Apple launches new iPad Air and iPad mini: Details here
Just a week before its big event, Apple has launched all-new iPad Air and iPad mini models. The long due tablets, especially the latter, were quietly announced after the Apple Store went down for a while. They boast of major internal improvements but still support Apple's first generation 'Pencil' stylus. Here's all about the new iPads.
Apple iPad Air: At a glance
The new iPad Air comes with a thinner design and a fully-laminated 10.5-inch (1668x2224 pixel) Retina display with True Tone technology. It still bears bezels and TouchID sensor at the bottom but is said to be 20% larger than the previous model in the lineup. Under the hood, iPad Air runs iPhones' A12 Bionic, promising 70% performance boost and two times faster graphics rendering.
New iPad Air camera capabilities
With improved hardware, the new iPad Air also features an 8MP camera with f/2.4 aperture, five-element lens, and HDR support on the back. There's no flash on the rear, but the 7MP front-facing shooter does offer 'Retina flash' capabilities.
iPad mini: At a glance
Along with iPad Air, Apple has also launched a new iPad mini for the first time in more than three years. The device still features an ultra-portable, bezel and TouchID-packed design with a 7.9-inch Retina display (536x2048 pixels). However, Apple claims the panel with True Tone tech is 25% brighter, can display more colors and has the highest pixel density of any iPad.
Performance and camera capabilities of the new iPad mini
The new iPad mini comes with the same A12 Bionic chip that powers iPad Air and the iPhones and is said to offer 3x performance boost and nine times faster graphics rendering. Its cameras are also similar to those on the new iPad Air.
Plus, you get eSIM, Apple Pencil support
Along with improved specs, the new iPad Air and mini models also offer advanced connectivity options with support for eSIM and Apple Pencil. Apple says that the devices feature the "same great Wi-Fi performance and Gigabit‑class LTE connectivity" that comes with the top-end iPad Pro models. However, surprisingly, both the models only offer support for the first-generation Apple Pencil, not the latest one.
Prices of iPad mini and iPad Air
Both the iPads will come in silver, space grey, and gold colors with 64GB and 256GB storage options. In India, Gadgets360 reports, the Wi-Fi only model of iPad Air will start at Rs. 44,900, while the Wi-Fi + cellular version would start at Rs. 55,900. Meanwhile, the iPad mini would start at Rs. 34,900 for Wi-Fi and Rs. 45,900 for Wi-Fi with cellular.
Now, this is the complete iPad lineup
So, now, the full iPad lineup includes 12.9-inch and 11-inch iPad Pros, 10.5-inch iPad Air, 9.7-inch iPad, and 7.9-inch iPad mini. They all will be available for purchase in India.
