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David Pierce is editor-at-large and Vergecast co-host with over a decade of experience covering consumer tech. Previously, at Protocol, The Wall Street Journal, and Wired.
The iPad Air is a tricky tablet. At times, it has been the most compelling of Apple’s lineup, the Goldilocks-perfect combination of features and price. Other times, it starts to feel like an awkwardly placed option, both too expensive and not good enough. With the new model, which Apple just announced via a press release, Apple is once again trying to strike the perfect balance.
The new Air is primarily a spec bump over last year’s device. It has an upgraded M3 chip, and of course supports Apple Intelligence. It’s not Apple’s most modern chip — that would be the M4 — but Apple says it’s twice as fast as the M1-powered Air and the A14 Bionic-powered Air. (Those are older devices, and Apple’s comparisons notably don’t include last year’s model.) It comes in four colors, 11- and 13-inch models, and starts at $599 for the smaller model and $799 for the larger. There’s also a new Magic Keyboard attachment ($269 for the smaller model and $319 for the larger), which includes the extra row of function keys and larger trackpad you could previously only get on the Pro.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook teased the announcement on X on Monday, posting a graphic that said “there’s something in the Air.” It’s a fast revision for the Air, given that the last-generation model started shipping less than a year ago. Bloomberg reported a few days ago that Apple is eager to capitalize on recent tablet momentum — last year’s iPad Pro and iPad Air were both excellent and well-received devices, and Apple’s tablets in general are increasingly among the first devices to get its new technology.
Apple continues to have exactly zero meaningful competition in the tablet market, and the iPad continues to improve. But Apple’s still stuck with the same question it has reckoned with for the better part of two decades: what is the iPad actually for? The new Air looks like another in a long line of solid technical upgrades, but it’s not always clear how much those upgrades change or even improve the tablet experience. It’s also a little odd to see Apple update the Air and still not give it the latest chip. But if you’re upgrading from a much older iPad, as most prospective iPad buyers are, it’s still a pretty big spec bump.
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