As expected by many, Apple not only launched the new iPhone SE, but also announced the arrival of the new iPad Air. Apple’s mid-end tablet is still well placed between the cheap iPad and the more expensive iPad Pro models.
Coming in 2022, the latest iPad Air has been powered by the Apple M1 chipset and optional 5G support (with eSIM), but as usual, the base model is WiFi only. The M1 chipset is definitely the main feature here, as it allows the new iPad Air to match the performance of the iPad Pro, although it tends to have less RAM).
Other updates to the iPad Air include a new ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage. This support can automatically shift during a video call to keep the user visible on the move, and notifications when someone else joins, smoothly zooming out to include them too.
On the back is a 12 MP camera, which doesn’t appear to have changed from the previous generation iPad Air. The USB-C port, however, is up to twice as fast, with data transfers up to 10Gbps. The screen still sports a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina with 500 nits of brightness, as well as True Tone support, and an anti-reflective coating.
The latest iPad Air has landscape stereo speakers, Touch ID built into the home button. Meanwhile, for the operating system, this tablet runs on iPadOS 15.4. This version of the software will be available as an over-the-air (OTA) update for other iPads starting next week.
Thanks to the Universal Control feature it packs, users will be able to work with a single mouse and keyboard across multiple Macs and iPads in a seamless way, with no setup required. In fact, users can drag and drop content back and forth between devices.
The new tablet features a 100% recycled aluminum enclosure, 100% recycled lead in the main logic board solder, and 100% recycled rare earth elements in the audio enclosure and magnets. The new iPad Air comes in Space Grey, Starlight, Pink, Purple, and a “stunning new blue”.
For interested consumers, this device by Apple will start at US$ 599 (Rp 8.6 million) like its predecessor, with 64 GB of storage. Apple also offers a 256GB model, a WiFi + 5G model starting at $749.
The new tablet also supports the 2nd generation Apple Pencil which retails for US$129 (Rp1.8 million) as well as the Magic Keyboard US$299 (Rp4.3 million), Smart Keyboard Folio US$179 (Rp2.5 million), and Smart Folio cover for US$ 79 (Rp 1 million). It comes in Black, White, Electric Orange, Dark Cherry, English Lavender, and Marine Blue colors.
