When Apple unveiled the new iPad Air at its September 15 event, and at the time offered a launch timeframe of “in October.” We’re halfway into October now and still haven’t heard an official announcement, but Best Buy Canada’s website may have leaked an exact release date.
While Apple’s website still says the new iPad Air will be “Available in October,” Best Buy’s Canadian site is listing an October 23 release date. (First spotted by MacRumors) This suggests the new iPad Air will be available the same day as the new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.
The October 23 data hasn’t been seen on Best Buy’s U.S. website, nor on other retailers’ websites, so the Best Buy Canada data could be a mistake. However, an October 23 release makes sense. If the date is accurate, we could see iPad Air pre-orders kick off on Friday.
The fourth-generation iPad Air will be available in five different finishes (silver, space gray, rose gold, green, and sky blue), a larger 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, boasts camera and audio upgrades, a new integrated Touch ID sensor in the top button, and the powerful A14 Bionic for a massive boost in performance. Pricing for WiFi-only models starts at $599 (US) and Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at $729 (US).
Apple Pencil (2nd generation), available for purchase separately for $129 (US), is compatible with iPad Air.
Magic Keyboard and the Smart Keyboard Folio for iPad Air are available for purchase separately for $299 (US) and $179 (US), respectively, both with layouts for over 30 languages, including simplified Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
Smart Folios are available for iPad Air for $79 (US) in black, white, and three new seasonal colors including deep navy, cyprus green, and pink citrus.
Education pricing for individuals, including current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels, is available for $549 (US) for the new iPad Air. The second-generation Apple Pencil is available for $119 (US), the Smart Keyboard Folio is available for $159 (US), and Magic Keyboard for $279 (US). For more information, visit apple.com/us-hed/shop.