Tag: iPad air

  • iPad Air 4 benchmark shows 4GB RAM, 28% improvement in single-core scores

    iPad Air 4 benchmark shows 4GB RAM, 28% improvement in single-core scores

    The news: When compared to Apple’s current top-tier mobile processor, the A12z, the new A14 chip nets 28% faster single-core scores.

    • Upgrades to the new A14 bionic processor are showing significant gains in per-core performance
      • The 6-core A14 chip is 28.4% faster per-core than the 8-core A12z processor
    • 4GB RAM is also present inside the redesigned iPad Air, which is an extra gig more than last generation
    • The benchmark was recently spotted on the Geekbench browser

    Our take: This is a super impressive jump in performance…just imagine what will happen when we get an 8-core A14 processor!

  • New iPad Air may start shipping as soon as September 30

    New iPad Air may start shipping as soon as September 30

    The news: Apple’s iPad Air may be shipping at least a day sooner than expected, according to new listings on Adorama.

    • The redesigned iPad Air will apparently begin shipping to customers on September 30
    • Apple previously said the new iPad Air would be available sometime in October

    Our take: I think this is pretty reasonable. Apple pulled a similar strategy with the Magic Keyboard earlier this year where they initially said it would be available in May but actually released in April.

  • Download the official 2020 iPad Air wallpapers here

    Download the official 2020 iPad Air wallpapers here

    The fun: Alongside the release of iOS 14 earlier, Apple released high-resolution versions of the marketing wallpapers for the brand new iPad Air.

    • Coined ‘Noodles,’ the dark and light mode wallpapers sprawl and twist in every conceivable direction
    • While the wallpapers are out now, the new iPad Air itself doesn’t come out until October

    Our take: It’s hard to pick a favorite here, but I think I’m going with the multi-color gray variants.

  • iPad Air 4 may start at $599, add new blue & green colorways

    iPad Air 4 may start at $599, add new blue & green colorways

    The leak: The iPad Air is about to receive its most significant update ever, according to Kang (95% accurate).

    The alleged specs leaked on Weibo just hours ago.

    • 10.8/9-inch display
    • A14 chip
    • 64GB base storage
    • Touch ID
    • Stereo speakers
    • Apple Pencil
    • Magic Keyboard
    • 5 colors: Gold, Silver, Gray, Green, Blue
    • $599 starting price

    Our take: This Weibo source nailed a ton of leaks for the iPhone SE and iOS 14 earlier this year. I’m skeptical about the addition of both blue and green colorways, but their track record is impressive thus far.

    Thanks to DuanRui for spotting these posts on Weibo.

  • 2020 iPad Air: every leak and rumor

    2020 iPad Air: every leak and rumor

    Ahead of Apple’s September 15 event, here are all the rumors we’ve heard about the upcoming, redesigned iPad Air.

    100% confirmed

    According to a leaked quick start guide, link

    • All-screen, iPad Pro-like design
    • FaceTime HD camera
    • Touch ID embedded in the top button
    • USB-C port
    • Single, rear-facing camera
    • Revamped Smart Connector

    More than 89% likely

    According to L0vetodream (89.2% accurate), link

    • Support for the new Magic Keyboard

    A total toss-up

    According to 91mobiles, link

    • Face ID system
    • Dual speakers and four microphones

    According to mydrivers.com, link

    • A14 processor
    • 128, 256 & 512 GB variants
    • Quad stereo speakers
    • $649 starting price

  • New Apple product(s) likely coming on September 8

    New Apple product(s) likely coming on September 8

    The news: After previewing that something was happening on September 8, Jon Prosser (77.8% accurate) has confirmed that a new Apple product or two is coming later this week.

    • The new product(s) are said to be coming this Tuesday at 6am PST
    • Prosser previously said that new iPad and Apple Watch models were coming this month
    • L0vetodream (89.2% accurate) however, doesn’t think a new Apple Watch is coming in September

    Our take: I’m far more confident in a new iPad Air launching on Tuesday than a new Apple Watch. A pair of recent reports have said the Apple Watch Series 6 isn’t coming out this month after all, so temper your expectations for this week’s press release accordingly! Will be an exciting week nonetheless.

  • Purported 2020 iPad schematics leak with 10.8-inch display & Face ID

    Purported 2020 iPad schematics leak with 10.8-inch display & Face ID

    The leak: Purported schematics for a new 2020 iPad have leaked, courtesy of 91mobiles.

    • A 10.8-inch display is surrounded by thin, iPad Pro-like bezels
    • Face ID is available on the front of the tablet
    • USB-C has replaced the long-standing Lightning port
    • Dual speakers and four mics are here, too
    • An updated Smart Connector appears to support the Magic Keyboard

    Our take: I’m much less convinced of these schematics than of the iPad Air quick start guide leak from earlier this week. 91mobiles says the schematics are “from a trusted source,” and the site does have a long history of sharing new designs exclusively. But they also claim the new iPad will have “inductive charging,” which…doesn’t make sense unless Apple makes the next iPad out of glass.

  • Alleged iPad Air 4 images show Touch ID, all-screen design

    Alleged iPad Air 4 images show Touch ID, all-screen design

    The leak: A seemingly-real quick start guide for the fourth generation iPad Air has surfaced on Twitter, courtesy of DuanRui.

    • An all-screen design is complimented by Touch ID, which can be found in the newly elongated lock/power button
    • There’s a FaceTime HD camera on the front of the tablet
    • A single camera is located on the rear, upper-left hand corner
    • The iPad Air 4 may be coming as soon as September, according to recent leaks

    Our take: If these images are fake…they’re really, really good fakes. They look legitimate to me, and they line up with most everything we’ve heard about the next generation iPad Air…that it’s a slightly watered-down iPad Pro.

    Touch ID in the power button…hmmm. It’s a stretch for sure, but even it is slightly longer and consistent between these images. Again, I’ve seen bad fakes of quick start guides in the past, and this just feels different. Tweet us with your thoughts @appltrack.

  • iPad Air 4 to have 11-inch display & A14 chip, coming in March 2021

    iPad Air 4 to have 11-inch display & A14 chip, coming in March 2021

    The rumor: Apple is prepping a new iPad Air model for release in early 2021, according to mydrivers.com (first spotted by MacRumors).

    Tech Specs

    “According to news from foreign experts,” here’s what is coming to the next iPad Air:

    • 11-inch Liquid Retina display
    • A14 processor
    • 128, 256 & 512 GB variants
    • USB-C
    • Quad stereo speakers
    • $649 starting price
    • March 2021 release

    Our take: If Apple does adopt what is basically the iPad Pro design on the new iPad Air, I would say it’s almost certain that we’ll see a larger screen on a future iPad Pro. If these above specs are correct, the 2021 iPad Air is going to be incredibly appealing.

  • 2020 iPad Air to have 10.8-inch display and cost less

    2020 iPad Air to have 10.8-inch display and cost less

    The rumor: Apple is planning to ship a new 10.8-inch iPad later this year, according to DigiTimes (61% accurate).

    • The new 10.8-inch iPad will likely be an update to the Air line
    • It’ll be “more affordable” and new models will be equipped with “high performance CPUs”

    Our take: This is good news, but a price tag lower than $499 makes me seriously doubt other rumors of an all-screen design with in-display Touch ID. Still, I think a larger screen will be a solid upgrade even for existing iPad Air users.

  • iPad Air 4 to go USB-C, next iPad mini to keep Lightning

    iPad Air 4 to go USB-C, next iPad mini to keep Lightning

    The news: Apple is transitioning another iPad model to USB-C later this year, according to Macotakara (67.4% accurate).

    • The next iPad Air is (finally) getting a USB-C port
    • But the next iPad mini is sticking with Lightning

    Our take: It would be great if every port on every device switched to USB-C overnight…but we know that will never happen. At least Apple isn’t restricting USB-C to Pro iPads only.