Apple's new iPad Air is in for some hefty upgrades

The rumoured iPad Air 2020 tablet also gets a release date

Apple iPad (2019)
(Image credit: Future)

Apple fans are waiting on the new iPad, not having seen a refresh for the standard iPad, iPad Mini, or iPad Air since last year. The iPad Pro saw a new model launch earlier this year, after a two year gap between it and 2018's offering, and with rumours swirling around of a fresh batch of tablets on the way, we're eager for more titbits.

After hearing that two new iPads are on the cards in the immediate future, we've finally gotten a few crumbs about the lesser-talked about iPad Air refresh - including a launch date.  

Twitter leaker Komiya has tipped off their followers with a handful of specs relating to the new iPad Air. In what many fans will see as a breath of fresh air, Apple is apparently scrapping the existing design to ape that of the iPad Pro; which means smaller bezels and no home button. 

As expected, Komiya states that the iPad Mini will house Apple's new A14 chipset - which we'll see in the iPhone 12 - a USB-C port, and 11-inch Liquid Retina Display, which is ever-so-slightly larger than the current iPad Air's 10.5-inch screen. In terms of storage, Komiya is placing bets on 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB.

Obviously, the iPad Air isn't going to rival the iPad Pro in specs or price, and based on Komiya's predictions, we're looking at a price tag of around $649. The tablet is expected to make its debut in March, 2021, but we're expecting to see at least on model revealed next month alongside the Apple Watch Series 6.

As always, take these rumours with a pinch of salt. We might hear more from Apple next month, when the first of the new iPads is supposed to launch, or possibly at October's iPhone 12 event. 

Source: Tom's Guide

Shabana Arif

Shabana worked at T3.com as News Editor covering tech and gaming, and has been writing about video games for almost a decade (and playing them since forever). She's had bylines at major gaming sites during her freelance career before settling down here at T3, and has podcasts, streaming, and video content under her belt to boot. Outside of work, she also plays video games and should really think about expanding her hobbies. If you have any tech or gaming tips, shoot over an email or DM her on social media.