New iPad Air Rumored to Launch This Spring With A15 Chip, 5G, Center Stage Camera, and More

[ian87w]

I doubt there will be a price increase. That comes with a redesign or the inclusion of a better display tech

what I expect in 2022 for the iPad:

- base level iPad : possible redesign to iPad Air 3 (10.5”),laminated display, remain on A13: possible small price increase to 349 USD/worst case to 399 USD - update in the fall

- iPad mini : no update in 2022, first update likely fall 2023 with a spec bump to the A17.

- iPad Air : updates mentioned in this report. A15, Center stage - no price hike except maybe if they increase base storage to 128 GB but even then I don’t expect a price hike.

- IPad Pro 11”: update probably in the fall of 2022: Mini led display, M2, potential small redesign , camera update possibly - price hike to 899 USD

- ipad pro 12.9” : updated at same time as the 11” pro : M2, potential small redesign, camera update possibly - no price change

I don't think the iPad Pros will get any upgrades this year. Apple would want as much M2 chips for the redesigned MacBook Air, which imo will be highly popular. The iPad Pros would probably get refreshed next year. The M1 still have plenty of performance for the iPad Pro.

I doubt Apple would ever give the base iPad any newer chasis. Apple didn't even bother to put Bluetooth 5 on the current one despite having an upgraded SoC in it. Apple will want to differentiate the pheasants. Same reason why they use the old design for the iPhone SE. It's to differentiate the customer segment.

 

[Bug-Creator]

I doubt Apple would ever give the base iPad any newer chasis.

I'd say that depends on how much of a redesign the iPP will get in 202? (and the Air one year later).

If it's big enough they will just push down the current Air's design to the base iPad.

 

[one more]

The iPhone SE refresh is the wild card, with so many different rumors.

I hope you are right and it won’t just be the same old iPhone 6-8 chassis as before with better internals.

 

[BenLeong]

Anyone can “report” obvious, linear probabilities. Is this really an “insider” revelation?

 

[one more]

Anyone can “report” obvious, linear probabilities. Is this really an “insider” revelation?

Yes, this Air upgrade seems to be minor & evolutionary, but might still be useful for people to time their upgrades.

 

[xxray]

Are you all noticing the trend here? Apple includes features exclusive to the Pro models a year later on the cheaper models. The best way to play this game is to always wait. There is just too much diminishing value on the Pro models of many Apple products. My friend bought a iPhone 12 (non-Pro) 6.1 and he is more than happy with it. I am even thinking of upgrading to the 12 later this year from my X. I guess you could say its a great time to be alive.

The features exclusive to the Pro models are ProMotion, M1 chip, more RAM, mini-LED, LiDAR, Ultra Wide rear cameras, smaller bezel, larger screen option, quad speakers, and better storage options and pricing. Apple will always keep certain features exclusive to the Pro models.

The Air looks like a better deal at first, but often when you start adding more storage, the price becomes comparable to the Pro model, and then it just makes more sense to get the Pro. I got my current iPad Pro $200 off MSRP too, so again, it doesn’t always make sense to just see the MSRP of the Air and assume it’s a better deal.

 

[Mainsail]

I have noticed is that price bumps are usually associated with new designs and form factors. I assume this is because they are trying to recover cost associated with retooling and changing the assembly process etc.. In this case, we are really talking about a spec bump for the processor, camera, and cellular radio. I rarely see price increases with routine spec bumps. Admittedly, I am just going off observation here not hard data, but I would not jump to the conclusion that there is going to be a significant price increase.

 

[Chaparral02]

If Apple adds these features, they will surely increase the price by $100+.

Surely that would push the price of the air far to close to the price of the 11" pro

 

[Shirasaki]

What are the Pro features though? It's really hard to see how the iPad pro is better than the Air.

Better processor and more storage really. iPad Air probably wont get M1 or M2 anytime soon. Also more RAM, maybe better screen. I can’t get iPad Air cause I need 512GB storage which iPad Air doesn’t offer.

 

[Shirasaki]

Surely that would push the price of the air far to close to the price of the 11" pro

And Apple just bump price of all pro models by $200 for 11” and $300 for 12.9”. It’s not that hard.

 

[satchmo]

Are you all noticing the trend here? Apple includes features exclusive to the Pro models a year later on the cheaper models. The best way to play this game is to always wait. There is just too much diminishing value on the Pro models of many Apple products. My friend bought a iPhone 12 (non-Pro) 6.1 and he is more than happy with it. I am even thinking of upgrading to the 12 later this year from my X. I guess you could say its a great time to be alive.

Apple’s ‘Pro’ line strategy is right out of a marketing playbook. Sure, there are some additional features aimed at professionals, but it’s also an aspirational product. It targets the wannabes, posers and authentic up and comers. It’s a simple upsell tactic, not unlike the S-Class models of a Mercedes.

But yes, wait a year and pick up a ’Pro’ for less (if you need the features). Otherwise, your non-pro is absolutely fine.

 

[easy4lif]

I hoping it’s the A15 chip with 5 gpu cores!

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

I doubt it’ll increase by $100+. Maybe $50 at most.

The Air already got a $100 price bump in 2020 when Apple changed the chassis. The new rumored changes are fairly minor and pretty much just catching up with the mini 6. Heck, even the $329 iPad got Center Stage.

$399 mini 5 A12, 3GB
$499 Air 3 A12, 3GB

$599 Air 4 A14, 4GB

$499 mini 6 A15, 4GB
$599-649? Air 5

Heck, even at $649, the Air 5 doesn’t make much sense when compared to the $799 iPad Pro 11 (frequently on sale for $699-749). Until Apple releases a Mini-LED iPP 11 for $899, I reckon it’s more likely they will keep the $200 price gap between Air and Pro 11.

It's beginning to look like Coca Cola.

I read an article about branding, and it stated that Coke was available in 15 different sized containers, and some of them, Coke made a killing on their margin, but it was the same sugared water and caffeine. Some, according to memories of the article, only vary by a few ounces, and the price can vary, surprisingly, quite a lot. It does seem like the differences between the different iPad models are becoming less over time. Hearing that they throttled the processor in the Mini 6 was disappointing. It's already differentiated, it's The Mini! *groan* They could make it a barn burner and a lot of people wouldn't buy it because it's The Mini. Product decisions occasionally make sense, but other times, they seem just weird...

But I remember having this discussion years ago, about the plethora of iPad models. The more things change I guess, eh... *shrug*

 

[citysnaps]

With supply constraints + inflation = I don't think so....expect a price hike...

Spot on. Why should Apple be immune to what other businesses and consumers are experiencing?

If people aren't on-board with a reasonable price hike, simply purchase a competing product that offers superior value.

 

[bodonnell202]

I hope they don’t copy the Mini’s Color palette and they keep green and blue.

 

[mjtomlin71]

 

[darkslide29]

Apple’s ‘Pro’ line strategy is right of a marketing playbook. Sure, there are some additional features aimed at professionals, but it’s also an aspirational product. It targets the wannabes, posers and authentic up and comers. It’s a simple upsell tactic, not unlike the S-Class models of a Mercedes.

But yes, wait a year and pick up a ’Pro’ for less (if you need the features). Otherwise, your non-pro is absolutely fine.

As a wannabe poser myself, I can confirm that I use my M1 iPad Pro the same way I would use the entry level iPad. 😎

 

[gonsawa_]

Should just be iPad and unify the design having the low end be iPad Educational.

Instead of iPad Educational, just call it iPad SE to match the iPhone lineup

 

[Ludatyk]

Are you all noticing the trend here? Apple includes features exclusive to the Pro models a year later on the cheaper models. The best way to play this game is to always wait. There is just too much diminishing value on the Pro models of many Apple products.

But that's technology in general. New features will be introduced to flagship models to entice customers to buy the products. Once those new features become normalized or cheaper to produce by then it will come to midrange products. Yeah, you can wait until those features come to midrange products. However, if customers don't buy those flagship models... companies won't invest in innovating new features.

 

[Rainshadow]

If Apple adds these features, they will surely increase the price by $100+. Tired of non ground breaking features being added purely for the sake of skyrocketing the price to capture more of consumers hard earned revenue. I’d rather have the cheaper iPad Air but they will likely no longer sell it to force people to hand over even more money.

Force ?

 

[EugW]

I don't expect pricing to change. The price increase already happened. These are incremental updates, with no surprises.

I mean the iPad mini has always been somewhat of a smaller version of the Air.

No, that's is not true. The iPad mini began life as a smaller version of the iPad, and stayed that way for quite a while.

 

[Student of Life]

5g will be an extra 120 at least.

 

[Populus]

Are you all noticing the trend here? Apple includes features exclusive to the Pro models a year later on the cheaper models. The best way to play this game is to always wait. There is just too much diminishing value on the Pro models of many Apple products. My friend bought a iPhone 12 (non-Pro) 6.1 and he is more than happy with it. I am even thinking of upgrading to the 12 later this year from my X. I guess you could say its a great time to be alive.

While I partially agree with you -and upvoted you-, there are products where this isn’t quite that way. Like the iPad like @rui no onna told you. Yes, of course, if you don’t mind lacking Face ID (which I like on the iPad Pro because of the attention feature), and you don’t mind the 4GB of RAM, the iPad Air is a great choice. But there are features like Pro-motion, Face ID (which prevents the iPad to lock itself while reading) or double the RAM that, in my opinion, justify the Pro category. On the iPhone on the other hand, it doesn’t (for me, at least).

By the way, I’m glad your friend is happy with the iPhone 12, but the cameras and the much improved battery life in my opinion justify the 13 lineup, and whilst the price is higher, maybe waiting a bit longer for the 13 to be cheaper in September would’ve been a better move. You now will say: yes, but then you will wait for the 14 to drop the price in 2023, and yes, you may be right, maybe I’m a bit biased because I’m an iPhone mini buyer, and next year there won’t be iPhone 14 mini.

 

[ian87w]

No, that's is not true. The iPad mini began life as a smaller version of the iPad, and stayed that way for quite a while.

Maybe the first iPad mini, which was a miniaturized iPad 2. But then the 2nd generation iPad mini was a mini version of iPad Air 1. 4th gen was mini version of iPad Air 2. 5th gen was mini version of iPad Air 3. And so on. So the iPad mini and iPad Air have been hand in hand.

 

[MacBH928]

A15 or A7500 , if I do not notice the difference in real life its not worth upgrading. My iPad Air (original I believe) lasted like 4 years and worked flawless I just upgraded because I wanted shinier new things not out of necessity.

This of course is a complement to the A series of processors that they last a long time, but again it gives me less reason to pay another $500-800 to buy a new ipad.

I still say the problem is the software, its too limited and whatever additional features they added made it just a Frankenstein monster. It was not built for what they are trying to make it... a laptop full os replacement.