New 13-Inch iPad Air Specs Lack Audio Feature From Last-Gen Model [Update]

[DougiePhresh]

“We've reached out to Apple for comment.
[…] If we don't hear back from Apple, perhaps a future device teardown will provide some clues.”

What does MR consider an appropriate time to wait before publishing an article like this? Is there a journalistic standard to which MR holds itself which you have available somewhere? Might want to consider that if it doesn’t exist yet. Now you’re not actually giving people any information and you sound like you’re not giving the company any time at all before ramming the publish button…

100% agree - along with the fact that this is barely news. Must be really slow over there at MR HQ today 🙄

 

[baconcat_8964]

So what now. Is the bass level the same as M2 model, or back to M1 level?

 

[Astuces iOS]

So I guess it was already on the M2 just they forgot to mention.

 

[Lioness~]

At least you guys can still use the comparison tool. On the German website, it’s gone completely and only shows the newest lineup of all iPads.

Same here in Sweden - good to know.
To expensive feature for the declining company, or what Timmy?
Thankfully I am not buying anything from them anytime soon.

 

[dannyyankou]

Isn’t that just in comparison to the previous generation?

I was about to say. This isn’t a story at all.

 

[crsh1976]

Are we sure there's a functional difference and that it's not just lighter marketing copy? Apple throws a lot of these bits in spec sheets without ever explaining them, taking them away doesn't automatically mean the new model is really missing something.

 

[MVMNT]

Well this is a non-story. It's just 'bass' now.

The 2x was an indicative spec bump.

 

[Plutonius]

What does 2x bass really even mean ?

It sounds like something from marketing.

 

[turbineseaplane]

This is taking me back down memory lane of all my various Sony boomboxes with "Mega Bass"

The yellow button on the top left there was to engage "MEGA BASS"

 

[Edgecrusherr]

Good catch.

 

[StuBeck]

Along with the removal of the keyboard backlight this is a complete disaster of product launch.

It seems an exercise in increasing iPad revenue not by offering a more compelling product, but by rather deceitfully removing features while maintaining the same price. The result being an increased profit margin on the Airs, or pushing more people to the more expensive Pros. Basically the opposite of innovation.

I hope people vote with their feet on this and Apple wake up.

This shouldn't be bought for retail price anyway, the previous gen was constantly on fire sale lately.

 

[DMG35]

I have a bad feeling that the M4 MacBook Airs are going to get the same treatment. A feature gained, a featured lost, all for the same price.

Anyone thinking thinking this is going to be a worthy upgrade is in for a rude awakening unless you are still using intel.

 

[Astuces iOS]

I have a bad feeling that the M4 MacBook Airs are going to get the same treatment. A feature gained, a featured lost, all for the same price.

Anyone thinking thinking this is going to be a worthy upgrade is in for a rude awakening unless you are still using intel.

We got Mac Studio with M3 ewww

 

[MrGimper]

2x the base of previous gen. New one has the same bass as its previous gen, so nothing to report.

 

[edvj]

At least you guys can still use the comparison tool. On the German website, it’s gone completely and only shows the newest lineup of all iPads.

On the danish website it’s gone too..pretty annoying!

 

[Spock]

still no flashlight??? why is this still considered a Pro feature in 2025 when even the iPod Touch had one

Not a pro feature, the iPad mini has a true tone flash.

 

[iBreatheApple]

Probably because it doesn’t have 4x the bass from two generations ago lol.

 

[Mercury7]

Update: While Apple has not publicly commented on any changes to the speaker system in the new 13-inch iPad Air with M3, a representative with knowledge of the matter has indicated that the model retains the same landscape audio speakers with Spatial Audio as the M2 iPad Air.



Apple on Tuesday announced new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models with the M3 chip, and while the processor upgrade and updated Magic Keyboard are the biggest changes, there's another apparent difference in the larger model compared to its predecessor that may have gone unnoticed.

In the specifications guide for the new 13-inch iPad Air, Apple has omitted the "2x bass" feature mention from the device's landscape stereo speakers.

Double bass was introduced in the previous-generation 13-inch iPad Air with M2 chip in May 2024. Apple said at the time that the 13-inch model delivers "even better sound quality" with double the bass, which is "great for enjoying music and videos." However, there is no mention of the feature in Apple's device specifications for the new M3 variant. The 13-inch iPad Air with M2 chip is the only iPad that has ever included a mention of "2x bass," and it's not clear if the capability has been removed, if both iPad Air model sizes now have equivalent bass, or if its omission is just an error. We've reached out to Apple for comment.

Apple has never provided specific technical details about the enhanced bass effect in the 13-inch M2 iPad Air, so we don't know if it is tied to a hardware change or something else. If we don't hear back from Apple, perhaps a future device teardown will provide some clues.

Apple's iPad Air device specification comparison tool​

With the M3 chip, the new iPad Air should offer up to 20% faster performance compared to the previous-generation model. The M3 chip also brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing to the iPad Air for the first time, providing improved graphics rendering in games. The new iPad Air is available to pre-order, and it will launch on March 12. In the U.S., the 11-inch model continues to start at $599, and the 13-inch model continues to start at $799.

Article Link: New 13-Inch iPad Air Specs Lack Audio Feature From Last-Gen Model [Update]

Kinda seems like you should change the headline or delete the article entirely since it ended up false

 

[svish]

Might be an error in the comparison page. Don’t think Apple would have made any change in a very minor update.