Apple introduces the new iPad Air, powered by M4

Hacker News · Mar 2, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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opens in new window PRESS RELEASE March 2, 2026 CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today announced the new iPad Air featuring M4 and more memory, giving users a big jump in performance at the same starting price. With a faster CPU and GPU, iPad Air boosts tasks like editing and gaming, and is a powerful device for AI with a faster Neural Engine, higher memory bandwidth, and 50 percent more unified system memory than the previous generation. With M4, iPad Air is up to 30 percent faster than iPad Air with M3,1 and up to 2.3x faster than iPad Air with M1.2 The new iPad Air also features the latest in Apple silicon connectivity chips, N1 and C1X, delivering fast wireless and cellular connections — and support for Wi-Fi 7 — that empower users to work and be creative anywhere.3 Available in two sizes and four gorgeous finishes that users love, the 11-inch iPad Air is super portable, and the 13-inch model provides an even larger display for those who want more space to multitask. With game-changing iPadOS 26 capabilities, advanced cameras, all-day battery life, a powerful app ecosystem, and support for accessories like Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, iPad Air delivers a remarkable and versatile experience for anyone who wants to do more on iPad, from students and creators, to business users and gamers.4 Next-Level Power for AI M4 is also powerful for AI, with faster memory bandwidth and an incredibly fast Neural Engine — benefiting everyone from college students transcribing lecture notes, to creators storyboarding a new project, to business users polishing emails. With the new iPad Air, unified memory jumps 50 percent, to 12GB, and memory bandwidth increases to 120GB/s, helping users run AI models faster. The 16-core Neural Engine is 3x faster than that of M1 and is perfect for everyday tasks that use on-device AI, like searching for subjects and texts in photos, or leveraging powerful AI features in apps like Goodnotes and Onform: Video Analysis App.2 The Neural Engine also powers capabilities in Apple Creator Studio apps, like removing the background of video footage with Scene Removal Mask in Final Cut Pro. N1 and C1X Come to iPad Air for Faster Connectivity iPad Air features N1, an Apple-designed wireless networking chip that enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread.3 N1 brings better performance when connected to 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, and improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. Cellular models of iPad Air also feature C1X, a cellular modem designed by Apple that offers up to 50 percent faster cellular data performance — and for active cellular users, C1X offers up to 30 percent less modem energy usage than iPad Air with M3.1 Cellular models of iPad Air allow users to enjoy GPS capabilities, so they can navigate with even more confidence. Users can also enjoy 5G cellular support, helping them stay connected for work or leisure all around the world.6 And with eSIM, users can quickly and securely add a new plan, connect and transfer existing cellular plans digitally, and stay in touch with family and friends regardless of Wi-Fi availability — ideal for business travelers, students on campus, and anyone working on the go. iPadOS 26 Supercharges the iPad Experience The beautiful new design is crafted with Liquid Glass, a translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings while reacting to users’ input, and dynamically transforming to bring greater focus to the content they care about most. An entirely new, powerful, and intuitive windowing system helps users control, organize, and switch between apps, all while maintaining the simplicity of iPad. And with a new menu bar, users can access the commands available in an app with a simple swipe down from the top of the display, or by moving their cursor to the top. Users can manage, access, and organize files with a supercharged Files app that features an updated List view and new folder customization options. With folders in the Dock, users can conveniently access downloads, documents, and more from anywhere. Additionally, they can set a default app for opening specific files or file types. The Preview app on iPad gives users a dedicated app for creating a quick sketch, as well as viewing, editing, and marking up PDFs and images with Apple Pencil or by touch. Taking advantage of Apple silicon, iPadOS 26 unlocks new capabilities for users with control over their audio input, the ability to capture high-quality recordings with local capture, and Background Tasks. Advanced Accessories for iPad Air Ideal for iPad and iPad Air Upgraders Big performance gains: Upgraders will enjoy enhanced speed and responsiveness with 12GB of unified memory and 120GB/s of memory bandwidth, and will experience even more seamless windowing in iPadOS 26. Users coming from iPad Air with M1 will see up to 2.3x faster performance, with over 4x faster 3D pro rendering with ray tracing performance.5 Advanced Center Stage camera, mics, and speakers: Users coming from iPad Air with M1 will also enjoy a front 12MP Center Stage camera located along the landscape edge, as well as landscape stereo speakers. For upgraders coming from M1, the 13-inch model delivers even better sound quality, which is great for enjoying music and videos. Powerful Apple Intelligence capabilities: Built seamlessly into iPadOS with groundbreaking privacy, Apple Intelligence provides upgraders and new iPad users with intuitive features that make their experience even more helpful and powerful.7 Even more value: Users coming from previous-generation iPad Air models will get faster connectivity with N1 and C1X, and M1 upgraders will also get 128GB of starting storage. iPad Air with M4 has the same starting price at just $599 for the 11-inch model, and $799 for the 13-inch model. Customers can pre-order the new iPad Air with M4 starting Wednesday, March 4, at apple.com and in the Apple Store app in 35 countries and regions, including the U.S. It will begin arriving to customers, and will be in Apple Store locations and Apple Authorized Resellers, starting Wednesday, March 11. The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air with M4 will be available in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray, with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB configurations. The 11-inch iPad Air starts at $599 (U.S.) for the Wi-Fi model, and $749 (U.S.) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The 13-inch iPad Air starts at $799 (U.S.) for the Wi-Fi model, and $949 (U.S.) for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. With education savings, the 11-inch iPad Air starts at $549 (U.S.), and the 13-inch iPad Air starts at $749 (U.S.). Magic Keyboard, available in black and white, is compatible with the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air. The 11-inch Magic Keyboard is available for $269 (U.S.), and the 13-inch Magic Keyboard is available for $319 (U.S.). With education savings, the 11-inch Magic Keyboard is available for $249 (U.S.), and the 13-inch Magic Keyboard is available for $299 (U.S.). Apple Pencil Pro and Apple Pencil (USB-C) are compatible with the new iPad Air. Apple Pencil Pro is available for $129 (U.S.), and $119 (U.S.) with education savings. Apple Pencil (USB-C) is available for $79 (U.S.), and $69 (U.S.) with education savings. AppleCare delivers exceptional service and support, with flexible options for Apple users. Customers can choose AppleCare+ to cover their new iPad, or in the U.S., AppleCare One to protect multiple products in one simple plan. Both plans include coverage for accidents like drops and spills, theft and loss protection on eligible products, battery replacement service, and 24/7 support from Apple Experts. For more information, visit apple.com/applecare. Apple offers great ways to save on the latest iPad. Customers can trade in their current iPad and get credit toward a new one by visiting the Apple Store online, the Apple Store app, or an Apple Store location. To see what their device is worth, and for terms and conditions, customers can visit apple.com/shop/trade-in. Customers in the U.S. who shop at Apple using Apple Card can pay monthly at 0 percent APR when they choose to check out with Apple Card Monthly Installments, and they’ll get 3 percent Daily Cash back — all up front. More information — including details on eligibility, exclusions, and Apple Card terms — is available at apple.com/apple-card/monthly-installments. Text of this article Media in this article Results are compared to 13-inch iPad Air (M3) units with 8-core CPU and 8GB of unified memory. Results are compared to iPad Air (5th generation) units with 8-core CPU and 8GB of unified memory. Wi-Fi 7 is available in countries and regions where supported. Accessories sold separately. Testing was conducted by Apple in January and February 2026. See apple.com/ipad-air for more information. Data plan is required. 5G is available in select markets and through select carriers. Speeds vary based on site conditions and carrier. For details on 5G support, contact carrier and see apple.com/ipad/cellular. Apple Intelligence is available in beta with support for these languages: English, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish, Vietnamese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see support.apple.com/en-us/121115. Product recycled or renewable content is the mass of certified recycled material relative to the overall mass of the device, not including packaging or in-box accessories. Breakdown of U.S. retail packaging by weight. Adhesives, inks, and coatings are excluded from Apple’s calculations.