2024 iPad Air: 4 new features coming to the rumored new Apple tablet
The iPad Air 2024 is arguably the most highly anticipated tablets of the year. It also may be one of the most delayed consumer products of 2024.
The new iPads — both the Air and Pro models — were poised to be released in March (perhaps alongside the new M3 MacBook Air), according to DigiTimes, which cited Apple's suppliers. However, it has been frequently pushed back throughout March and April.
So the question is, when will the iPad Air finally drop? We have the scoop on its potential release date — as well as four new features you can expect from the new tablet.
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iPad Air 2024 release date
The iPad Air is poised to drop May 7. On Tuesday, April 23, Apple announced that it will launch "Let Loose" livestream.
During this event, you'll probably see the new iPad Air as well as the iPad Pro.
The iPad Air, alongside the iPad Pro, has been reportedly delayed throughout March and April, according to DigiTimes. However, it seems like Apple finally has the iPad Air release date written in stone.
iPad Air 2024 price
Like Macworld, we're expecting the iPad Air 2024 to launch its 10.9-inch variant at $599, similar to its current-gen model.
However, it's trickier to predict the price of the rumored new 12.9-inch version. MacRumors says it will be $200 more, putting the 12.9-inch model at $799.
Macworld has a more optimistic forecast, speculating that the 12.9-inch variant will have a starting price of $699.
iPad Air 2024: 4 new features
The next model will be the 6th-generation iPad Air, and according to rumors and leaks, it will have the following new features:
Two display sizes: an anticipated 10.9-inch model and a new 12.9-inch variant, according to Bloomberg
New miniLED display
Front camera moved from the top bezel to the side, according ShrimpApplePro, an X leaker with a decent track record
New M2 chip, according to Bloomberg
To summarize, instead of the usual one iPad Air model we get from Apple, we're expecting two models, making it similar to the iPad Pro's two-model offerings. To reiterate, rumor has it that the iPad Air 6 will have a 10.9-inch model and a 12.9-inch model that matches the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro on the market.
As we reported in mid-April, the iPad Air will reportedly feature a new miniLED variant (a step up from the current-gen LCD display design). This will likely come to the new 12.9-inch model. However, keep in mind that Ross Young, a display analyst who appears to have connections with sources familiar with Apple's iPad production, refutes this report. He says that the iPad Air will not come with a new miniLED display.
Thirdly, as it stands now, the iPad Air features a camera placed on the top (while it's being held in portrait mode). However, Apple is reportedly moving that camera to the side, allowing for a better camera experience during landscape orientation.
Bloomberg states that the iPad Air will get an M2 chip. For reference, the last iPad Air, updated in 2022, featured the M1 chip.
As MacRumors pointed out, if Apple is feeling particularly generous, it may opt to pack iPad Air 2024 with the more advanced M3 chip.
Save for the relocated camera and a larger iPad Air, we haven't seen any rumors about significant design changes. The iPad Air, compared to the iPad Pro, has always been slightly thicker with wider bezels — and that design language is expected to continue with the iPad Air 2024.
There are whispers that the Cupertino-based tech giant plans to drop a Apple Pencil with two new features (as far as we kniw): a squeeze gesture and a new erase feature. We're also hearing that we're getting a new stratus of the Apple Pencil: the Apple Pencil Pro. Finally, we're expecting a new Magic Keyboard.
As aforementioned, the new iPad Air 2024 is expected to drop on May 7. Stay tuned for Mashable's in-depth coverage on the new tablet.
Topics iPad
Kimberly Gedeon, at Mashable since 2023, is a tech explorer who enjoys doing deep dives into the most popular gadgets, from the latest iPhones to the most immersive VR headsets. She's drawn to strange, avant-garde, bizarre tech, whether it's a 3D laptop, a gaming rig that can transform into a briefcase, or smart glasses that can capture video. Her journalism career kicked off about a decade ago at MadameNoire where she covered tech and business before landing as a tech editor at Laptop Mag in 2020.
