IPad Air

The iPad Air is the premium lightweight series of Apple's iPad tablet devices. The first iPad Air resembled an enlarged iPad mini but is lighter, thinner, and more powerful than previous standard models.

History
The 1st-generation iPad Air was released in 2013 and ran iOS 7 out of the box. iOS 7 was a new version of iOS with many visual differences from iOS 6, including a minimalist design, immersive UI (user interface), and improved performance. The 64-bit Apple A7 chip powered the lightweight device. Apple stated that this tablet was up to twice as fast as the 4th-generation iPad. Many apps (especially games) were tailored for the iPad Air to take advantage of its new hardware and features. Other improvements include a second microphone for improved audio recordings. Apple also added a second antenna for better Wi-Fi connections.

The 5th-generation iPad Air was announced in a special event on March 8, 2022 and became available on the following March 18th. It included iOS 15 and featured an Apple M1 processor, a 12 megapixel forward-facing camera with Center Stage, and optional 5G support.

Accessories
iPad Air Smart Covers and leather Smart Cases were available in 6 colors and sold separately. The covers and cases included magnets to signal the iPad go to ‘sleep’ when closed and ‘wake up’ when opened. Apple added more accessories to its products list to monetize the growing accessories market.