Apple is developing a new iPad Air. It will be the sixth generation of the tablet, and experts expect the company to launch it in March this year. Unlike the current iPad Air, which is available in only one screen size (10.9 inches), the upcoming model will be available in two screen sizes, 11 inches and 12.9 inches. So far, we have had leaks and rumors shedding light on the specifications of those tablets. Now, we have CAD renders of the 12.9-inch iPad Air, courtesy of 91Mobiles. which reveals some interesting aspects of the tablet.
The images reveal that the 12.9-inch iPad Air will have a design similar to the current-generation 10.9-inch iPad Air, including a quad-speaker setup (two at the top and two at the bottom), a power button on the top, a USB Type-C port at the bottom, volume buttons and cutout for mmWave 5G antenna on the right-hand side of the device, and a single cutout above the display for the front-facing camera. It means that the upcoming iPad Air will continue to have Touch ID, instead of FaceID on the iPad Pro.
iPad Air 2024 to bring new camera design
There is, however, one major difference. The upcoming tablet has a pill-shaped camera hump at the rear, unlike the current model which has a circular camera cutout, which looks similar to the one on iPhone X and iPhone XS. It still houses a single camera though. There’s no LiDAR sensor onboard like the iPad Pro models. So, all in all, there’s nothing revolutionary about the design of the iPad Air 2024. That, however, isn’t a bad thing because the design of the current iPad Air is modern and practical.
Author’s Note: The 12.9-inch iPad Air will be a great option for those people who want a tablet with a display larger than that on the current iPad and the iPad Air, but don’t want to buy the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (as it is very expensive). The current iPad Air starts at $599. So, there’s a high possibility that Apple could price the iPad Air 12.9-inch at $699 or $749, putting it right up against the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+. At that price point, most people would go for the one from Apple because of better UI design and app support.
