New iPad Air Rumored to Launch This Spring With A15 Chip, 5G, Center Stage Camera, and More

Apple is planning to release a fifth-generation iPad Air with similar features as the sixth-generation iPad mini, including an A15 Bionic chip, 12-megapixel Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage support, 5G for cellular models, and Quad-LED True Tone flash, according to Japanese blog Mac Otakara.

ipad air 4 video
Citing reliables sources in China, the report claims that the new iPad Air could be announced alongside the third-generation iPhone SE in spring 2022.

The new iPad Air will have the same overall design as the current model, including a single-lens rear camera, the report adds. Released in October 2020, the current iPad Air features a 10.9-inch display with slim bezels, a Touch ID power button, and a USB-C port, with color options including Space Gray, Silver, Green, Rose Gold, and Sky Blue.

Apple's first product event of the year will likely take place in March or April as usual, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, so it's possible that the new iPad Air and iPhone SE models could be announced at that event.

Mac Otakara accurately reported that the fourth-generation iPad Air would be equipped with a USB-C port, and that the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro would be 0.5mm thicker to accommodate for a mini-LED display. On the other hand, the website has made some inaccurate claims, including that new AirPods Pro would launch in April 2021.

Related Roundup: iPad Air
Buyer's Guide: iPad Air (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Air Launching Later This Year With These 16 New Features

Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device. Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...

Top Rated Comments

Mr. Dee Avatar
43 months ago
Are you all noticing the trend here? Apple includes features exclusive to the Pro models a year later on the cheaper models. The best way to play this game is to always wait. There is just too much diminishing value on the Pro models of many Apple products. My friend bought a iPhone 12 (non-Pro) 6.1 and he is more than happy with it. I am even thinking of upgrading to the 12 later this year from my X. I guess you could say its a great time to be alive.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
43 months ago
This makes sense. It will bring the iPad Air more in line with what was added to the Mini last year. At this point the Mini feels more like an iPad Air Mini instead of just an iPad Mini.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rui no onna Avatar
43 months ago

If Apple adds these features, they will surely increase the price by $100+. Tired of non ground breaking features being added purely for the sake of skyrocketing the price to capture more of consumers hard earned revenue. I’d rather have the cheaper iPad Air but they will likely no longer sell it to force people to hand over even more money.
I doubt it’ll increase by $100+. Maybe $50 at most.

The Air already got a $100 price bump in 2020 when Apple changed the chassis. The new rumored changes are fairly minor and pretty much just catching up with the mini 6. Heck, even the $329 iPad got Center Stage.

$399 mini 5 A12, 3GB
$499 Air 3 A12, 3GB

$599 Air 4 A14, 4GB

$499 mini 6 A15, 4GB
$599-649? Air 5

Heck, even at $649, the Air 5 doesn’t make much sense when compared to the $799 iPad Pro 11 (frequently on sale for $699-749). Until Apple releases a Mini-LED iPP 11 for $899, I reckon it’s more likely they will keep the $200 price gap between Air and Pro 11.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rui no onna Avatar
43 months ago

Are you all noticing the trend here? Apple includes features exclusive to the Pro models a year later on the cheaper models. The best way to play this game is to always wait. There is just too much diminishing value on the Pro models of many Apple products. My friend bought a iPhone 12 (non-Pro) 6.1 and he is more than happy with it. I am even thinking of upgrading to the 12 later this year from my X. I guess you could say its a great time to be alive.
It’s not always a year. Some of the features being added to the Air now have been available since the 1st gen Pro (2015/16). Even then, there are still features like quad speakers and ProMotion that still haven’t made their way downmarket. 512GB+ storage options are still strictly the domain of iPad Pros despite 512GB making its way to mid-range iPhones.

I’m quite happy sticking with my iPhone SE. I don’t use my phone much to justify the high cost plus OLED iPhones give me migraines. On the iPad though, I’m willing to (grudgingly) spend more to get the features I want (mainly high storage and RAM).
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bandaman Avatar
43 months ago

If Apple adds these features, they will surely increase the price by $100+. Tired of non ground breaking features being added purely for the sake of skyrocketing the price to capture more of consumers hard earned revenue. I’d rather have the cheaper iPad Air but they will likely no longer sell it to force people to hand over even more money.
That would be unfortunate. Don't like price hikes. Hopefully it doesn't happen.



Oh boy! Mini bumped to 499 was already a hard pill to swallow. Wonder how much Air would be hiked.
The Mini did have quite an overhaul though.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MayaUser Avatar
43 months ago

If Apple adds these features, they will surely increase the price by $100+. Tired of non ground breaking features being added purely for the sake of skyrocketing the price to capture more of consumers hard earned revenue. I’d rather have the cheaper iPad Air but they will likely no longer sell it to force people to hand over even more money.
wanna bet? ipad air was already increase by $100 with the redesign
So, no, no price increase, stop miss-leading users
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)