Apple Introduces Redesigned 10.9-Inch iPad Air With A14 Chip, All-Screen Design, Touch ID in Power Button, and USB-C

[DotComCTO]

i agree.. the 11" Pro and the Air are about the same? FaceID is the biggie?

Slightly brighter display on the Pro (600 nits vs 500 nits on the Air), and I'm going to guess a faster refresh rate on the Pro. The only other difference I see is the extra cameras on the Pro. Hardly seems worth the price differential.

EDIT: fixed typo.

 

[jlozoya]

Yeah I’ve also been holding it out with the 9.7 Pro, this might be a good time to upgrade. I’m still not in that much of a hurry, though, this thing is still chugging along.

I am in the same boat it still works but also has a hairline crack on screen. This one is enticing with no real downside that I can see compared our 1st gen Pros.

 

[PickUrPoison]

You mean $200 dollars.

And $150 if you want 256GB

 

[pdoherty]

I bet Apple drops the iPad Pro 11 when the next refresh comes around.

Yep but may well make the Pros 12.9 and an even larger model.

 

[DotComCTO]

iPad Pro is gonna run macOS. You've heard it here first folks.

Or perhaps the Macs will run iPadOS!

 

[wave84]

Slightly brighter display on the Pro (600 nits vs 500 nits on the Air), and I'm going to guess a faster refresh rate on the Pro. The only other difference I see is the extra cameras on the Pro. Hardly seems worth the price differential.

EDIT: fixed typo.

No way:

- bigger, brighter screen
- more storage (both base and max)
- more RAM
- far better GPU
- 4 speakers vs. 2
- faster refresh screen
- face ID
- more / better cameras, Lidar

It's not even close. For 200 extra you get a ton of stuff. I say the Air is the worse buy.

 

[Shanghaichica]

This is a really great update to the Air. Not sure why anyone would buy the 11" Pro now?

It has a better chip. The only thing it lacks is the quad speakers and Face ID.

 

[Ethosik]

So just in terms of performance, does this new iPad Air beat even the 12.9" iPad Pro? Yes its a shame it only maxes at 256GB and has a smaller screen, but if the performance is better than the highest iPad Pro I might consider getting the Air instead.

 

[Shanghaichica]

No way:

- bigger, brighter screen
- more storage (both base and max)
- more RAM
- far better GPU
- 4 speakers vs. 2
- faster refresh screen
- face ID
- more / better cameras, Lidar

It's not even close. For 200 extra you get a ton of stuff. I say the Air is the worse buy.

Is this the 12.9 inch pro?

 

[Deliro]

And $150 if you want 256GB

My math generally sucks but it’s 50 dollars less if you get 256 on the Air vs the base Pro.

 

[pdaholic]

Good to know that my ipad Pro is now just an ipad Air with faceID

Don’t forget, it has also got a slower processor!

 

[metalsiren]

It has a better chip. The only thing it lacks is the quad speakers and Face ID.

and pro motion, I mean once you have that you never want to go back.

 

[MrGimper]

what actually is “pro motion”? Thanks

120hz refresh rate, screen updates faster so everything is smoother. It's an iPad Pro feature. Rumoured to come on the next phone but "ScatterGun Kuo" is now suggesting not.

 

[Jacoblee23]

Pretty annoyed that the mid tier iPad has a faster processor than my 2020 ipad pro. I don’t understand that decision making at all.

 

[Mainsail]

So the iPad Pro is now 2 generations older than the air.....why? Also, why does the standard iPad exist? I completely forgot before today that there are FOUR iPad models. Insane.

Also, USB-C for iPhone next Apple

The standard iPad is Apple’s #1 selling iPad. You will be able to get them on sale for $250 in a month or two. If you have a laptop, it’s a great secondary device. It’s great for reading and marking up PDFs, taking notes, light productivity, and content consumption. Scribble In iPadOS 14 might make it even more useful.

 

[E.Lizardo]

Does that mean that iPhone 12 will also get the new Touch ID power button?

Now that I think about it, Touch ID power button on iPhone is less practical since most iPhones go into Apple cases that cover the button.

A. Of course not.
B. Correct.

 

[MadeTheSwitch]

Told people that FaceID stinks on tablets. Going back to fingerprint authentication confirms Apple knows this, too.

I have a 2018 iPad Pro with FaceID. FaceID is trash on the iPad. I would have LOVED the finger print on the power button, but I'm not buying another iPad.

Why do you both say this? Why is it trash on the ipad? I love it on my phone. So what makes it different?

 

[AjTee]

Considering buying

 

[Ethosik]

Why do you both say this? Why is it trash on the ipad? I love it on my phone. So what makes it different?

Plus the Air never had Face ID, so they are not going back on it.

 

[Hyperchaotic]

The air and the base have kept the jack. This just feels like a pro. So basically your choice is the iPad with the old screen or one without a huge feature you love. I know it isn’t a big deal to y’all but Bluetooth ain’t good imo

I don't use bluetooth, I use headphones with a lightening plug for my phone.

 

[Shanghaichica]

and pro motion, I mean once you have that you never want to go back.

Oh yes I forgot about pro motion.

 

[rme]

Pretty annoyed that the mid tier iPad has a faster processor than my 2020 ipad pro. I don’t understand that decision making at all.

The geekbench multicore score of the iPad Pro is 15% higher.

 

[macosxuser01]

I've never owned an iPad but wonder how much 64gb will get me. I wish it was 128gb standard

 

[sracer]

Common Apple give us the Ipad Mini with this features at 499
instant buy for me!

That's not going to happen for quite some time. The target market (vertical markets) for the Mini isn't interested in those features. The Mini 5 is a beast (in the good sense of the word) as it is.

 

[PickUrPoison]

My math generally sucks but it’s 50 dollars less if you get 256 on the Air vs the base Pro.

Right, $749 vs. $899. So $150 price difference at the 256GB tier. Compared to $200 price difference for the base models of each.

I think when OP mentioned a $300 price difference between Air and Pro, they were anticipating a future $100 price increase in the Pro. If so, I disagree, I think the 2021 iPad Pro will probably stay at the $799 price point.