Three Reasons To Buy An iPad Air
There is not much left until the holiday season begins and Apple announced last Tuesday two new iPad models – the fifth generation iPad (also known as iPad Air) and the second generation iPad mini that includes a Retina display. Of these two new iPad models, the iPad Air is the most anticipated due to its new form factor and upgraded specs; the iPad Air will be released yesterday, on November 1st.
The new iPad Air weighs only one pound and is only 7.5 mm wide, thus being the lightest and thinnest tablet in its category. Apple SVP Phil Schiller claims the iPad Air is the lightest 9.7 inch tablet currently available on the market. However, besides the improved form factor the iPad Air does not have many new features so many potential customers are asking if the new iPad Air is worth the price, a price that starts at $499 and can get up to $929. In this article we will offer you three reasons to purchase an iPad Air as it releases today on November 1st.
1. Being the lightest (and also very thin) tablet on the market is really important. Every time Apple releases a new product that doesn’t innovate with new features and technologies, the company makes it lighter and thinner. And that’s nice, but the iPad, more than any product, needs the smaller form factor in order to be more usable. Weighing a minimum of 1.4 pounds, the last generation iPad models weren’t really heavy, or at least didn’t feel heavy when held with both hands; when held with a single hand however usability suffered. Apple fixed this by releasing the iPad min last year, a tablet that is meant to be held with a single hand. With the iPad Air, Apple continues the trend of iPad tablets that can easily be held with a single hand, only this time it is a main iPad that benefits from this, not just the iPad mini line. Thanks to its new form factor, the iPad Air features an easier grip.
2. Everyone was amazed by the new A7 System on Chip when it was unveiled with the iPhone 5S. The new SoC now debuts inside Apple’s tablet line, the iPad. Everyone was impressed by Apple’s latest System on Chip, most analysts agreeing that it is Apple’s best chip to date. The A7 System on Chip includes a 64 bit architecture built into the billion transistor chip and it also features improved power efficiency.
On the iPhone 5S the A7 SoC provides lightning fast speed and while the iPad Air needs more performance than the iPhone 5S due to its larger display which means it has to render at a higher resolution, the A7 System on Chip is able to provide amazing performance for it too. Considering the new graphics of iOS 7 apps, the iPad Air needs the improved performance of the A7 System on Chip. It is also worth mentioning that the vast majority of iOS apps are not optimized for the 64 bit architecture; in the coming months we will see more and more developers updating their apps for 64 bit architecture and this will mean increased performance and stability. Due to this reason, the iPad Air (just like the iPhone 5S) is probably the most “future proof” tablet on the market.
3. The iPad Air is a case of the whole package being better than the sum of its parts. As we mentioned above, the iPad Air does not have many new features, and critics consider this to be the tablet’s biggest disadvantage; however, we don’t think the iPad Air needs innovative features in order to be a very good tablet. As was the case with older iPad generations (such as the Pad 2, 3 and 4), the iPad Air isn’t good because it has many features or buttons, but because it offers consumers everything they need. Apple devices are not only about innovation but also about offering a refined experience and the iPad Air makes no exception. It is a tablet powered by the fastest System on Chip ever made by Apple and the controls in the fifth generation iPad won’t get in the way of the experience as is the case with some Google, Microsoft and Amazon tablets.
Apple improved and upgraded only the features that needed improvement: it made the iPad Air easier to hold and use for long periods of time, it integrated more connectivity solutions, including MIMO (multiple input multiple output) wireless tech that improves download and upload speeds. Apple also upgraded iPad Air’s cameras and speaker grilles and also made sure to maintain the same ten hours of battery life of past iPad models. So everything the old iPads can do, the iPad Air can do better, faster and in a more efficient manner, plus it is also easier to handle. Not to mention the iOS ecosystem is enough to justify the purchase. The fifth generation main iPad has a lot of potential and is also a “future proof” device. It doesn’t feature many new (and unnecessary) tech, instead focusing on refining the iPad experience.
About The iPad Air
The iPad Air features a new form factor that draws inspiration from the iPad mini. The 9.7 inch display iPad Air, is 7.5 mm thick and easier to grip thanks to the same thickness and side bezels as the iPad mini; however it lacks iPad mini’s portability. The new iPad Air weighs only 1 pound, and is the lightest tablet available in its category. Thanks to its new design, the iPad Air now feels like you are holding a big screen in your hands, being very thin. iPad Air’s screen is able to display at a 2048 X 1536 resolution for a 264 pixels per inch density.
While the fourth generation iPad was powered by the A6X System on Chip, featuring a dual core CPU, the iPad Air is powered by the new A7 System on Chip, the same one that debuted with the release of the iPhone 5S and is also being used in the second generation iPad mini. The iPad Air also features the iPhone 5S’ M7 motion co-processor (that will most likely be included in Apple’s upcoming iWatch), but it does not include iPhone 5S’ fingerprint sensor.
The iPad Air also comes with an upgraded camera. Apple improved both of iPad 4?s cameras; while the new iPad 5 has the same 5 MP rear camera, it comes with an images sensor that features larger pixels (similar to iPhone 5S’ camera) that allow better pictures in low light conditions and an improved 1.2 MP FaceTime HD camera that is now able to record videos in Full High Definition. Besides the new A7 SoC and the upgraded camera sensors, the iPad Air also features faster WiFi and more LTE bands on the cellular model. Regarding color variants, Apple decided not to release a gold iPad Air; instead, all iPad Air models (WiFi and WiFi with cellular) will be released in two color variants: white with silver and space grey with black.
As we reported a few days ago, for the first time ever Apple is not accepting pre orders for its latest iPad models. The iPad Air was unveiled last month together with the second generation iPad mini, on October 22nd, in a media event dedicated to the iPad line. Apple usually announces new products on Tuesdays or Wednesdays and it starts accepting pre orders on Friday, before releasing the products the next Friday.
But for some reason Apple is not accepting pre orders for the second generation iPad mini and for the iPad Air models. As we mentioned a few days ago, a possible explanation for Apple’s decision to not accept pre orders for the iPad Air and for the second generation iPad is that the Cupertino giant is trying to emphasize iPad Air’s public release date. With everyone suggesting the iPad Air does not innovate at all, Apple most likely want better press for the device. A few pictures of customers standing in line for the next main iPad is the best way to get good press and emphasize demand for the iPad Air and Apple knows this. That is why not accepting pre orders and instead letting customers line in front of Apple stores is the best strategy for getting better press for the iPad Air.
The basic iPad Air with WiFi will start at $499 for the 16 GB model and it will get up to $799 for the 128 GB iPad Air. For a 16 GB iPad Air with WiFi and LTE, you will have to pay $629 and up to $929 for the 128 GB WiFi and LTE iPad Air. We would like to know what you think about the recently released iPad Air. Do you think it lives up to its “Air” moniker, or do you think it should have been named the iPad 5 despite being a very light tablet? Did you buy one yesterday?
