Apple is about to release the next gen iPad Air and it’s said to have a big performance boost with a more powerful chip. But the design won’t change. Apple just released the iPad Pro with M4 and most of its users are now waiting for the new iPad Air which will be a better option with good features at a lower price.
A recent leak revealed that the new iPad Air will have Apple’s M3 chip. Interesting that the M3 chip was skipped in the iPad Pro series so now we have more questions about the Air version.
M3 vs M4
Recent rumors said Apple might skip the M3 chip and use the M4 chip on the iPad Air. The iPad Air will follow the iPad Pro. But Apple wants to keep the two lines separate. Historically the iPad Air and iPad Pro shared a chip for a short time before Apple updated the Pro to make it better. This time it seems the iPad Air will settle for the M3 chip while the Pro will be the flagship with the M4 chip.
iPad Air Leaks:
Evan Blass, a well known leaker, has revealed the upcoming iPad Air. Blass says the new lineup will have 11-inch and 13-inch models with M3 chip. There’s also an entry level iPad rumored to have A17 Pro chip. Blass shared an image from source code supposedly of these unreleased models. The source is unknown but Blass has been accurate with Apple leaks in the past.
The Chips
Manufacturing issues might also be a factor in using the M3 chip on the iPad Air. The M4 chip uses TSMC’s 3nm process (N3B) which has low yields and is hard to mass produce. Apple might be using the M3 chip to balance performance and production efficiency.
The leak also brings to light the chip that will be in the entry level iPad. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg previously said it might have the A17 Pro chip but this would put it on par with the iPad mini 7 which could cause overlap in Apple’s product lineup.
Launch Date
Along with the iPad Air and entry level iPad, the leak also mentions iPhone SE 4 but no details are given. Rumors say Apple will release these in Spring 2025 and announce them in April.
While the leaks are interesting, nothing is official from Apple. We can only wait and see what the final specs of the new iPad Air lineup will be.
Conclusion
The next-generation iPad Air is shaping up to be a compelling option for users seeking powerful performance at a reasonable price. With the M3 chip at its core, the device promises to deliver significant upgrades while maintaining a familiar design. As anticipation builds, all eyes are on Apple’s upcoming announcements to see how the iPad Air will stack up against its Pro counterpart.