iPad Air 5: here's everything we know so far

iPad Air v: here's everything we know so far

iPad Air four (Image credit: TechRadar)

If leaks are to be believed so the iPad Air five might land sooner rather than later, which makes sense, as the iPad Air 4 is getting on a bit now.

The first three generations of iPad Air had all sported a adequately like look, but the iPad Air four brought a blueprint overhaul to the series, moving it from merely beingness a larger entry-level iPad into effectively an 'iPad Pro Lite' device. The 2020 iPad Air striking the shelves with a mod-looking design, generous processing power and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, simply without some of the premium features that make the iPad Pro the top-dog tablet.

And so what could the iPad Air 5 bring? Another design update? Improvements to the screen? An extra camera? We've heard that all of these and more might be in the works, and you can read full details of all the leaks and rumors below. Nosotros've also put forth a wish list of what nosotros'd like Apple's side by side generation of tablet to wait like.

This includes fixes to some of the iPad Air 4's niggles, some new features missing from the current edition, and plenty more.

Cut to the chase

What is it? The side by side generation in Apple tree'due south mid-range tablet line
How much will it price? Likely around $599/£579/AU$899
When will it be out? Maybe early on 2022

iPad Air five release date and price

iPad Air 4 (2020) — (Epitome credit: TechRadar)

Apple doesn't generally go on to a yearly release schedule for its iPad Air line, simply ane is likely due shortly, every bit the iPad Air 4 had its starting time birthday in October 2021.

A source has at present even specifically said to expect the iPad Air v this 'spring', meaning between March and May, while an older leak also suggested an early on 2022 announcement. Plus, the slate appears to have been certified past the EEC (Eurasian Economical Commission), which further suggests it should be landing soon.

Cost-wise, the iPad Air 4 costs $599/£579/AU$899 for a model with 64GB of storage, with prices going up for more storage or cellular connection. We could see prices for the iPad Air 5 in the same ballpark.

Browse all the latest cheap iPad deals

News and rumors

We haven't heard much about the iPad Air 5 yet, but one source claims that an iPad Air model launching probably in early 2022 volition accept a 10.nine-inch OLED screen.

That size is the same every bit the iPad Air 4, only the applied science is different, every bit current models employ LCD. A movement to OLED could lead to better contrast and colors, amongst other upgrades.

However, more contempo whispers well-nigh this Apple tree tablet suggest that OLED isn't working out equally Apple tree wanted, so the iPad Air 5 is going to stick with LCD instead. That'southward come from not one but two reports at present.

1 other source meanwhile didn't mention OLED but did say the iPad Air five will have a x.9-inch screen, forth with an A15 Bionic chipset (as well found in the iPhone 13 range), plus 5G, a dual-lens camera (with an ultra-broad joining the main one), four stereo speakers, and a design that'due south similar to the iPad Pro 11 (2021) - though still without Face ID.

Some of those claims accept been reiterated in a more recent leak, maxim that the iPad Air 5 will accept an A15 Bionic chipset and 5G, along with a like pattern to its predecessor (complete with squared edges), a 10.nine-inch screen, a single-lens rear camera, and a 12MP ultra-wide front end-facing camera.

What we want to see

Here's what we want to see in the next iPad Air model.

1. Generous storage options

The iPad Air 4 is available with ii storage options: 64GB, which is unlikely to be enough for most users; and 256GB, which is quite a bit more than expensive.

Most tablets come with 128GB, considering it caters well to the bulk, and would piece of work well with iCloud (or your deject storage tool of selection) for those who crave extra storage however.

We'd like to see the iPad Air 5 arrive with 128GB of storage, with Apple dropping the 64GB option entirely. The latter may be a suitable provision for entry-level iPads, but is unlikely to ever be sufficient for the types of power-users who would exist investing in the iPad Air.

2. Improved selfie photographic camera

We took issue with the iPad Air 4's selfie camera – a 7-megapixel unit, it wasn't bang-up for video calling, taking selfies, or recording video of yourself.

Bumping up those numbers to a 10- or 12-megapixel unit of measurement would make the selfie camera more useful. Better still would be the inclusion of iPhone selfie technology.

three. Even more color choices

We were pleased to see Apple offer the iPad Air 4 in a range of color options. In particular, we liked the addition of the pastel shades.

We'd similar to see more than of the aforementioned with the iPad Air 5, with perhaps some new color options besides. The iPhone XR and iPhone 12 are available in some great, vibrant colors, and so let's see them used more than!

4. Longer-lasting bombardment

The iPad Air 4's battery lasted effectually ten hours of apply. This is similar to that offered by the bulk of iPads; 9-12 hours is the quoted figure for general use. If you're using your iPad to lookout man movies in bed, or work in coffee shops from fourth dimension-to-time, this is totally acceptable.

However, if you lot're a creative using your iPad on a film shoot, a businessperson trying to work on a long-booty flight, or a parent looking to entertain your kids on a long car ride, and then you may struggle with that amount.

We'd like to run across the iPad Air 5 boost battery life, or at to the lowest degree include software optimizations that go on the device ticking over for longer.

This is more a problem with iPadOS 14 and Apple tree's software, than iPad hardware, merely it's a change we'd welcome.

One of the cardinal features of iOS xiv is the power to create widgets based on your apps, and exit them on the home screen for easy use. In iPadOS, you can only add these widgets to a carousel on the 'main' home page, making them difficult to notice if you have lots of apps, and therefore much less useful.

We'd like to see iPadOS fourteen improved so you can add together widgets to your habitation menu wherever you like, not just in the same position.

6. Thinner bezels

The iPad Air four and iPad Pro designs don't sport the huge bezels of the entry-level iPad and iPad Mini, but at that place remains a pretty mesomorphic border separating the screen from the edge of the tablet.

A thinner bezel around the iPad Air 5 would offer an improvement to the design, making the tablet'due south torso size more than closely match its screen size. This isn't a deal-breaking demand, which is the reason it sits last on this, but thinner bezels ever wait better – and this is a wish-listing, after all.

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Deputy Editor, Phones

Tom's role in the TechRadar team is to specialize in phones and tablets, only he too takes on other tech like electric scooters, smartwatches, fettle trackers and more. He graduated in American Literature and Artistic Writing from the University of Eastward Anglia, and outside of TechRadar works in picture show.