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iPad Air

386 'iPad Air' stories October 2013 - December 2014
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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.

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Review: SwitchEasy’s Rave gives iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 owners colorful case options, while Numbers stumbles

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Dec 23 2014 - 10:56 am PT
1 Comment

Over the past decade I’ve been reviewing cases for Apple devices, people have occasionally asked how I can find new ways to write about products that are so similar to one another. My answer: I focus on the differences, and sometimes find fascinating how something that worked or didn’t work for one Apple device has flipped for another device.

SwitchEasy has been making cases for almost as long as I’ve been reviewing them, and quickly developed a reputation for outstanding value across budget-priced options. But something changed over the last couple of years, and the cases have shifted from mostly clear hits to a mix of hits and misses. The company’s latest releases for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPad Air 2 are so numerous and up and down that I’m not going to cover all of them. But for different reasons, two new models — Numbers for iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus, and Rave for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Air 2 — are worthy of a quick spotlight today.


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Apple Pay in-app checkout added to Ticketmaster, LoungeBuddy, more

Avatar for Zac Hall Dec 22 2014 - 8:49 am PT
6 Comments
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While retailers and venues have steadily been rolling out Apple Pay support for buying goods in the real world, Apple Pay is possibly even more popular with checking out for physical goods and services within apps. This week’s additions include Apple Pay in-app checkout support on iOS with Ticketmaster, LoungeBuddy, and more.
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Review: Just Mobile’s TopGum adds glam + a magnetic charging base to a 6,000mAh battery

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Dec 22 2014 - 5:26 am PT
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The secret to understanding USB battery pricing is that you tend to get what you pay for: cheap batteries lose their charges faster and can bulge and leak over time. Other companies specialize in selling atypically nice batteries that last longer and work better. Just Mobile is a leader in quality batteries: for the past six years, its Gum series (shown below) has spanned every Apple device type, size, and speed, but it has never built a Lightning cable into a battery before. That changes with the January release of TopGum ($80), which advances the company’s prior state-of-the-art Gum++ model in two ways: an authentic Lightning cable’s integrated into the battery’s left edge, and a matching magnetic battery charging dock is included.

Of course, these features – and a choice of gold or gray metal exteriors – come at a premium over typical all-plastic batteries, so if you don’t need the cable or dock, you’ll be equally well-served with the company’s earlier batteries. Read on for the full story.


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9to5Toys Last Call: iPad Air 2 15% off, Samsung 40″ LED HDTV $298, Sony on-ear headphones from $8, more

Avatar for Dec 19 2014 - 3:45 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Get 15% off iPad Air 2 at Target stores

Samsung 40-inch 1080p 60Hz Slim LED HDTV: $298 shipped (Reg. $400)

Amazon Gold Box: Save up to 60% on Select Sony Headphones – prices as low as $8 (orig. $20)

Last Day: Four magazine subs for $16 incl. Wired, GQ, Rolling Stone, Men’s Fitness, ESPN, many more

Giveaway: Grado Prestige Series SR80e Open-Ear Headphones ($99 value)

More new deals:

More deals still alive:

New products/ongoing promos/info:

Holiday Gift Guides:

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Review: Imation’s Link Power Drive adds 16/32/64GB of storage to a compact 3,000mAh Lightning battery pack

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Dec 19 2014 - 9:08 am PT
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There wasn’t really a market for hybrid batteries and external flash drives until this year, when Mophie’s Space Pack seemingly came out of nowhere, impressively nestling 16 or 32GB of additional flash storage inside a 1700mAh iPhone 5/5s battery case. But having demonstrated the value of combining these features together, Mophie’s $150 to $180 asking prices were high enough to keep some people away, and the requirement of an iPhone 5 or 5s was similarly somewhat limiting.

Imation is trying something different with its Link Power Drive, a small plastic box with a silver top and white base. There are 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB models, each equipped with a 3000mAh battery, a Lightning cable, and a USB cable. The MSRP of the 16GB unit is less than any Space Pack, and the 64GB model has twice Mophie’s top capacity for the same MSRP — except Imation’s street pricing is much lower. Better yet, every model works with whatever Lightning-equipped iOS device you might have, and there’s enough battery power to completely recharge any iPhone except the iPhone 6 Plus. All you need to do is carry the accessory around separately, attaching it when needed.


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9to5 Guide: The best iPad stands, docks, and cases with built-in stands

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Dec 18 2014 - 9:35 am PT
3 Comments

 

iPads need stands. Whether you’re watching videos, long-form typing, or making FaceTime calls, it’s a chore to hold the iPad upright for extended blocks of time. To address that need, Apple launched the first iPad with regular and keyboard docks, but quickly gave up on them in favor of simpler folding lids called Smart Covers.

If you’re looking for an iPad stand or dock, you can do better than that. We know because we’ve tested lots of options for Apple’s tablets. Following up on our guide to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus docks, we’re looking today at the very best of what’s out there for every iPad, covering four broad categories: simple portable stands, simple desktop stands, cases with integrated stands, and charging docks.
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Watch Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Oprah Moment’, gifting The Tonight Show audience iPad Air 2’s

Avatar for Zac Hall Dec 18 2014 - 7:33 am PT
6 Comments

[hulu id=lqyna__lnmz36pprgionzw width=704 thumbnail_frame=73]

Alongside Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon has become the voice of the iPhone 6 with Apple releasing a continuous series of ads featuring both entertainers. Fallon also sits behind a MacBook on the set of The Tonight Show on NBC, something that he brought over from his time hosting Late Night on NBC.

Now Fallon’s Tonight Show is giving the gift of Apple, specifically to the studio audience from last night’s taping as each attendee was gifted with a brand new iPad Air 2 as part of this week’s holiday gift giveaway segment. See the clip above (and wish you were there!) …

(We know Hulu works in a very limited number of countries and will post the YouTube clip when available.)

Apple charting in Google’s 2014 trending searches, for both the right and wrong reasons

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Dec 16 2014 - 4:44 am PT
2 Comments
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVwHCGAr_OE]

Google has put together its annual inspirational Year in Search video, and shared some of the trending searches across the year – with Apple making the charts for both the right and wrong reasons.

On the plus side, Apple took the #1 slot in consumer electronics searches, with the iPhone 6 ahead of rival smartphones from Samsung, Google, Motorola, LG and Nokia. Apple was also the only company to make three of the top-ten searches, with the Apple Watch at #8 and iPad Air at #10 … 
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9to5Toys Last Call: Retina iPad mini $50 off, Klipsch speaker system $110, Philips Hue smart LED Kit $80, more

Avatar for Justin Kahn Dec 15 2014 - 3:13 pm PT
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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the brand new 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

iPad mini 2 w/ Retina display and iPad Air from $250 shipped ($50 off)

Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 THX Certified Computer Speaker System $110 shipped, $93 (open box)

Philips Hue Lux LED Starter Kit w/ bridge and two connected home light bulbs: $80 shipped (Reg. $100)

Giveaway: iDevices iGrill Mini Bluetooth Grilling Thermometer for iOS/Android ($40 value)

More new deals:

More deals still alive:

Holiday Gift Guides:

New products/ongoing promos:

Review: ScreenGuardz Pure protects the iPad Air / 2 with beautiful glass, but is it worth $60?

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Dec 11 2014 - 8:57 am PT
5 Comments
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If your iPad isn’t inside a case, one accidental drop is enough to shatter its screen or dent its body. That’s why roughly 80% of iPhone users use cases, and one of two good reasons (besides adding a stand) that many iPad users do the same. But the iPad Air 2 is changing things — it’s so thin that even Apple’s own Smart Case feels overly bulky, making more minimalist protective solutions highly appealing. If you could shave millimeters off of your encased iPad’s thickness, would you pay $60 just for a screen protector? That’s the question presented by BodyGuardz’ ScreenGuardz Pure, which invisibly covers the iPad Air or iPad Air 2 screen with a thin but strong layer of glass. Carrying a $60 MSRP through BodyGuardz, it’s currently on sale for only $50 through Amazon.
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Jeremy’s holiday gift guide: Mac, iPhone & iPad gear you can trust

Avatar for Jeremy Horwitz Dec 8 2014 - 12:26 pm PT
8 Comments

My first post for 9to5Mac is on a topic near and dear to my heart: best-of-breed Apple products and accessories. Why should you trust me? I’ve been a professional product reviewer for 23 years and an Apple user for 28 years. Last week, I finished an 11-year stint running the editorial side of iLounge, the leading Apple product review site, where I tested literally thousands of Apple accessories from every major company on the planet. Readers have praised my reviews as accurate and insightful, and I always put my readers’ needs first when testing new products.


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Chance’s holiday gift guide: the products I use everyday

Avatar for Chance Miller Dec 5 2014 - 10:30 am PT
7 Comments
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I’ve already broken down the best gifts for students this holiday season, but now it’s time to talk about the best gifts for all the Apple lovers in your life. These are most of the products that I use on a daily basis. Whether I use them on-the-go, while working, or pretty much 24/7, these are some of the best products that have earned a coveted spot in my daily routine.


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Must-have iPhone, iPad, & Apple Pay apps for holiday gift shopping this year

Avatar for Zac Hall Dec 5 2014 - 9:35 am PT
2 Comments
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Shopping this year through iPhone and iPad apps is significantly more convenient thanks to Apple Pay and Touch ID. The latest iPhones and iPads allow you to avoid the arduous process of re-entering your credit card information each time at checkout and instead pay for your purchase with the touch of your finger.

Hopefully our holiday gift guides are steering you in the right direction for what to buy this year, especially with guides focused on using your iPhone and iPad in the car, making music with Apple devices, outfitting your home with connected smart devices, and more, and these shopping apps should continue to help you along the way.
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9to5Toys Cyber Monday: 11″ MacBook Air $750, Amazon Fire TV $69, Anker 13000mAh power bank $24, more

Avatar for Dec 1 2014 - 8:29 am PT
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Apple MacBook Air 11.6-inch (current gen) 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB $750 shipped (Reg. $899)

Amazon Fire TV streaming media player $69 ($30 off) or bundled w/ a year of Prime for $128 ($198 value)

Big USB Batteries, lowest ever prices: Anker 13,000mAh: $24, Aduro 10,800 mAh: $18, Limefuel 20,000mAh: $35

$100 iTunes gift card w/ email delivery for $75 from PayPal (25% savings)

Continue on for the rest of our favorite Cyber Monday tech deals:
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Roundup: The best iPad, iPhone, Mac, iTunes, Beats, and other tech Black Friday deals

Avatar for Nov 27 2014 - 9:02 am PT
1 Comment
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Black Friday can be absolutely overwhelming. Every retailer is vying for your attention and money. That’s why we’ve vetted each and every major Black Friday ad to find only the very best deals.

Remember, this master list was curated from pre-announced deals. We fully expect many retailers to hit us with surprise deals throughout the next week. That’s why it’s important you follow 9to5Toys on Twitter/Facebook, and sign-up for our email newsletter. The 9to5Toys team is going to be working around the clock to bring you the Black Friday deals you can’t afford to miss.

Continue on for the definitive Black Friday 2014 ‘Best Of’ list…
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Review: Pad and Quill’s Contega Linen case for iPad Air 2 is handmade perfection (Video)

Avatar for Dom Esposito Nov 21 2014 - 10:42 am PT
7 Comments

It’s always refreshing to see iOS accessory makers doing something different and Pad & Quill leads the pack in this area. With handmade cases crafted from linen, leather, and wood, it’s hard to go wrong with this simplistically elegant spin on cases.

Lately I’ve been using Pad & Quill’s Contega Linen case for iPad Air 2 and it’s changed my mind about “premium” cases. There’s something beautifully different about the craftsmanship and it’s created from materials that are designed to last, but not without a steep entry price for some…


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Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus & iPad Air 2 lose out to Samsung & Surface in detailed color accuracy analysis

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Nov 18 2014 - 10:01 am PT
50 Comments
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Following its detailed reports on displays used in the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, today DisplayMate published a scientific analysis of color accuracy for the six best mobile displays it’s tested this year. Despite ranking high in some categories in the test, Apple’s new entries, the iPhone 6 Plus and iPad Air 2, end up at the bottom of the list overall.
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iOS 8 How-to: Remotely remove your credit cards from Apple Pay

Avatar for Sarah Guarino Nov 15 2014 - 9:00 am PT
8 Comments
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People have been enjoying using Apple Pay. Apple Pay is Apple’s mobile payment system that allows you to pay for things in stores and through apps with different banks and credit cards. Using Apple Pay is more secure than swiping your credit or debit card because your card number, identity and CVV code are not visible to the merchant. Instead, with Apple Pay each card is assigned a unique Device Account Number that is encrypted and stored in the Secure Element, a dedicated chip in the device. Setting up Apple Pay is relatively straightforward and it is done through either Passbook or Settings. In this how-to article I will discuss how to remotely remove your credit cards from Apple Pay in case your iPhone or iPad gets stolen.


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Sprint announces ‘iPad for Life’ 24-month lease for iPad Air 2 & iPad mini 3

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Nov 13 2014 - 11:48 am PT
9 Comments
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Sprint today announced it’s now offering an ‘iPad for Life Plan’, much like its similar offering for the iPhone, that allows customers to get an iPad for $0 down and monthly payments over the course of a 24 month lease. The deal is available for the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 with monthly payments varying depending on the storage capacity.
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Staples Black Friday: Use Apple Pay & save 20% on iPad Air & Retina mini, Apple TV $79, much more

Avatar for Trevor Daugherty Nov 13 2014 - 5:45 am PT
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From 9to5Toys.com:

iPads. Apple TV. iTunes gift cards. Staples has some blockbuster Apple deals in its recently leaked ad. And unlike Black Friday deals from Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and others, they accept Apple Pay! Doors will open on Thanksgiving Day at 6pm until 10pm, and on Black Friday starting at 6am. You’ll be able to make all your Staples Black Friday purchases with your Apple Pay-enabled iPhone, as well. Below we have the best Apple related deals that will be available from Staples:

See our latest Black Friday coverage here.

Apple surprises with A8X GPU, uses exclusive ‘semi-custom’ 8 cluster design

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Nov 12 2014 - 3:25 am PT
13 Comments
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New chip analysis of the A8X powering the iPad Air 2 has revealed that it is even more powerful than it initially appeared.

Further analysis by AnandTech showed that initial guesses as to the GPU specification of the Apple A8X chip, exclusively available in the iPad Air 2, were wrong. In fact, the chip uses a unique 8 cluster design. AnandTech describes the discovery as “even better than I thought”. Although the customizations are limited, this represents a big step for the company as it is now dabbling in both custom CPU and GPU engineering, even if the leap over generally-available components in this instance is small.

Effectively, Apple has engineered a way to stick two Imagination GX6450 PowerVR chips on the same die. A die shot sourced by AnandTech confirmed this theory, although the site is unable to publish the image. Shown above is a mockup of what is going on internally.


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