Apple Unveils iPad Air, iPad Mini with Retina Display

The iPad Air
The iPad Air

Apple has unveiled a new, lighter version of the iPad, the iPad Air, and a new iPad mini with Retina Display.

The new iPad Air sports a 9.7-inch screen with a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536 and is 28 percent lighter than the fourth-generation iPad, weighing in at 1 pound. It's also 20 percent thinner, at 7.5 mm, and has a narrower bezel.

The iPad Air is powered by the 64-bit A7 chip and includes an M7 coprocessor for handling sensor data more efficiently. It also offers dual 802.11n antennas and support for MIMO, allowing for wireless speeds of up to 300 Mbps.

Other features include:

  • Bluetooth 4.0;
  • 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi;
  • Dual cameras, one 720p and one 1080p; and
  • iOS 7.

The iPad Air will be available Nov. 1 starting at $499 for the base WiFi model with 16 GB storage and $629 for the base cellular model with 16 GB.

The iPad mini with Retina Display offers a 7.9-inch display with a resolution of 2,048 x 1,536. It too runs on the 64-bit A7 chip and includes the M7 coprocessor. And, like the iPad Air, it offers dual 802.11a/b/g/n antennas and support for MIMO.

The iPad mini with Retina display will be available in late November for $399 for the base 16 GB WiFi model or $529 for the base 16 GB cellular model.

Additional details can be found on Apple's site.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • Digital Network of User Profiles and Data Connections

    Microsoft, RSA Make Identity Security Push in the Age of AI

    Two of the bigger authentication announcements to come out of the recent RSA Conference both point in the same direction: Organizations need a more flexible, unified approach to identity security, especially as AI agents start acting alongside human workers.

  • AI logo near computer equipment

    White House Releases National Policy Framework for AI

    The White House has released a four-page AI policy framework aimed at setting a national approach to AI, with priorities including child safety, intellectual property protections, truth and accuracy guardrails, and worker training for an AI-driven economy.

  • Profile silhouette of a person thoughtfully touching their chin, overlaid with transparent data visualizations and digital interface elements suggesting artificial intelligence and analytics.

    The Institutional Knowledge Shift Is Reshaping Higher Ed IT

    Higher education IT leaders are navigating a quiet but consequential transition: Experienced team members are retiring or leaving for private-sector roles, and the teams replacing them are smaller, newer, and often stretched thin. The result is a structural shift in how technology decisions are made, executed, and sustained.

  • Abstract digital data stream with binary code and colorful light trails

    Microsoft Releases Open Source AI Safety Tools for Agent Development

    Microsoft released RAMPART and Clarity as open-source projects intended to help developers test AI agents earlier in the software lifecycle and turn red-team findings into repeatable engineering checks.