (256GB, Wi-Fi): £719/$749
- iPad Air (64GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £719/$749
- iPad Air (256GB, Wi-Fi & Cellular): £869/$899
Apple has kept the starting price of the iPad the same in the US, rather than increasing it. Instead, it’s offering a more premium option with a larger display.
That’s no surprise, as the iPad Air represents the middle ground between the $449/£499 regular iPad and $1,099/£1,249 iPad Pro.
Sadly, UK buyers are getting around a £50 increase. For more alternatives, see our guide to the best iPads.
What specs and features does the new iPad Air have?
Here are all the details you need to know about the iPad Air (2024).
Design
Other than the two size options, the new iPad Air model has minimal design changes, resembling its predecessor closely.
It comes in four colours. The typical Starlight and Space Grey options are available, but two new ones have been introduced with these pastel blue and purple shades. Take a look at them below:
Apple
As predicted by Instant Digital earlier this year, the iPad Air has moved the front-facing camera to the landscape edge on both size models.
The last-generation iPad Air relied on the Touch ID built into the fingerprint sensor. The iPad Pro has it, but its placement at the top makes it awkward to use during video calls, where you’d naturally hold it in landscape mode.
Apple had already moved the front-facing camera to the side on the 10th-generation iPad, just not added separate Face ID sensors. The gadget also boasts a 100% recycled aluminium enclosure.
Display and Speakers
This is the biggest change in the iPad Air, as users will finally have the choice of two display sizes: an 11-inch model, and a 13-inch one, which provides 30% more real estate than the smaller version. A larger display will benefit those who like to use Split View for their apps.
Both feature a Liquid Retina display with anti-reflective screen coating. This screen also boasts True Tone technology, high brightness and support for P3 wide colour.
In short, it should make shades appear bright and vibrant – though we’ll likely find out more when we get our hands on a review sample.
Both displays have support for the new Apple Pencil Pro (with an improved sensor and gyroscope), Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard.
Apple
It doesn’t look like the iPad Pro’s mini-LED screen will make its way to the Air. It’ll be sticking with the LED panels we see currently, and there’s no word on a higher refresh rate than 60Hz.
Apple announced that OLED displays are coming to the Pro range of iPads, but these won’t be a feature of the new Air range.
Speakers on the iPad have been moved to landscape edges, so you can now get a Spatial Audio experience along with a boosted bass. Dual microphones are also built-in to the device, with software to minimise background chatter on video calls.
Performance
As popular leaker Revegnus predicted, the new iPad Air will use Apple’s M2 chipset, with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU. This makes it almost 50% faster than the current iPad Air, which uses the M1 chip. It’s also three times faster than the model with the A12 Bionic chip.
This makes sense, given the M3 chips are widely official and M1 powers the 2022 iPad Air. Apple will probably limit M3 to the iPad Pro, at least for now.
Support for 5G is included, as is Wi-Fi 6E connectivity. Plus, there’s a whole raft of AI features for iPadOS. This includes Visual Look Up, Subject Lift and Live Text. The Air also supports new AI tech in third-party apps such as Photomator, Microsoft Copilot and Adobe Firefly.
The device will run on iPadOS 17. This update will include more customised lock screens, interactive widgets, updates to Messages and audio/video messages on FaceTime if users don’t pick up a call.
Apple now offers a baseline 128GB storage on the iPhone and has extended that sentiment to iPad. You can also get it in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. eSIM connectivity is also onboard.
Apple
Cameras
The iPad Air once again features 12Mp rear and 12Mp front-facing lenses. Of course, the latter has been moved to the landscape edge.
This new camera placement will prove useful with video calls, as Centre Stage support is now available to help keep users in the field of view better. The cameras can record up to 4K video, with support for up to 240fps for slow motion capture.
We don’t yet have our hands on the new version, but it’s worth reading our review of the latest iPad Air to see whether it’s worth buying. You may also be interested in more of the best iPads and best tablets around.
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
