Just one week ahead of Apple’s planned March 25 media event to launch their rumored streaming service, they announced both a new iPad Air & iPad Mini in a press release on their website.
Both of these tablets replace aging models, especially the iPad Mini which hadn’t seen a hardware refresh since September 2015.
The iPad Air 10.5″ is replacing the more expensive iPad Pro 10.5″ which Apple released two years ago. Priced at $499 it is more expensive than the entry-level iPad 9.7″ but far less than the newer iPad Pro 11″.
On the hardware side, the new Air gets a performance bump from Apple’s A12 bionic (same one found in the iPhone XS & XR). It also gets a True Tone display, Bluetooth 5.0 and support for both the 1st generation Apple Pencil & Apple smart keyboard.
For $499 you’ll get 64GB of storage and Wi-Fi only. Cellular connectivity starts at $629 and bumping up the storage to 256GB will tack on an additional $150.
Despite the ever-increasing size of smartphones, the iPad Mini remains a popular device for travelers and students. With this refresh, Apple has once again made its most diminutive iPad a viable option for those on a budget.
Like the Air, the new Mini features the A12 bionic processor, a True Tone display, Bluetooth 5.0 and support for the 1st generation Apple Pencil. It also gets an upgraded 7MP front camera (the previous Mini only had 1.2MP one) which should help with facetime calls and the occasional selfie.
Priced at $399, the iPad Mini will start for $100 less than the Air. It is also available with cellular connectivity for an additional $130 and you can upgrade to 256GB of storage for $150.
Both iPads are available to order online through Apple starting today and they will be in stores starting next week.
This post was last modified on 03/18/2019 8:52 pm
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