Only a few days left until the event Release from Apple, where the iPad will be the main character. Rumors suggest there will be important news from iPad Air 6th generationwhich will not be limited to receiving hardware and software improvements that we have become accustomed to.
iPad Air 2024 will be a great new product that will expand the Apple catalog by introducing larger model. If confirmed, this will be the first time that the Cupertino residents will present versions of two different sizes within the same generation of this device.
In terms of design, the new iPad Air won’t change much from the one we know now. So, with the exception of the aforementioned larger screen version, the major optimizations will be hidden under the hood. Here we consider everything we know and hope for sixth generation apple tablet.
For the first time, iPad Air will be offered in two sizes.
The first rumors that Apple was working on a larger iPad Air appeared in October 2023. Since then, the information has gained momentum, and today it is assumed that Tim Cook’s iPad will appear on the scene with two versions of the new device. One of them will serve the panel 10.9 inches what we know today, and the other will present one of 12.9 inches.
Initially it was said that the 12.9-inch iPad Air will be equipped with a screen. mini led similar to what is already implemented in the iPad Pro of the same size. However, more recent reports indicate that this is not the case. Thus, both variants of the device will be equipped with the same panel as the fifth-generation version.
Apparently, Apple would refuse to use mini-LED technology in the new iPad Air with a large screen due to cost issues. According to analyst Ross Young, the Californians still aim to release a new 12.9-inch iPad with a mini-LED before the end of 2024, but it is not yet known which line of tablets it will belong to. That is, if it could be a premium variant of the iPad Air or a cheaper iPad Pro, to name a few examples.
No noticeable design changes
Apart from introducing a 12.9-inch variant, the sixth generation iPad Air will not represent noticeable changes in design. Both versions will retain the aesthetics already found in the fourth and fifth generation models, so we won’t run into any last-minute surprises in this section.
There are rumors that at least on the largest version, the rear camera may protrude a little more due to the introduction of a pill-shaped module. This would give it a similar look and feel to what the iPhone X and XS camera had at the time. In any case, it is unknown what might motivate this possible change.
As for the front camera, it is assumed that it change location on both iPad Pro and iPad Air. Instead of being included at the top edge of the device, it will move to the right side. This will center the sensor when using the tablet horizontally; for example, by connecting it to a keyboard.
It’s also possible that Apple will release a sixth-generation iPad Air next year. new colors. Although it is not yet clear whether this will be a complete or partial update of the shades currently offered. The fifth-generation model is available in space grey, starry white, pink, blue and purple.
M2 or M3 chip for the new iPad Air?
In its latest update, the iPad Air switched to the M1 chip. Since then, given that the last iPad Pro came out with the M2, the idea has been that when Apple releases new versions of both models, this ladder will continue. That is, the iPad Pro will use the M3, and the iPad Air will do the same with the M2. However, at these hours It’s no longer so obvious that this is the case.
One of the latest rumors indicates that the iPad Pro will finally launch with the M4 chip to take advantage of its Neural Engine, which is optimized for artificial intelligence tasks. This has raised doubts as to whether the iPad Air will go down this path and whether it will pass directly from M1 to M3ignoring the option with M2.
The situation is somewhat confusing. Until now, Apple has always released new generations of Apple Silicon using Mac computers as a starting point. It seems strange that they want to change the trend by introducing the M4 in the iPad Pro, which has not been said anything about until now.
It would be more striking if the iPad Pro actually upgraded to the M4 while the iPad Air remained stuck at the M2. This would leave a gap between hardware generations without spanning one model over another.
Other improvements
Regardless of whether it comes with an M2 or M3 chip, other improvements are expected in the 10.9- and 12.9-inch iPad Air. The connection section provides Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support. If confirmed, it would be an interesting evolution from the current version of the tablet, which supports Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0.
New Apple Pencil and accessories?
In addition to updating the iPad Air and iPad Pro, the event Release from Apple will bring news in terms of accessories. The advertisement’s promotional image includes a drawing of a hand holding apple pencilso everything suggests that we will see a new version stylus.
It has long been speculated that the next Apple Pencil might come with replaceable, magnetically attached tips. Recently it became known that Apple will be working on a new touch gesture and support for Vision Pro.
He Magic keyboard It will also be updated, and a possible version with an aluminum base has even been mentioned. This may help solve the age-old problem of poor weight distribution when connecting an iPad to a keyboard, although it also suggests that it may be too expensive an accessory.
Prices for the new iPad Air
One of the big unknowns about the sixth-generation iPad Air is its price. More precisely, in the price of the 12.9-inch version.. All indications are that the 10.9-inch version will retain its original price – 769.70 euros in Spain – but the question is how big the difference could be with the larger model.
Using the iPad Pro as an example, the difference between the starting price of the 11-inch (€1,049.70) and the 12.9-inch (€1,449.70) is currently €400. At the same time, in the US the gap is at around $300 ($799 versus $1,099).
It remains to be seen whether a similar strategy will be adopted for the new iPad Air, or at least initially there won’t be that much of a difference between one price and another, given that the only significant change will be the screen size. On May 7 this doubt will be resolved..
Source: Hiper Textual
I’m Ben Stock, a highly experienced and passionate journalist with a career in the news industry spanning more than 10 years. I specialize in writing content for websites, including researching and interviewing sources to produce engaging articles. My current role is as an author at Gadget Onus, where I mainly cover the mobile section.
