Apple has updated the iPad Air for 2024 at an event which Apple CEO Tim Cook described as the “Biggest day for iPad”. The new iPad Pro comes in two sizes: 11 inch and 13 inch, features the M2 chip, and much more.
iPad Air M2 release date
Apple unveiled two new iPad Air models at an event on May 7, 2024. Pre-orders started immediately following the event and the new products will ship on Wednesday May 15.
iPad Air M2 Prices
The new 11-inch iPad Air for 2024 starts at $599/£599. The new 13-inch iPad Air starts at $799/£799.
The new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air will be available in 256GB, 512GB and 1TB configurations.
For education, the new 11-inch iPad Air starts at $549 and the 13-inch model starts at $749. U.K. education prices to be confirmed.
iPad Air M2 Design
This is the first time Apple has added an additional size to the iPad Air lineup. The iPad Air will now be available in 11-inch and 13-inch configurations.
Apple described the new 13-inch model as offering 30 percent more screen real estate than the 11-inch model.
Both models will feature the same screen technology. A Liquid Retina display with anti-reflective screen coating; True Tone technology; high brightness; and support for P3 wide color. Only the 2024 M4 iPad Pro gets the new Ultra Retina XDR display.
The new iPad Air comes in new colors: Blue and Purple, along with Starlight and Space Gray of the previous generation.
iPad Air M2 Specs
The new iPad Air models feature the M2 chip, with its faster CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine compared to the M1 in the previous generation. Apple says that the new chip means the iPad Air is “nearly 50 percent faster than the previous iPad Air with M1 for a wide range of productivity and creative tasks.” The M2 also improves on the AI capabilities, with a 16-core Neural Engine that is 40 percent faster than the M1, according to Apple.
Elsewhere, the iPad Air now has WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and Apple Pencil Pro support. Like all iPad Airs, it’s rated for 10 hours of battery life.
iPad Air M2 Hardware
Like the 2024 iPad Pro (and the 2022 iPad) the front-facing Ultra Wide 12MP camera with Center Stage is now located along the landscape edge. This is a better position for FaceTime and other video calling apps.
You’ll also get twice the storage as the previous model (128GB vs 64GB) and more storage options (512GB, 1TB). The speakers have also improved, according to Apple, with the 13-inch model delivering “even better sound quality with double the bass.” Otherwise, the M2 model is the same as the M2, with sub-6 GHz 5G, USB-C, Touch ID in the top button, and two microphones.
