Apple announces new iPad Air: thinner, lighter & more powerful, coming Nov. 1

Posted:
in iPad edited May 2014
Apple's full-size iPad has been given a new name: The iPad Air. The new model has a 20 percent thinner design, just 7.5 millimeters thick and weighing in at just one pound, making it the lightest full-size tablet in the world.

iPad


In addition to being thinner and 28 percent lighter, the iPad Air also has a 43 percent narrower bezel around the screen's borders. The overall volume of the device has been reduced by 24 percent from the previous generation.

"iPad created an entirely new mobile computing experience, and the new iPad Air is another big leap ahead. It is so thin, light and powerful, once you hold one in your hand you will understand what a tremendous advancement this is," Apple marketing chief Philip Schiller said. "iPad Air with its 9.7-inch Retina display weighs just one pound and packs the incredible performance of iOS 7 running on a 64-bit desktop-class Apple A7 chip, and delivers all-day battery life in the lightest full-sized tablet in the world."

Inside it features the new A7 chip that just launched in the iPhone 5s, featuring 64-bit architecture. The iPad Air also sports the new M7 Motion Processor with doubled graphics and CPU performance.

iPad Air


Apple's latest tablet flagship is the first to feature MiMo wireless technology, allowing multiple Wi-Fi connections at once to boost 802.11n performance up to two times. The cellular-capable models also have expanded LTE support.

Other features of the iPad Air are a 5-megapixel iSight camera, an improved forward-facing FaceTime Camera, and dual microphones, all while still featuring the same 10-hour battery life, even as nearly a half-pound has been shaved off of the device's weight.

"When you hold it, it will be a dramatically different experience from the previous iPad," Schiller said Tuesday.

iPad


The iPad Air comes in space grey and white, as well as black, and starts at $499. Models with cellular LTE connectivity start at $629, shipping Nov. 1.

Also still a part of Apple's lineup is the iPad 2, which remains available for $399. The company also announced on Tuesday that total iPad sales have exceeded 170 million as of earlier this month.

AppleInsider's will have a full list of availability in the Price Guide as the tablets roll out.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 138

    WHY the name?! WHY? Just iPad. Available in 9.7” and 7.9” versions. And eventually 12/13”.

     

    STILL SELLING THE IPAD 2?! WHY?!

  • Reply 2 of 138
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member

    Wow. Not many of us saw that name coming!

  • Reply 3 of 138
    taddtadd Posts: 136member

    so how does the camera compare with the iphone 4, 4s, 5, 5c, 5s ??

  • Reply 4 of 138
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    No TouchID. Not sure if that will hinder corporate purchases.
  • Reply 5 of 138
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    Naming the iPad the iPad Air.  One can only assume there will be an iPad Pro next year.  Otherwise, that's the dumbest name in history.  Let the rumors begin...

  • Reply 6 of 138
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

    WHY the name?! WHY? Just iPad. Available in 9.7” and 7.9” versions. And eventually 12/13”.

     

    STILL SELLING THE IPAD 2?! WHY?!


     

    Agreed. No reason to add "Air" to the name. Redundant.

  • Reply 7 of 138
    iaeeniaeen Posts: 588member
    rob53 wrote: »
    No TouchID. Not sure if that will hinder corporate purchases.

    Definitely a letdown.

    Loving the case though.

    Also: retina mini w/ A7!
  • Reply 8 of 138

    I’m REALLY HAPPY they have unified their “modern iOS device” lineup with the same hardware. Everything available as “new” is now A7. Applause to Apple for that.

  • Reply 9 of 138
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    Hooray for the iPad 2!
    Did they give it a lightning port?
  • Reply 10 of 138
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rob53 View Post



    No TouchID. Not sure if that will hinder corporate purchases.


     

    Never stopped them before...

  • Reply 11 of 138
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,141member

    I'm confused. A7 just bought the iPhone to iPad 4 graphics levels with the A6X (a6X had double the GPU resources of the A6, thus the same-ish performance as the A7 on purely GPU), but they're saying the same A7 doubled it from the iPad 4...? Yet it's not an A7X? 

  • Reply 12 of 138
    I knew those gold cases where fake.
  • Reply 13 of 138
    pazuzupazuzu Posts: 1,728member
    Agreed. No reason to add "Air" to the name. Redundant.

    Yes there is - because it will eventually be called iPad Air 1.
  • Reply 14 of 138
    iaeeniaeen Posts: 588member
    WHY the name?! WHY? Just iPad. Available in 9.7” and 7.9” versions. And eventually 12/13”.

    STILL SELLING THE IPAD 2?! WHY?!

    I guess the iPad 2 is still selling well. Totally surprises me too.
  • Reply 15 of 138
    tipoo wrote: »
    I'm confused. A7 just bought the iPhone to iPad 4 graphics levels with the A6X (a6X had double the GPU resources of the A6, thus the same-ish performance as the A7 on purely GPU), but they're saying the same A7 doubled it from the iPad 4...? Yet it's not an A7X? 

    Can't you just be happy about it?
  • Reply 16 of 138
    Jesus. Bitch bitch bitch. It's cool as hell. STFU. My god.
  • Reply 17 of 138

    Spectacular ad, by the way. 

  • Reply 18 of 138
    WHY the name?! WHY? Just iPad. Available in 9.7” and 7.9” versions. And eventually 12/13”.

    STILL SELLING THE IPAD 2?! WHY?!

    Is this really a mystery to you?
    Demand.
    (Hugs iPod Classic)
  • Reply 19 of 138
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,141member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    Can't you just be happy about it?



    What, lol...I am happy about it. I'm just curious. Are they just not naming it A*X now, or is it really an A7, in which case how did it double the GPU speed from A6X when the A7 in the iPhone was just about the same? 



    I wouldn't' come to sites like these if "just being happy about it" was enough :P

  • Reply 20 of 138
    A big fat yawn. No touch ID on the iPad Air? Hmmm I shouldn't have sold my old iPad.
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