18 October 2014

Apple's new iPad Air 2 is thinner

Apple has introduced its iPad Air 2, its thinnest iPad ever in a highly anticipated event on October 16 (US time).

The new iPad features an improved Retina display for enhanced contrast and richer, more vibrant colours , and better cameras. Now available in gold, as well as the traditional silver and space gray, the iPad Air 2 and the new iPad mini 3 offer Touch ID and — in the US — a new payment method called Apple Pay.

“iPad is a magical piece of glass that runs more than 675,000 apps specifically designed for it, and is thin and light enough that you can comfortably hold it all day; the new iPad Air 2 is packed with amazing new innovations, weighs less than a pound, and at just 6.1 mm is the thinnest tablet in the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing.

“iPad Air 2 has a new Retina display with anti-reflective coating, second generation 64-bit A8X chip, all-new iSight and FaceTime HD cameras, faster Wi-Fi and LTE wireless, and includes the revolutionary Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.”

Feedback on Twitter was positive for the better cameras and the ability to use a fingerprint to unlock the device. Many also liked the introduction of a gold iPad. There were however jokes about whether the device would bend if it is in a pocket, in reference to reports that this can happen to the recently launched Phones.

Engineered for portability and ease of use, iPad Air 2 has a unibody of anodised aluminum. The improved Retina display features a custom-designed anti-reflective coating which reduces glare by 56 percent*. The new Apple-designed A8X chip delivers a 40% improvement in CPU performance and 2.5 times the graphics performance of iPad Air, but maintains the up to 10-hour battery life**.

Combined with the new Metal graphics technology in iOS 8, the A8X chip unlocks realistic visual effects which Apple says is comparable to the most advanced gaming consoles. iPad Air 2 also includes the M8 motion coprocessor that gathers motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, compass and an all-new barometer which senses air pressure to provide relative elevation.

Innovations to the iSight and FaceTime HD cameras in iPad Air 2 enable better photos and videos, with an 8MP sensor and advanced optics in the iSight camera to help capture rich, detailed images and add new features including panoramic photos, time-lapse video, slo-mo and 1080p HD video. The FaceTime HD camera now captures over 80% more light than iPad Air’s camera, and features burst mode as well as HDR stills and video.

iPad Air 2 delivers faster connectivity with 802.11ac Wi-Fi with Multiple-In-Multiple-Out (MIMO) technology for 2.8 times the Wi-Fi performance of iPad Air at data rates up to 866 Mbps***. iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi + Cellular integrates even more LTE bands and comes with expanded LTE for up to 50% faster cellular connections****, plus support for other fast cellular technology around the world (DC-HSDPA, HSPA+).

Touch ID gives iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 users a simple and secure way to unlock iPad with just the touch of a finger, plus the ability to authenticate within apps to better protect logins and data. Touch ID can be used as a secure way to approve purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store or iBooks Store, and with Apple Pay, when paying for physical goods and services within apps.

The new iPads come with iOS 8.1 including Continuity features across iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite that enable all your Apple products to work together seamlessly. Handoff lets you start an activity on one device and pass it to another, and when your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network, you can make and receive phone calls right from your iPad.



Available for pre-order, both iPads will be available starting later next week in the Australia, mainland China (Wi-Fi models only), Hong Kong, Japan, Macau (Wi-Fi models only), New Zealand, and Singapore. Availability in Turkey, UAE and elsewhere around the world, will continue through the end of October with additional global availability in the coming months. iPads are sold through the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and through selected Apple Authorized Resellers.

The iPad mini line has been updated to include iPad mini 3 with Touch ID and iPad mini with Retina display, now called iPad mini 2 and starting at US$299. Both iPads feature Retina displays, A7 chips, 5MP iSight cameras, FaceTime HD cameras and ultrafast wireless connections. The iPad mini is available at US$249.

Both the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 come in three metallic finishes: gold, silver and space gray. iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi models will be available for a suggested retail price of US$499 for the 16GB model, US$599 for the 64GB model and US$699 for the 128GB model. iPad Air 2 with Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be available for a suggested retail price of US$629 for the 16GB model, US$729 for the 64GB model and US$829 for the 128GB model. iPad mini 3 with Wi-Fi models will be available for a suggested retail price of US$399 for the 16GB model, US$499 for the 64GB model and US$599 for the 128GB model. iPad mini 3 with Wi-Fi + Cellular models will be available for a suggested retail price of US$529 for the 16GB model, US$629 for the 64GB model and US$729 for the 128GB model.

iPad Air, iPad mini 2 and iPad mini, available in silver or space gray, are offered at now more affordable prices. iPad Air starts at $399 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model, iPad mini 2 starts at $299 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model, and iPad mini starts at $249 (US) for the 16GB with Wi-Fi model.

To complement the new iPads, a range of cases and covers offer both protection and customisation. iPad Air and iPad mini Smart Covers are available in seven colours and Smart Cases for iPad Air 2 and iPad mini now come in five new shades. Custom-designed polyurethane Smart Covers for iPad Air and iPad mini will be available for a suggested retail price of US$39 in black, white, blue, green, pink, yellow and red, which Apple has named '(RED)'. iPad Air 2 Smart Cases are available in leather in midnight blue, olive brown, black, soft pink and (RED) for a suggested retail price of US$79 with Smart Cases for iPad mini available in the same colours at a suggested retail price of US$69. Smart Covers and Smart Cases are available through the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and selected Apple Authorized Resellers.


*Over the previous generation iPad Air.
**Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results may vary.
***Based on theoretical speeds, actual speeds may vary.
****LTE is available through select carriers. Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks. Check with your carrier for details.