Skip to main content

iPad Air

386 'iPad Air' stories October 2013 - May 2014
See All Stories
iPad Air 5

The iPad Air was first introduced in 2013 along the iPad mini 2 and the cylindrical “Trash Can” Mac Pro. With a 9.7-inch display, it was really thin and light, weighing only 469 grams – over 25% lighter than its respective predecessor, the iPad 4. But that’s history. Today, iPad Air is even larger, slighty lighter, and more powerful with Apple’s M-Series chips.

The current (6th generation) iPad Air with M3 was unveiled on March 4, 2025 via a press release and became available a week later on March 12, 2025. Along with the new M3 chip, Apple also gave us a new Magic Keyboard to go along with it and an updated version of the base iPad.

Pricing was unchanged for the new iPad Air, with the 11-inch model starting at $599 and the 13-inch model starting at $799. The device is available in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options.

6th gen iPad Air with M3 and its new Magic Keyboard.

Here are some iPad Air with M3 performance stats from Apple:

  • 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU
  • Support for dynamic caching, along with hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing
  • 2x faster than iPad Air with M1
  • 3.5x faster than iPad Air with A14 Bionic chip
  • 40% faster graphic performance than iPad Air with M1
  • 60% faster for AI-based workflows than the M1 iPad Air

You can now purchase the new iPad Air on Amazon.

Be sure to check 9to5Toys first for iPad, and other Apple deals happening across the web.

Site default logo image

IDC lowers tablet shipment forecast, expects a 5.5-inch iPhone could cannibalize iPad sales

Avatar for Jordan Kahn May 29 2014 - 9:50 am PT
4 Comments

Yet another lowered forecast for tablet shipments this year comes today from IDC following a similar move from Morgan Stanley earlier this month. IDC announced today that it’s lowering its tablet shipment 245.4 million units down from a total 260.9 million units, which is around 12.1% year-over-year growth for the category vs the 51.8% growth last year. We’ve seen how much growth potential there is for tablets vs PCs and smartphones, but IDC’s report notes that tablets might see increased competition from the phablet category this year. The report classifies phablets as smartphones with 5.5-inch to 7-inches and IDC thinks Apple’s new larger iPhone could eat into some of its iPad sales:

“Two major issues are causing the tablet market to slow down. First, consumers are keeping their tablets, especially higher-cost models from major vendors, far longer than originally anticipated. And when they do buy a new one they are often passing their existing tablet off to another member of the family,” said Tom Mainelli, Program Vice President, Devices & Displays at IDC. “Second, the rise of phablets – smartphones with 5.5-inch and larger screens – are causing many people to second-guess tablet purchases as the larger screens on these phones are often adequate for tasks once reserved for tablets.”

IDC notes that the share of smartphone shipments captured by so called phablets doubled from 4.3% in Q1 of 2013 to 10.5% in Q1 of this year. representing 30.1 million units shipped. “As large phones clearly impact near-term tablet growth, IDC expects the market to rebound by shifting its focus back toward larger-screened devices.”

Apple extends education pricing to iPad, offering discounts of $20-30

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 28 2014 - 4:10 am PT
7 Comments
Site default logo image

If you’re eligible for education pricing, iGeneration noticed that the discounts available on Macs through the Apple Store for Education have now been extended to iPads. The discounts are modest, ranging from $20 to $30, but it all helps.

Education pricing is available to pretty much everyone working or studying in higher education: students, faculty, staff – even parents of students – as well as employees of K-12 schools.

Discounted iPad prices for the base spec 16GB wifi models are:

  • iPad mini: $279 ($20 off)
  • iPad mini with Retina display: $379 ($20 off)
  • iPad Retina display (4th Gen): $379 ($20 off)
  • iPad Air: $469 ($30 off)

The discounts appear to be rolling out internationally, already available in some countries but not yet all.

If your college belongs to the Apple on Campus program, the same modest discounts on iPads appear to be available, in contrast to the significantly better discounts offered on Macs.

As always, we recommend tuning into 9to5Toys to find the absolute best prices on iPads and all other Apple gear. For example, we recently featured a 16GB iPad Air for $400 ($100 off), 16GB Retina iPad mini with LTE for $355 ($174 off), and a 64GB iPad mini (1st gen) for $349 (orig. $599).

 

Site default logo image

Review: Traditional handmade BUKcase for iPad and iPhone beat expectations

Avatar for Sarah Guarino May 24 2014 - 1:00 pm PT
4 Comments

BUKcase creates handmade cases for Apple products. Each of their products is made-to-order by local master bookbinders in Manchester, England, who use local materials and traditional machinery. Each product comes with a unique personal ID number and a birthday.

To make its products more unique, BUKcase even offer custom engraving options. Since appearing on the television show Dragons’ Den, (the British version of Shark Tank), the company has had tremendous sales growth despite the lack of funding. We had the opportunity to review several of their products below…


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

How-to: Conserve battery power on your iOS devices

Avatar for May 24 2014 - 12:00 pm PT
19 Comments

Since the introduction of smart devices, battery power has been and still remains a precious commodity. In this article we will review many of the features and settings of iOS devices that impact battery life, and make recommendations about how to conserve power.

One important thing to keep in mind is that battery life is complex, and the impact of one setting for a specific user may not always reflect the impact of that same feature on another user’s device. It’s also important to note that after you make any changes, be sure to charge your iOS device on a wall charger overnight. This full charge is often needed before any changes will be effective.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: Nest Thermostat (2nd gen) $224, Nikon D3200 w/ Adobe LR 5 $330, iPad Air 16GB WiFi $400, more

Avatar for May 19 2014 - 10:12 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:


Readdle’s Calendars 5 for iOS is available for free for the first time ever (Reg. $7)

 

Samsung Smart HDTVs: 46-inch $427 (Reg. $750), slim 48-inch $571 (Reg. $830), 48-inch $735 (Reg. $900)

Games/Apps: Battlefield 4 $25, Logitech PowerShell iOS controller $50, 60% off Tropico titles + DLC for Mac, iOS freebies, more

REI Anniversary Sale knocks 20% off one full-price item, get a GoPro HERO3+ Black for $320 (Reg. $400)


Other deals from today:

More deals still alive:

  • Home Deals: GreenWorks Li-ion cordless blower $60 (Reg. $100), Dyson DC26 Vac (refurb) $180 (Reg. $400), kitchen & patio items, more
  • Headphones: BlueAnt Embrace over ears $32 (orig. $200), Scosche RH over ears $60 (Reg. $149), Powerbeats by Dre. (refurb) $44 (Reg. $149)
  • iClever Aluminum USB 3 4A hubs: 7-port: $25, 4-port: $13 shipped AC
  • Display Deals: Dell 24″ UltraSharp $260 shipped (Reg. $350), three 23″ HP monitors $315 shipped (Reg. up to $480), HDTVs, more
  • HDTV Deals: Samsung 46″120Hz: $512, Samsung 60″: $899, Panasonic 39″ Smart TV $400, more
  • Belkin QODE Bluetooth Portable Keyboard Case for iPad mini: $35 shipped (Reg. $80)
  • uNu Aero 2,000mAh iPhone 5/5s battery case w/ wireless charging pad: $60 shipped (reg. $100)
  • Home Deals: Philips Automatic Espresso Machine $360 (Reg. $1600), KitchenAid Stand Mixer $230 (Reg. $350), more
  • Apple iPad mini 32GB WiFi (black or white): $300 shipped (orig. $429)
  • Bose OE2i On-Ear headphones w/ mic & controls $100 (orig. $180), more from Plantronics and Beyer Dynamic

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

  • ZTE is selling the Firefox OS phone direct via Ebay for $100 shipped

Detailed iPhone 6 mockup compared to iPad Air, iPad mini, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 4s, and iPod touch (4K video)

Avatar for Dom Esposito May 14 2014 - 6:33 am PT
28 Comments

Lately, there has been a storm of rumored iPhone 6 images, renders, schematics, and videos. We’ve seen just about everything that the rumor mill has to offer at this point. All of the mockups that have been floating around may not match up with Apple’s official iPhone 6 design, but they are definitely convincing to an extent.

We recently put together a video comparing an iPhone 6 mockup to the iPhone 5s and fifth generation iPod touch, but what about Apple’s other iOS devices? In the video below, we compare this alleged iPhone 6 design to the iPad Air, iPad mini, iPhone 4/4s, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, and iPod touch. Hopefully this massive comparison will put an end to any other questions regarding the rumored iPhone 6 design, but based on the mockup units we’ve obtained the iPhone 6 is going to be a very large device and possibly feature a sharper 1704 x 960 resolution display.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Flat iPad sales are here to stay, suggests Morgan Stanley

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 12 2014 - 6:21 am PT
11 Comments

Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty suggests that weak iPad sales may be here to stay, reports Business Insider.

We lower our 2014 tablet growth forecast to 12% from 26% on the back of increasing penetration rates and the lack of new, differentiated products […]

Few suppliers were able to communicate a credible argument for a growth re-acceleration this year, however Android appears to be faring better than iOS tablets on the back of lower price points and broader product portfolios.

Huberty says that slow growth is expected despite the fact that tablets are expected to continue to cannibalise the PC market, as more consumers replace PCs with tablets.

Tim Cook would probably disagree. Commenting on the sales slowdown, Cook observed that the iPad was the fastest-growing product in Apple’s history, selling twice as many units as the iPhone and seven times as many as the iPod in the same time periods.

Despite an overall trend for flat iPad sales, Canalys recently reported that Apple remains the world leader in combined PC and tablet sales.

Despite court battles, Apple switches back to Samsung as main iPad display supplier

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy May 12 2014 - 4:05 am PT
4 Comments
Site default logo image

The court battles between the two companies doesn’t seem to have harmed Samsung’s position as a key supplier of components to Apple. DisplaySearch figures show that Apple switched from LG to Samsung as the primary supplier of its display panels for iPad Air and iPad with Retina display last quarter, reports CNET.

Samsung Display reclaimed its position as the top iPad display panel supplier, shipping 5.2 million units of 9.7-inch panels with a resolution of 2,048×1,536, accounting for 62 percent of total shipments of that display size and resolution […]

LG Display […] saw its share of that display size/resolution plunge to 38 percent in the first quarter from about 61 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013 …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Apple’s iPad maintains a narrowing lead, still almost a third of all tablets sold

Avatar for Zac Hall May 1 2014 - 7:03 am PT
7 Comments
Site default logo image

Research firm IDC is out today with new data on the state of the tablet and 2-in-1 market in the first quarter of 2014. As you might expect after Apple’s most recent earnings report, Q1 unit shipments of iPad were down by 3 million from 19.5 million to 16.4 million between 2013 and 2014. For its part, Apple attributes its Q1 2013 iPad sales as inflated due to demand for iPad mini in Q4 2012 being fulfilled in the following quarter when supply was less constrained.

That may be, but the iPad also saw a drop in tablet market share between the first quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014. According to IDC’s data, Apple dropped from 40.2% market share in Q1 2013 to 32.5% market share in Q1 2014 while Samsung saw unit shipments increase as well as marketshare. Despite Samsung’s gains, though, Apple still dominates the tablet market more than any other one company leading Samsung by 10 percentage points in market share.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Review: Kensington Keyfolio Exact Plus backlit keyboard case for iPad Air

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 29 2014 - 8:19 am PT
13 Comments
Site default logo image

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGvBySddOD8]

Having remarked that I don’t generally favor hiding iDevices in cases, I find myself reviewing the second iPad case in a week …

There’s no shortage of Bluetooth keyboards available for the iPad Air, and we previously did a roundup of some of the early contenders from Logitech, Belkin and ZAGG. However, only the ZAGG offered a backlit keyboard for use in the dark, so when Kensington joined the fray, I decided to give it a try … 
Expand
Expanding
Close

Re/code conference will feature interviews w/ Apple execs Craig Federighi and Eddy Cue

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Apr 28 2014 - 11:37 am PT
6 Comments
Site default logo image

Re/code have just announced that their upcoming Code Conference will feature interviews with Apple’s SVP’s Craig Federighi, head of software engineering, and Eddy Cue, lead of Internet Software and Services. This will take place on the second day of the event, May 28th.

9to5Mac will be live there to cover the event. Re/code will also be posting videos of the interviews throughout the conference. The equivalent conference (the D conference) has historically had a strong Apple presence. The show hosted interviews with Steve Jobs sporadically over his career and played host to Tim Cook for the last two years.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Facebook open-sources ‘Pop’, the animation framework that drives the visual effects in Paper

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Apr 28 2014 - 11:08 am PT
4 Comments

Facebook has open-sourced a lot of stuff recently, but this is what most developers have been waiting for. Developed originally at Push Pop Press, and refined by Facebook, the company has today released its Pop animation framework publicly. Developers can check out the code from the GitHub repository.

The library enables rapid development of rich animations for iOS (and Mac) apps. Although Core Animation, (Apple’s built-in framework) is well suited to fire-and-forget animations, Pop was created to work seamlessly with modern interactive physics-centric user interfaces.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Opinion: Will PC-like upgrade cycles keep iPad sales flat?

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 25 2014 - 7:57 am PT
63 Comments
Site default logo image

Tim Cook may well be right that iPad sales didn’t really fall 16 percent year-on-year, and that the number was artificially deflated by reduced retail inventories. It’s also true that it’s been the fastest-growing product line in Apple’s history, and his argument that its success in education will drive future demand also has merit.

But this chart from Business Insider tells a story that can’t be denied: the overall trend is for flat iPad sales.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Review: Otterbox Defender protective case for iPad Air

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Apr 25 2014 - 5:57 am PT
0 Comments
Site default logo image

I don’t generally like to hide away my iDevices inside cases, but there are some environments where this is at least strongly advisable – and the basket of a hot-air balloon is definitely one of those. In anything but still air, a landing tends to involve the basket being dragged across the ground – and much as you try to secure things, there’s always the risk of loose items taking a fall. Which can get expensive when one of those loose items is an iPad Air.

iPads are the perfect navigation device in a hot-air balloon as you need to simultaneously reference three different types of maps. An airspace map, showing the areas you can’t fly into without risking an A380 bearing down on you (followed shortly afterwards by the aviation licensing authority). A land map to show the ground detail you need for navigation and landing purposes. And finally, a map showing Sensitive Areas (SAs) where landowners request that you either don’t land or overfly above a specified altitude (generally 500 or 1000 feet) to avoid disturbing cattle, dogs and so on.

An iPad provides a moving map combining all three types of data in a single view. But with bumpy landings a fact of life, it would be a braver man than I to risk using a naked iPad. I thus decided to look around at the protective cases available, and having been impressed by the Otterbox Defender iPhone case, tried out the version for the iPad Air …


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: FitBit Aria smart scale $100, Godfather Trilogy iTunes download $10, IM+ Pro 7 for iOS $0.99, more

Avatar for Apr 22 2014 - 10:07 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

iPads:

Seagate Expansion 3TB USB 3.0 Desktop external drive: $90 shipped (Reg. $125)

Games/Apps: Titanfall (all platforms) $37 shipped, Watch Dogs preorder w/ $25 GC, 50% off InstaFisheye, iOS freebies, more

Netflix price increase is coming, but it’s not too late for new members to lock in the current rate

$100 iTunes gift card for $85: Save 15% on future apps, music, movies, more

Other deals from today:

More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Apple enticing games publishers with promotion deals in return for exclusivity

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Apr 21 2014 - 1:23 am PT
3 Comments
Site default logo image

The Wall Street Journal has published a report saying that both Apple and Google are actively pursuing exclusivity deals with game developers. Whispers of these type of arrangements surfaced last year, with reports highlighting a partnership between Apple and EA for Plants vs Zombies 2.

The Journal confirms that Apple’s exclusivity deals do not include monetary payments. In return, the companies offer “premium placement” (such as featured spots on the home page) for launching first on their platform.

In regard to the Plants vs Zombies’ deal, the report says EA gave Apple agreed about two months of exclusivity.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air/mini $50 off, Denon AV receiver w/ AirPlay $200, Dyson/Fellowes home deals, more

Avatar for Apr 18 2014 - 10:16 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature. Today’s can’t miss deals: Last Call updates:

Apple Deals:

Denon AVR-E300 5.1-Ch. A/V Network Receiver $200 shipped (Reg. $400) Home Deals: Fellowes Air Purifiers up to 52% off, Dyson Tower Fan $280 (Reg. $450), kitchen items, more

One year magazine subs: Men’s Health & Maxim Bundle $9 shipped (Reg. $93), Rolling Stone $5 shipped (Reg. $102), Macworld, Car & Driver, more  Western Digital Hard Drives:

Other deals from today:

More deals still alive:

https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/456869873273274368 https://twitter.com/9to5toys/status/456789199606120448 New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Next-gen iPad Air front panel with integrated display reportedly shown in leaked photos

Avatar for Dom Esposito Apr 18 2014 - 7:48 am PT
13 Comments

New photos that reportedly show the front panel of a next-generation iPad Air have surfaced. Originally shared by One More Thing, the front panel appears to have an integrated display. This notable change could result in an even thinner iPad Air, or leave room for Apple to rework the hardware and add additional components.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Analyst forecasts suggest iPad sales have peaked, expect YOY decline this quarter despite 13% holiday growth

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Apr 18 2014 - 5:25 am PT
11 Comments
Site default logo image

As highlighted by Fortune, analysts’ consensus on iPad sales for last quarter suggest that iPad sales will actually decline year-over-year by about 0.7%. Although the expected decline is small, this would represent a big shift in iPad momentum, especially since Apple saw a strong increase in sales for the holiday quarter, going from 22.9M units in the previous year to 26M this year.

If iPad sales have fallen, it wouldn’t be because of different market conditions to last year. Apple introduced the iPad Air at the end of 2014 around a year from the introduction of the iPad 4 at the end of 2012. Last year, Apple dropped the price of the iPad Mini a modest $30 while also introducing the highly anticipated retina iPad Mini. In 2012, it introduced the iPad mini. The product cycles are similar, so the decline isn’t due to any artificial inflation of sales last year.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

Strange bug has stopped some streaming video apps from playing content

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Apr 17 2014 - 5:14 am PT
2 Comments

As noted by the BBC, some video apps on iOS have inexplicably stopped working today. Videos simply fail to stream, resulting in error messages like the one shown above. The cause of the issue is still unclear, but the bug is affecting multiple high-profile apps in the UK such as BBC iPlayer and Sky Go. Whether the issue is more widespread is not yet known.

It is unknown whether the bug is an issue with Apple’s software or with the third-party app developers. However, as both independent services have failed on the same day it seems like the problem lies with iOS itself. Setting the date on your iPhone or iPad to the past will make videos play again, which suggests the error may be related to expired digital certificates.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Site default logo image

9to5Toys Last Call: SanDisk wireless iOS flash drives up to 20% off, iPad discounts, MFi game controller, more

Avatar for Apr 14 2014 - 10:22 am PT
0 Comments

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed,Facebook, Google+ and subscribe to the new Safari push notifications feature.

This weekend’s can’t miss deals:

Last Call updates:

 

SanDisk Connect Wireless iOS/Android Flash Drive: 64GB $80 (Reg. $100)/32GB $50 (Reg. $60)

Target Apple Deals: Free $50 gift card and 5% discount on iPad Air/Retina mini, iTunes cards 10% off, more

MOGA Ace Power MFi Lightning iPhone game controller w/ built-in battery $67 shipped (Reg. $100)

Heartbleed Sale: 1Password for Mac/iOS/PC/Android is 50% off


Other deals from today:


More deals still alive:

New products/useful info:

Microsoft/Google/Android:

Play Nintendo DS games on non-jailbroken devices with the nds4ios emulator

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Apr 14 2014 - 6:27 am PT
14 Comments
Site default logo image

nds4ios has released a special version of the app that runs on non-jailbroken devices using a sneaky workaround. As the app is not available in the App Store, previously the app could only be installed on jailbroken devices, such as through the Cydia jailbreak app store. The app gets around Apple’s restrictions by using an enterprise provisioning profile reports TourchArcade. This is normally meant for businesses to distribute apps to company employees, but nds4ios is exploiting it as a way to enable widespread app distribution. Find install instructions after the break.


Expand
Expanding
Close

Latest ‘Your Verse’ story shares how a Bollywood choreographer captures inspiration with the iPad

Avatar for Zac Hall Apr 7 2014 - 12:40 pm PT
5 Comments
Site default logo image

After showcasing how athletes and coaches have been able to utilize the iPad by determining concussions sooner as a part of its ‘Your Verse’ campaign last month, Apple has updated its home page and iPad microsite to tell the story of how the iPad is helping one choreographer find inspiration for his passion…


Expand
Expanding
Close