Apple has unveiled a new iPad Air powered by the M4 chip, starting at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model, marking a significant performance boost for its mid-tier tablet lineup.
The refresh coincides with the start of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where competitors are showcasing new hardware, although Apple is holding its own hands-on events this week rather than participating in the trade show. The new iPad Air is 30% faster than the M3 version and 2.3x faster than the M1 version, according to Apple. The device features an 8-core CPU, a 9-core GPU, 12GB of unified memory, and 120GB/s memory bandwidth. The 16-core Neural Engine is 3x faster than the M1’s, which the company said enhances on-device AI performance.
The tablet supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 and uses new connectivity chips, the N1 and C1X. It retains the same physical dimensions as previous models and includes 12MP front and rear cameras. The device is compatible with Apple accessories like the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro.
Preorders begin on Wednesday, March 4, in 35 countries and regions via Apple.com and the Apple Store app. Four color finishes—blue, purple, starlight, and space gray—and four storage options from 128GB to 1TB are available. Educational discounts bring the 11-inch model to $549 and the 13-inch model to $749.
The launch is one of several announcements planned this week, alongside the iPhone 17e and expected MacBook upgrades. Apple does not participate in MWC or other trade shows, preferring to show off its products at its own events.
