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

[Unregistered 4U]

[/QUOTE]

I do wonder if they decide to rebrand their chips going forward with the A14 series:

iPad Air now gets the A14
iPhone now gets the A14X
iPad Pro now gets the A14Z

The prior iPad Air used the same chip that went in the phone, this will likely be the same. I’d guess the iPad Pro one will be called A14x.

Going back to fingerprint authentication confirms Apple knows this, too.

Nah, fingerprint authentication is cheaper.

The part most cases cover.

For Apple’s other flat sided iPad, their case uses magnets to securely attach leaving the power button free. I do wonder if this one has the same magnetic array. EDIT: Yes, the same, so cases have an option of not covering the power button.

 

[Neepman]

Now reconfirming at 329 the regular iPad is the best value in tech and the airs and pros are just about the worst.

 

[apps1991]

iPad Air seems to be a pretty good value oxygen level measuring is very interesting

 

[Kastellen]

The part most cases cover.

Between this fact and the 256Gb storage limit I think I'll have to go Pro again to replace my 10.5" Pro. I was really hoping to save some cash as I use very few of the "Pro" features. Hell I'd drop to a plain-old iPad except they top out a 128 Gb, and I currently have 202 Gb of stuff on my Pro.

 

[idiiamots]

The magic keyboard (available for the Pro and the new Air). Honestly, for the 11"/10.9", it's the only usable option from Apple, though some of the aftermarket keyboards look workable as well.

I've seen it with Pro, but the price of Pro is just outrageous for a tablet. We have a 2017 10.5" Pro right now. Doesn't really feel like it needs an upgrade, but good to know that 2020 Air can take magic keyboard.

 

[EedyBeedyBeeps]

No, it doesn’t:

iPad Air - Technical Specifications

View all technical specifications for iPad Air.

www.apple.com

iPad Pro - Technical Specifications

See full technical specifications for iPad Pro — resolution, size, weight, battery life, and storage capacity — for Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular models.

www.apple.com

It says stereo speakers for the Air and four speaker audio for the Pro.

I think it’s a bit confusing because the shell of the new Air also seems to have four speaker grills, but there are only two speakers inside. I think that’s what the drawings on the tech specs show, at least. But I could be wrong.

 

[slimejester]

Obviously this is subjective, but I don't care for these washed out, sort of pastel-like colors. Why not add in something bolder and richer, like a burgundy or the midnight blue that everyone expects on the iPhone 12 Pro? The new colors just seem ... weak, for lack of a better word.

I actually love the colors, especially the sky blue one. If I didn’t have a 2020 iPP, I’d be all over that one.

 

[MisterMillz]

I'm thinking about buying older Pro with Face ID and 120Hz screen. Probably going to cost $600-700 after today's announcements.

Definitely worth a look. I recently bought a Amazon Renewed 2018 iPad Pro 11” 1TB with cellular for $849. Looks like it came straight off the production line. Really only wanted 512GB, but it was a $50 difference. So, why not.

 

[augustrushrox]

What size would you want from the Mini? Seems like there isn't much space between the largest phone and smallest ipad so the market for ipad mini would be very limited

I’d be fine with either the current size iPad mini with just a larger edge to edge screen, or a smaller iPad mini with the current screen size except one that also goes edge to edge. The benefit of the iPad mini over the iPhone Plus and Max has always been... that it can run iPad apps.

 

[Homme]

Im willing to believe that this air may come with 4GB DDR4X RAM. I’d be surprised if they put 3GB but considering a slight bump in screen resolution and pixels we will wait for ifixit or anyone who has this and Geekbench 5 to confirm

 

[Gill Bates]

Thicker than the pro. So "Air" is a bit off..

 

[oneMadRssn]

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

120hz display, FaceID, and better audio seems like reasons to me. Also, refurbished 11" Pros cost less.

 

[profets]

So would there be any reason, beside cheaper price and more color options, to buy the new Air over the 2020 iPad Pro? And if you could find the 2018 iPad Pro for the same price as the Air, are you losing out on anything?

Maybe the A14?

 

[JagRunner]

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.

 

[Homme]

And finally a more affordable iPad which has a 12MP sensor,

 

[kazmac]

Disapointed and I'll tell you why. First...nitpicking, but NO PRODUCT RED? WTF APPLE...10 years I wanted a Red iPad and you cant give me that? The Watch is red now...why not the Air? Also..600 bucks is 100 dollars more then the last one, and you coulden't give us starting 128 gigs? ARE YOU SERIOUS... Id might have swallowed the 100 dollar price increase if you started at 128 gig, but 64 gigs just doesn't cut it on a product over 500 dollars now!

I get alot of people saying why get an 11 inch pro, and i agree to an extent, but at that point i rather just save up, get a 12.9 inch pro with 120HZ screen, face ID, better processor and better camera (not that id ever use it) or just wait till next year when they refresh the pro line...because you know they are going to do it now that the air will canalbize the 11 inch pro line, so the way i figure it, wait the 6 months till they refresh the pro!

But thats just me!

I’d love a Product RED iPad too. Glad I sold my 2020 11”. Yes, I‘d like more storage for the base, but they kept this the same as 2019.

The Air will be plenty for me. Now waiting in RAM and the availability date for this.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I think it’s a bit confusing because the shell of the new Air also seems to have four speaker grills, but there are only two speakers inside. I think that’s what the drawings on the tech specs show, at least. But I could be wrong.

Good point. For the iPad Pro which DOES have 4 discrete speakers, they define the “speaker” area differently. It could very well be that there’s only two speakers, but it’s ported to both sets of grills? Stereo is really only important in landscape, anyway.

 

[jacjustjac]

I'm thinking about buying older Pro with Face ID and 120Hz screen. Probably going to cost $600-700 after today's announcements.

The 2020 iPad Pro is even more confusing now. Sure, they gave it ‘iPhone 11’ cameras and a beta LiDAR system, plus added an extra GPU core. My only other thought was that they might give 2020 iPad Pro users access to apps like FCPX when they come to ARM. But that doesn’t sound like Apple.

What it does sound like is that they’ve bought themselves some time to serve the iPad’s main users, before releasing a new iPad Pro in 2021 that can run full “pro” apps that they port from MacOS/ARM.

Really sucks to be a 2020 iPad Pro buys. As someone who bought the 3rd-gen iPad with Retina, though, I remember getting my use out of it. Didn’t buy another iPad until the iPad Air 2, which was awesome. Then I got the iPad Pro 9.7”, which I still use happily to this day. Only thing I wish was that it had more than 32GB of storage. I’m trying to hold off for an iPad Pro that can run FCPX!

 

[metalsiren]

599 for only 64GB are you insane???????? at least make the default 128

 

[fokmik]

The iPad Pro is dead. The Apple Silicon MacBook with a foldable/maybe detachable/pencillable display is the upgrade path.

It’s an iPad.
It’s a MacBook.
It’s a revolutionary device.

Are you getting it?

Nope...the ipad pro will have 6 or 8 gb ram, mini-led and more for sure...but again, i will say it over and over...based on the air that gets an increase of 100$, the pro models will start from 899$

 

[limo79]

These bezels are a joke in late 2020!!!

 

[h00ligan]

They didn’t mention cell connectivity in the air. So presumably it’s the “fast lte”. I’d argue 5t is way mor important in an iPad than iPhone due to the larger screen and usage. If this is the case the problem gets 5g to go with the inevitable price hike. Disappointed to see them raise the air price tbh but carrier loans in the U.K. are very reasonable so it doesn’t much matter I guess it’s an extra £5 a month.

 

[fokmik]

These bezels are a joke in late 2020!!!

if you keep the ipad in the dock, yes are thick, but if you use the ipad for touch, no, they aren't .
So, no

 

[BuddyRich]

I just bought a new stock 2018 iPP 11" 128GB /w LTE for 799 Cdn last month. It included an incepio case and a glass screen protector in the deal from best buy. This was after the iPP 11 refresh so the 2018 version new stock was in short supply and I guess BB was clearing stock.

That said the new Air 10.9 is 779 Cdn and isn't an LTE model. I personally am not upset buying an iPP 11 this year, even if it was the 2018 model.

Im curious about battery life and ram in this. The 5nm chip should help battery, and if it has 4GB of RAM it will be nice, but if its only 3GB like the Air 3...

 

[UltimateSyn]

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

ProMotion and Quad-Speakers. That's about it as far as I can tell.. Oh and if you need >256GB you can only get that with a Pro.