The iPad Air 6 looks like it will be released very shortly after a 500+ day iPad drought, but Apple is naturally not giving anything away. However, thanks to rumors, reports, and more, we have a good idea of what we can expect to see when it happens.
Apple’s latest Air model was released over two years ago, and despite being one of the best iPads, it’s starting to show its age a little. iPad Airs are wonderful little machines that manage to combine the power of the best Macs with the versatility of a tablet size. If you want something that works well and doesn’t cost you a lot of money, the Air is a great option.
The iPad Air 5 has an M1 chip, which is more than capable of running the best Apple Arcade games, but a more powerful machine could run some of the more intensive programs, such as music editors and video editors.
With a possible launch just weeks away, here’s everything we know about the iPad Air 6 right now.
Apple iPad Air 6: the headlines
- What is it? Apple’s upcoming iPad Air tablet will sit between the iPad and iPad Pro lines.
- When can we expect it? Rumors point to a May 2024 release.
- Are there any surprises? A 12.9-inch model could be released alongside the current size, perfect for those who want a large iPad without the Pro price.
iPad Air 6: rumors about the release date
The latest information we have about the new iPad Air indicates that Apple plans to launch it alongside the new iPad Pro in early May 2024. According to reports, it seems more likely that Apple’s new iPad will be unveiled via a press release. , instead of an event.
Database filings spotted in early April confirm the existence of four new iPads, likely including the two new iPad Air models. The existence of such presentations likely indicates that these iPads are just a few weeks away, lining up with the May launch deadline.
More recently, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple would introduce a new OLED iPad Pro, iPad Air, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil 3 likely in the week of May 6.
iPad Air 6: features and specifications
M2 chip
The current iPad Air is powered by the M1 chip, meaning it’s now a generation behind the iPad Pro. That’s likely to change when the next iPad Air update arrives. All of the specific leaks about the iPad Air chip point to the M2, including this report from Revegnus below and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In December, Gurman revealed that the iPad Air will inherit the M2 chip from the iPad Pro, which should get the M3 as part of its major OLED refresh.
12.9-inch model
Another big potential change would be the addition of a new, larger screen to the range. Recent leaks of CAD renders of a 12.9-inch iPad Air show a design similar to the iPad Air 5 in a larger form factor. There has never been an iPad Air line with a two-tier display, and that’s something unique to the iPad Pro. Does the iPad Air need two different screen sizes? We’re not convinced, but time will tell on that front.
Landscape Selfie Camera
Like the OLED iPad Pro, Apple is expected to introduce the horizontal camera from its entry-level iPad in the new iPad Air. The current iPad Air has a 12MP ultra-wide front camera, so Apple will likely keep it for the new model. The only other potential update would be to add TrueDepth to the mix, although it’s currently reserved for the iPad Pro. Reports of a landscape camera were reiterated on X by leaker ShrimpApplePro in March.
iPad Air 6: what we want to see
The iPad Air has always been in a strange place, offering some of what the iPad Pro has and in a similar package. The 11-inch iPad Pro and 10.9-inch iPad Air are very similar, with the latter having the advantage in two key areas: the M2 chip and a better display. But there are plenty of other areas where the new iPad Air could improve, too.
A new screen
The next iPad Air will surely have an M2 chip or better next time, so our big wish is to improve the display. A faster refresh rate would be welcome and ProMotion is the most obvious addition here. We’d also like to see Face ID come to the iPad Air line.
One could argue that this would further close the gap between the iPad Air and iPad Pro, but with the iPad Pro expected to have new OLED displays and other improvements in 2024, that gap would widen again.
More storage
We’d also like to see Apple move forward in terms of storage. The fact that the base iPad Air model will come with 64GB in 2024 simply isn’t enough, and we’d like to see it start with double that up to 128GB. It’s just the right thing to do right now.
Best battery
Finally, we would like a larger battery. It’s never easy to do something like this, and Apple is certainly keen to make sure a tablet called the iPad Air isn’t too big and heavy. But battery is very important in a device like this, especially when it comes to gaming. The battery life of the current model is not bad. But it can always be improved.
iPad Air 6: Price
The current iPad Air 5 starts at $599 for that 64GB of storage but goes up from there when you add more. There’s also the 64GB cellular modem for $749.
We wouldn’t expect that price to change that much next time, although there haven’t been any credible rumors yet either way. A lot could also depend on Apple’s pricing strategy for the 2024 iPad Pro OLED refresh. If those tablets become more expensive due to their new displays, there could also be a price increase for the mid-range iPad Air models, if only to make the iPad Pro seem less expensive in comparison.
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