iPad Air 6: Potential New Features and Launch Timing [Updated]

The current iPad Air was introduced in March last year, adding the M1 chip, Center Stage on the front-facing camera, a faster USB-C port, and several new color options, but it was still a fairly minor upgrade over the previous model from September 2020. As we near a year and a half since the fifth-generation ‌iPad Air‌ was introduced, what can users expect from the sixth-generation model and when will it launch?

Air 2022 M1 Feature
As of 2023, it has been some time since the ‌iPad Air‌ had a major hardware refresh. Yet due to its positioning between the entry-level iPad and the iPad Pro, it is not immediately clear what a new ‌iPad Air‌ model could gain without cannibalizing the ‌iPad Pro‌.

There have been few concrete rumors about the features the next ‌iPad Air‌ will offer as yet, so the overall picture of what to expect is still somewhat fluid. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has repeatedly said that an ‌iPad Air‌ update this year with a minor "spec bump" is not out of the question, suggesting that the upgrade will be fairly iterative, targeting several small but significant areas.

A chip upgrade is the most certain feature coming to the next ‌iPad Air‌. The ‌iPad Air‌ currently contains the ‌M1‌ chip. There have been no reports about what chip the next-generation ‌iPad Air‌ will feature, but the M2 chip has now been in the ‌iPad Pro‌ for almost a year, meaning that it should be more than suitable for the ‌iPad Air‌. For comparison, the ‌M1‌ chip was present in the previous-generation ‌iPad Pro‌ for 11 months before it came to to the ‌iPad Air‌. There is even the possibility that it could skip the ‌M2‌ and get the M3 chip instead, depending on the timing of its release.

A minor spec bump is also likely to include upgrades to the front and rear cameras, potentially bringing features like Photonic Engine to the ‌iPad‌ for the first time. ProRes video recording, Audio zoom, stereo audio recording, Portrait mode, and Portrait Lighting support are all plausible upgrades in this area.

ipad air m1 2
A horizontally oriented front-facing camera and a Thunderbolt port are among the other potential features for the sixth-generation ‌iPad Air‌. The latest ‌iPad Pro‌ models brought connectivity upgrades like Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 to the ‌iPad‌ for the first time. By now, these capabilities are overdue to make their way to the ‌iPad Air‌. Similarly, Apple Pencil hover, another ‌iPad‌ Pro-exclusive feature, could finally trickle down to the ‌iPad Air‌ in its next incarnation.

A new ‌iPad Air‌ launching this year is certainly more likely than a new ‌iPad Pro‌ emerging, but Apple historically has only updated the device around every two years. While a refresh to add the ‌M2‌ chip is certainly possible in 2023, it may be more probable that Apple will again wait two years to update the device and target 2024 for a more worthwhile upgrade.

Last month, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that new ‌iPad‌ models are "unlikely" to launch this year, seemingly leaning into a 2024 launch for the next-generation ‌iPad Air‌. However, a reliable Weibo leaker recently said that the sixth-generation ‌iPad Air‌ should launch in October as the only ‌iPad‌ refresh of 2023, with "no mini and Pro this year."

More strikingly, on a September episode of The MacRumors Show podcast, ‌Mark Gurman‌ said that there is a new iPad Air with improved specifications in the works and the device is apparently "coming soonish," likely this month. As such, the sixth-generation ‌iPad Air‌ appears to now be pending release, meaning that a launch in the near future cannot yet be ruled out. If a month passes with no such occurrence, the first half of 2024 will become the most likely scenario.

Update: A new report suggests Apple is working on two separate sixth-generation ‌iPad Air‌ models, but it unclear if this refers to two different size options or something else.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
xiaomi apple ad india

Apple and Samsung Push Back Against Xiaomi's Bold India Ads

Friday August 29, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple and Samsung have reportedly issued cease-and-desist notices to Xiaomi in India for an ad campaign that directly compares the rivals' devices to Xiaomi's products. The two companies have threatened the Chinese vendor with legal action, calling the ads "disparaging." Ads have appeared in local print media and on social media that take pot shots at the competitors' premium offerings. One...
iOS 18 on iPhone Arrow Down

Apple Preparing iOS 18.7 for iPhones as iOS 26 Release Date Nears

Sunday August 31, 2025 4:35 pm PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 18.7 for compatible iPhone models, according to evidence of the update in the MacRumors visitor logs. We expect iOS 18.7 to be released in September, alongside iOS 26. The update will likely include fixes for security vulnerabilities, but little else. iOS 18.7 will be one of the final updates ever released for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR,...

Top Rated Comments

erikkfi Avatar
25 months ago
Interesting colors maybe? Remember this, Apple?

Attachment Image
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kiranmk2 Avatar
25 months ago
More than 64 GB of storage on base. The iPad Air should match the base iPhone (and the base iPad should match the iPhone SE).
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RAS2MR Avatar
25 months ago
I'd rather see an updated iPad mini.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jdhommert Avatar
25 months ago
Ughhhh I want a new Mini!!!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Realityck Avatar
25 months ago

Ughhhh I want a new Mini!!!
Same thoughts, the Air came out more recently, it's the iPad mini 7's turn.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
matthew12 Avatar
25 months ago
This is good for me. My iPad Air 3 is now the minimum requirements for iOS 17, so I need a new iPad now. But I've been waiting for the refresh.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)