Apple announces iPad Air and Retina display iPad Mini models
Called the iPad Air, the next-generation iPad is thinner and lighter than the previous generation model
So the new iPads have just been announced by Apple during the October 22 special event, along with new MacBooks and the powerful but tiny Mac Pro.
We’ll leave the MacBook and Mac Pro for another article, and deal with the new iPads.
As usual we try to separate the wheat from the chaff (or the rice from the chaff if you take in the Malaysian context) and take a look at what we got with the new iPad 5.
What was launched?
The new 9.7in iPad has a new name -- it’s now called the iPad Air and weighs just 453g instead of the 635g of the last-generation iPad 4.
The new 9.7in iPad has a new name -- it’s now called the iPad Air and weighs just 453g instead of the 635g of the last-generation iPad 4.
The iPad Mini has also been updated, and now comes with an Retina display
Upgraded processor
A no-brainer on this one -- with the introduction if the A7 processor in the iPhone 5s both the iPad Air and the iPad Mini now feature the same 64-bit A7 processor which means much faster overall performance.
It has longer battery life
Well, not longer, but the same. Both the iPad Air and the iPad Mini retain the 10-hour battery life that Apple tablets are famous for, which is particularly impressive for the iPad Air, which is smaller and yet more powerful than the iPad it replaces.
Does it have an upgraded camera?
Yes and no. Apple claims that the cameras on both the iPad Air and iPad Mini have been upgraded in some way, but the megapixel count remains the same at 5-megapixels.
No Touch ID sensor on the new iPads
There was a lot of conflicting rumours about whether the new iPads would feature the iPhone 5s’ Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
Upgraded processor
A no-brainer on this one -- with the introduction if the A7 processor in the iPhone 5s both the iPad Air and the iPad Mini now feature the same 64-bit A7 processor which means much faster overall performance.
It has longer battery life
Well, not longer, but the same. Both the iPad Air and the iPad Mini retain the 10-hour battery life that Apple tablets are famous for, which is particularly impressive for the iPad Air, which is smaller and yet more powerful than the iPad it replaces.
Does it have an upgraded camera?
Yes and no. Apple claims that the cameras on both the iPad Air and iPad Mini have been upgraded in some way, but the megapixel count remains the same at 5-megapixels.
No Touch ID sensor on the new iPads
There was a lot of conflicting rumours about whether the new iPads would feature the iPhone 5s’ Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
As it turns out, they do not -- both the iPad Air and iPad Mini still have a regular Home button without Touch ID.
Faster WiFi and LTE speeds
Both the iPad Air and iPad Mini come with faster WiFi speeds, utilising MIMO (Multiple In, Multiple Out) technology.
Faster WiFi and LTE speeds
Both the iPad Air and iPad Mini come with faster WiFi speeds, utilising MIMO (Multiple In, Multiple Out) technology.
Furthermore, the cellular versions will come with LTE support, just like the iPhone 5s.
Two colours
The iPad Air and iPad Mini will be available in silver/white versions as well as space grey/black versions.
When will it be released in Malaysia?
As usual no date has been officially announced for this country but Apple showed that the iPad Air would be available November 1 in many countries including China and Singapore, while the iPad Mini is slated for later in November.
Two colours
The iPad Air and iPad Mini will be available in silver/white versions as well as space grey/black versions.
When will it be released in Malaysia?
As usual no date has been officially announced for this country but Apple showed that the iPad Air would be available November 1 in many countries including China and Singapore, while the iPad Mini is slated for later in November.
Expect the devices to be available in Malaysia either by the end of November or early December.
Prices
The iPad Air starts at US$499 for the 16GB WiFi version, which means it should be the same price as the previous generation iPad when it launches here, which is about RM1,699.
The iPad Air starts at US$499 for the 16GB WiFi version, which means it should be the same price as the previous generation iPad when it launches here, which is about RM1,699.
The Retina display iPad Mini is priced a little more expensive than the original iPad Mini, starting at US$399 (about RM1,299) instead of US$329 (it was sold at RM999 here). However, Apple announced that the original iPad Mini would still be available at a lower price of US$299 (about RM600).
THE STAR
.jpg)
