Apple held its “Peek Performance” event today and during the event, it unveiled a new iPad Air, which is available in a new array of colors, features an M1 chip, optional 5G connectivity, a new Center Stage-capable front camera, and faster USB-C connectivity.
The new iPad Air features Apple’s Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage for a more natural video conferencing experience. It also boasts a USB-C port with up to 2x faster transfer speeds, and 5G on cellular iPad Air models.
The iPad Air’s new M1 includes an 8-core CPU that delivers up to 60% faster performance, and an 8-core GPU that delivers up to 2x faster graphics performance compared to the previous iPad Air. Apple says it is 2x as fast as the best-selling Windows laptop in its price range.
The USB-C port offers data transfers up to 10Gbps, offering support for a range of USB-C accessories, including cameras, external storage, and displays with up to 6K resolution. The new iPad Air also supports the second-generation Apple Pencil.
The new iPad Air is priced from $599 and is available to order beginning Friday, March 11, in 29 countries and regions, including the US, with availability beginning Friday, March 18. It is available in 64GB and 256GB configurations and is available in space gray, starlight, pink, purple, and blue colors.
