Apple introduces the new iPad Air, which features the M1 chipset and 5G support

Today’s Apple event saw the announcement of a brand new iPad Air, as well as the new iPhone SE. Apple’s mid-tier tablet is still a good fit between the low-cost iPad and the more expensive iPad Pro models.

The iPad Air is powered by Apple’s M1 chipset and offers optional 5G support (via eSIM), but the base model is Wi-Fi-only as usual.

The M1 chip is unquestionably the standout feature here, as it allows the iPad Air to compete in terms of performance with the iPad Pro (although in true Apple tradition, the Air is likely to have less RAM).

Other iPad Air updates include a new ultrawide front camera with Center Stage that automatically pans during video calls to keep you in view as you move around and notices when others join in, smoothly zooming out to include them as well. This experience is now available on all iPads.

On the back is a 12MP camera, which appears to be the same as on the previous-generation iPad Air. The USB-C port, on the other hand, is up to two times faster, with data transfers reaching 10Gbps. The display remains a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with 500 nits of brightness, True Tone support, and an anti-reflective coating.

The new iPad Air has landscape stereo speakers, Touch ID built into the home button.

iPadOS 15.4 comes preinstalled on the iPad Air. Next week, this version of the software will be available as an over-the-air update for other iPads. You’ll be able to work with a single mouse and keyboard across multiple Macs and iPads in a seamless manner, with no setup required – you can even drag and drop content back and forth between devices, thanks to the Universal Control feature.

The new tablet is made of 100 percent recycled aluminium, 100 percent recycled tin in the main logic board’s solder, and 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in the enclosure and audio magnets.

The new iPad Air is available in Space Gray, Starlight, pink, purple, and a “stunning new blue.” It, like its predecessor, will start at $599 for 64GB of storage. A 256GB model will also be available. The new iPad Air will be available for pre-order in 29 countries and regions this Friday, with a March 18 release date. The Wi-Fi+5G model costs $749.