Here’s what we expect and what we’d like to see in the fifth-generation model of the iPad Air.
If leaks are to be believed then the iPad Air 5 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 fairly similar look, but the iPad Air 4 brought a design overhaul to the series, moving it from merely being a larger entry-level iPad into effectively an ‘iPad Pro Lite’ device. The 2020 iPad Air hit the shelves with a modern-looking design, generous processing power and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, but without some of the premium features that make the iPad Pro the top-dog tablet. 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. We’ve also put forth a wish list of what we’d like Apple’s next generation of tablet to look like. This includes fixes to some of the iPad Air 4’s niggles, some new features missing from the current edition, and plenty more. Apple doesn’t generally keep to a yearly release schedule for its iPad Air line, but one is likely due soon, as the iPad Air 4 had its first birthday in October 2021. A source has now even specifically said to expect the iPad Air 5 this ‘spring’, meaning between March and May, while an older leak also suggested an early 2022 announcement. Plus, the slate appears to have been certified by the EEC (Eurasian Economic Commission), which further suggests it should be landing soon. Price-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. 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 will have a 10.9-inch OLED screen.
