After Apple went a whole year in 2023 without a single iPad hardware update, there are big expectations for the upcoming refreshes. New generations of iPad Pro and iPad Air are expected as soon as this spring.
91mobiles has today published purported schematics for the new iPad Air, which features a larger 12.9-inch display, a size increase from the current 10.9-inch model.
The new larger screened iPad Air would match the screen size of the biggest iPad Pro display.
Bringing the 12.9-inch screen size to the mid-range iPad line would seemingly mirror a product rollout strategy Apple recently deployed with the iPhone, where the iPhone 14 and iPhone 15 Plus models introduced the biggest iPhone screen sizes at more affordable price points. The company also launched a 15-inch MacBook Air for the first time last year.
Whereas the current 12.9-inch iPad Pro is priced starting at $1099, the iPad Air starts at $599. However, Apple will likely sell both 10.9-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Air concurrently, so the 12.9-inch iPad Air price will likely be a bit higher than $599.
As shown in the leaked schematics, the new iPad Air isn’t changing industrial design much aside from the bigger display. However, it does appear the rear camera layout has been redesigned, with both the camera and flash now housed in a protruding rectangular module. This is somewhat reminiscent of iPhone camera designs from a few years ago, akin to the iPhone X/XS era.
You can see all the photos of the alleged design on 91mobiles website.
Although the rumor mill remains unclear on timing, it seems like the new iPad Air will debut in the first half of this year. A new iPad Pro lineup featuring OLED displays is also expected to launch by June. Spec-bump updates to the iPad mini and base model iPad are anticipated to arrive before the end of the year.
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