iPad Air 5 Gets Upgrades That Most Customers Were Waiting for Since the iPad mini 6’s Inception
This announcement would have taken anyone by surprise because for months now, we were hearing that the iPad Air 5 would ship with the A15 Bionic. Given that the iPad Air 4 got treated to the A14 Bionic, it would make perfect sense for the newer model to get the latest chipset. What we were not expecting was the fact that the new iPad Air sports the same SoC as the more expensive tablets, and it is significantly cheaper too. Let us go through all the details, so you do not miss out on anything important.
Design, Display
Design-wise, nothing much has changed between the iPad Air 5 and the iPad Air 4. You still get the same 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, with 3.8 million pixels 500 nits of brightness. The panel supports the P3 wide color gamut, along with technologies like True Tone and anti-reflective screen coating. Apple says that when you combine the Liquid Retina display with the landscape stereo speakers, you get an experience like no other in this thin and light package. Just like the previous-generation model, customers can gain access to the iPad Air 5 with a Touch ID sensor that is built into the top button.
Hardware Upgrades, Wireless, Wired Connectivity, More
Aside from the M1 chip, the iPad Air 5 sports another upgrade that customers were salivating for, and that is 5G connectivity. Apple claims that its latest tablet can reach peak speeds of up to 3.5Gbps in ideal conditions. On top of that, it gets eSIM and Wi-Fi 6 support. The slate also features a USB-C port, which was present in the previous model, but here is the biggest difference. The port in the newer model is up to two times faster, with data transfers going up to 10Gbps, making importing large photos and videos seamless and quicker. The port also allows the iPad Air 5 to connect to a vast ecosystem of USB-C accessories, including cameras, external storage, and displays with up to 6K resolution.
Cameras
The optics are also said to have received an upgrade on the iPad Air 5. Though the number of sensors at the back and front remain the same, it now supports Center Stage. The front-facing 12MP ultrawide with Center Stage technology automatically tracks your movement and keeps them in view as they move around. When others join in for a video conversation, the camera detects this and smoothly zooms out to include them in that screen space. The 12MP rear sensor can not just capture 4K video but also scan documents and allow you to enjoy unique AR-related content.
Colors, Compatible Accessories
The iPad Air 5 will be available in the space gray, starlight, pink, purple, and blue finishes. As for the compatible accessories, the second-generation Apple Pencil works with the tablet and is available separately for $129. The Magic Keyboard is available in the colors black and white for $299 and will be available in different regions with over 30 languages. Next up, we have the Smart Keyboard Folio, which is available for $179, while the regular Smart Folio is available for $79 and can be had in the colors white, electric orange, dark cherry, English lavender, and marine blue.
Pricing, Availability
The iPad Air 5 will be priced at $599 for the 64GB model, while Wi-Fi + Cellular variants start from $749 in the U.S. Pre-orders will begin from Friday, March 11, and will be available on March 18. Current and newly accepted college students, their parents, faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels can purchase the iPad Air 5 for $549, while the second-generation Apple Pencil is available for $119. The Smart Keyboard Folio goes for $159, and the Magic Keyboard for college students is available at $279.
