iPad 5 Release Date Confirmed for Nov.1, Device Revealed as iPad Air
Apple confirmed a Nov. 1 release date for the iPad 5.
The new device labeled the iPad Air will be 43 percent thinner than the previous version. It's exactly 7.5mm thin. The 4th gen model was 9.4mm thick.
The company promises that it will provide uses with a "dramatically different experience to hold," with this device that packs the same A7 chip that is found inside the current iPhone 5s. It also comes with the M7 motion compressor.
The iPad Air is the first iOS device with MIMO for faster 802.11n performance and features expanded LTE support making it quicker overall.
The tablet features a 5-megapixel iSight camera that is capable of shooting 1080p video along with a new FaceTime HD camera with larger pixels, improved backside illumination and dual microphones.
It comes in two different color schemes including silver/white and space grey/black.
The price scale for the iPad Air will be the same as the current version which starts at $499 for the Wi-Fi only 16GB model, and $629 for the cellular one. The company will continue to offer the iPad 2 at the price of $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model.
It will start shipping in many countries including China starting on Nov. 1.
A report in The Wall Street Journal this week basically confirmed previous rumors claiming Apple would introduce the public to a new thinner version of its full sized iPad and the retina iPad mini.
"Apple is now readying a revamped iPad Mini with a high-resolution "retina" display," wrote the publication. "It's also working on a thinner, lighter version of its standard 9.7-inch iPad, using a thin film instead of the glass found in existing models, based on the information from the company's parts suppliers."