More than two years after the iPad Air 5 came out in March 2022, Apple is finally expected to roll out its iPad Air 6, likely launching in early May. Apple's iPad Air is the company's iconic lightweight tablet, which sits perfectly poised between the base-model iPad, and the all-powerful iPad Pro, as the perfect mid-range option. With excellent portable, a lush display, and a powerful M1 chip, it's arguably the best iPad for most people.
Two years on from its release, however, and it's high time we got an upgrade. Good thing there's one rumored to be just around the corner. According to all the latest reports, Apple is set to unveil the new iPad Air 6 alongside a new OLED iPad Pro with M3, and a new Apple Pencil 3 and Magic Keyboard at its 'Let Loose' event on May 7.
Rumored headline upgrades include a new M2 chip, inherited from the M2 iPad Pro, and an all-new 12.9-inch model. Here's everything we know about Apple's next iPad Air.
Apple iPad Air 6: The headlines
- What is it? The sixth generation of the iconic iPad Air, Apple's portable, mid-range tablet.
- Release date: Week of May 6 (expected)
- Upgrades: M2 chip, new 12.9-inch size
iPad Air 6: Release date rumors
The most recent information we have regarding the new iPad Air indicates that Apple is planning to release it alongside the new iPad Pro in early May 2024.
Database filings spotted in early April confirm the existence of four new iPads, likely including the two new iPad Air models. The existence of such filings likely indicates these iPads are just weeks away, lining up with the May launch time frame.
Most recently, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple would debut a new OLED iPad Pro, iPad Air, Magic Keyboard, and Apple Pencil 3 likely on the week of May 6. Indeed, this was confirmed with Apple announcing a 'Let Loose' event on May 7, where we'll most likely see new iPads and a new Apple Pencil be announced.
Some accessory makers are already trying to jump the gun, ESR listed cases for a 2024 iPad Air, including the rumored 12.9-inch model, as early as mid-April.
iPad Air 6: Features and specifications
iPad Air 6: M2 chip
The current iPad Air is powered by the M1 chip which means that it now lags behind the iPad Pro by a full generation. That's likely to change when the next iPad Air refresh rolls around. All of the specific leaks about the iPad Air's chip point to M2, including this report from Revegnus below, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in December, Gurman revealed that the iPad Air will inherit the M2 chip from the iPad Pro, which should get M3 as part of its major OLED upgrade.
iPad Air6, powered by M2March 14, 2023
iPad Air 6: 12.9-inch model
Another huge potential change would be the addition of a new, larger display to the lineup. Recent leaks of the CAD renders of a 12.9-inch iPad Air show a similar design to the iPad Air 5 in a larger form factor. There has never been a two-tier display iPad Air lineup with that being something exclusive to the iPad Pro. Does the iPad Air really need two different display sizes? We're not convinced, but time will tell on that front.
iPad Air 6: mini-LED?
The 12.9-inch iPad Air 6 was previously expected to get a display bump, swapping LED for the M2 iPad Pro's Mini-LED. Apple was reportedly going to use up previous stock from the iPad Pro models, which wouldn't have needed them, thanks to the upgrade to OLED.
However, the same source that put out this rumor later retracted it, stating "we no longer believe the upcoming 12.9" iPad Air will get a MiniLED display." Instead, DSCC's Ross Young says that a new 12.9-inch mini-LED iPad will be released in the final quarter of 2024, instead. As to what this might be, we don't know, but rest assured it is not the iPad Air 6 expected at the May event.
iPad Air 6: Landscape selfie camera
Just like the OLED iPad Pro, Apple is expected to debut its entry-level iPad's landscape camera on the new iPad Air. The current iPad Air sports a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera, so it's likely Apple will keep this for the new model. The only other potential upgrade would be to add TrueDepth into the mix, although this is currently reserved for the iPad Pro. Reports of a landscape camera were reiterated on X by leaker ShrimpApplePro in March.
iPad Air 6: What we want to see
The iPad Air has always been in a strange place, offering some of what the iPad Pro has and in a similar package. The 11-inch iPad Pro and 10.9-inch iPad Air are very similar with the latter holding the advantage in two key areas — the M2 chip, and a better display. But there are plenty of other areas where the new iPad Air could improve, too.
More storage
We'd also like to see Apple push the boat out in terms of storage, too. The fact the base model iPad Air comes with 64GB in 2024 is just not good enough, and we'd like that to start at double to 128GB. It's just the right thing to do at this point.
Better battery
Finally, we'd like a bigger battery. It's never easy to do something like that and Apple is no doubt keen to make sure that a tablet called the iPad Air doesn't get too big and heavy. But battery is so important in a device like this, especially when games are involved. The battery life in the current model isn't bad. But it could always be improved.
iPad Air 6: Price
The current iPad Air 5 starts at $599 for that 64GB of storage but goes up from there when you add more. There's the cellular 64GB modem for $749 as well.
We wouldn't expect that price to change all that much the next time out, although there are yet to be any credible rumors either way. A lot might depend on Apple's pricing strategy for the 2024 OLED iPad Pro refresh, too. If those tablets get more expensive due to their new displays, a price increase might come to the mid-range iPad Air models as well — if only to make the iPad Pro seem less expensive by comparison.
The rumored 12.9-inch model is definitely going to be decidedly more expensive than the existing $599 model. However, Apple will need to be careful not to price it too close to the iPad Pro so as to avoid cannibalization. Rumored mini-LED display upgrades ensure this won't be a cheap upgrade, however.
