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 will become available on March 18. It runs iOS 15 and features 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 are available in 6 colors and are sold separately. The cover and case helps iPad go to ‘sleep’ when you close them and ‘wake up’ when you open them. Apple is adding more accessories to it’s products list to monetize on the growing accessories market.

Availability
iPad Air is available starting November 2013 from AT&T, Rogers and Verizon in the USA. In Canada, the prices and plans are more expensive at carriers Bell, Telus, Sprint and others.