2 days ago
8
Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET's key takeaways
- The iPad Air is getting faster with the M4 chip.
- A new iPhone 17e, with double the storage, will cost $599.
- We'll learn more news from Apple leading up to its March 4 event.
After Tim Cook confirmed we'd see new products on March 2, Apple just launched the iPad Air with M4 and the iPhone 17e. The latest iPad Air features upgraded processing power, larger memory bandwidth, an improved Center Stage camera, and faster connectivity with N1 and C1X, the chips in the iPad Pro M5.
Apple's N1 wireless networking chip gives the iPad Air support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. The C1X chip is included in cellular models and is 30% more efficient than the previous generation's.
Also: 5 phones you should seriously consider instead of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
"iPad Air gives users more ways than ever to be creative and productive, offering powerful performance and incredible versatility to help them turn their ideas into reality," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing, in a statement. "With its blazing performance thanks to M4, incredible AI capabilities, and game-changing iPadOS 26 features, there's never been a better time to choose or upgrade to iPad Air."
This year's upgraded iPad Air is the same price as last year's model, making it an enticing purchase for those looking to upgrade -- especially those coming from an older device like the iPad Air with M1. If upgrading to an M4 iPad Air, current M1 users would experience performance that is more than twice as fast and 3D Pro rendering that is four times faster.
Also: Your iPhone's USB-C port is surprisingly versatile - 14 features beyond charging
The M4 features an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine that processes on-device AI three times faster than the M1 chip.
The 11-inch iPad Air starts at the same $599 price as the previous model with an M3 processor, while the 13-inch starts at $799. Apple is opening preorders for the iPad Air with M4 and the iPhone 17e on March 4, with general availability on March 11.
The new iPad Air with M4 is compatible with the Apple Pencil (USB-C), Apple Pencil Pro, and the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air, all of which can be purchased separately.
English (US) ·