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Apple has unveiled their new iPad Air tablet. Here’s everything you need to know about the new iPad Air’s specs, features, price, and release date.
1. The iPad Air Has Improved Specs & a New Chip
According to the info Apple shared at their keynote event, the iPad Air will have 10-hour battery life. The new iPad Air 2 is 12x faster than the original iPad, with 180x faster graphics. The new iPad Air is powered by a new A8X chip with three billion transistors. The device itself is a mere 6.1mm thin, which is thinner than the previous generation iPad Air, and also thinner than the latest iPhones. The iPad Air 2 offers an 8MP camera, with f/2.4 aperture, and it is capable of shooting 1080p video.
2. The iPad Air Features TouchID
The rumors are true. The iPad Air 2 has TouchID. This is great news for Apple fans who already own an iPhone that supports TouchID, since so many Apple fans have been forgetting that their old iPad doesn’t support TouchID, and just leaving their thumbs on the home button.
3. The iPad Air Is More Expensive Than Other iPad Models
The iPad Air is expensive compared to other iPad models, since it is larger and more powerful. This thinner version of the iPad Air will be released in 2014. It starts at $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for 64GB, and $699 for 128GB Wi-Fi Models. Cellular models cost a bit more, so just add $130 to the price for the regular Wi-Fi model to see how much the Wi-Fi+Cellular models will set you back. The iPad Mini 3 costs less than the new iPad Air 2.
4. The New iPad Air Will Go On Sale Later This Month
Preorders for the new iPad open tomorrow, October 17. New iPads will start shipping next week.
Apple’s new iPad Air and iPad Mini are very exciting to Apple fans, but there was some talk before the Apple keynote event that the iPad line might take a sales hit because of the success of the new iPhone 6 Plus. Because the 6 Plus is so large, it really takes the place of an iPad Mini for some Apple customers. Not expected to appear at the October 16 Apple event is the rumored iPad Pro, a 12-inch tablet designed for business. This rumored tablet is expected to debut in early 2015. Some say this new iPad will support a dual-window view of apps, allowing for better multitasking.
5. The iPad Air 2 Comes Loaded With iOS 8.1
The iPad Air 2 will come preloaded with iOS 8.1, and will also be able to use Apple Pay to shop directly from the tablet. Both iOS 8.1 and Apple Pay will get pushed to Apple devices on Monday, October 20.
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New iPad Air 2: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know