Next iPad Air Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front Camera

The next-generation iPad Air will be equipped with a landscape front camera, according to the leaker known as "ShrimpApplePro."

iPad Air 5 Colors
If this information is accurate, the front camera on the next iPad Air would be located in the bezel to the right of the screen when the device is held upright. As a result, the front camera would be positioned at the top of the iPad when the device is in landscape orientation, making it centered with the user's eyes during video calls. This change would be especially beneficial to those who use the iPad Air with a Magic Keyboard.

On the current iPad Air, the front camera is in the top bezel above the screen, resulting in it being off-center in landscape orientation.

The leaker does not expect the next iPad Air to have any other significant design changes. They also cast doubt on a larger 12.9-inch iPad Air, but that model has been widely rumored by multiple sources, so it would be surprising if it did not launch.

A landscape front camera had already been rumored for both the next iPad Pro and iPad Air, so it is becoming an increasingly likely design change. Apple already repositioned the front camera on the entry-level iPad 10 a few years ago, so it would make sense for the change to be expanded to the entire iPad lineup eventually.

"During ‌Face ID‌ setup, iPad needs to be in landscape with the camera at the top of the screen," read hidden code in iPadOS 17.4.

Apple is expected to unveil new iPads in late March or in April.

"ShrimpApplePro" has a mixed track record with Apple rumors over the past few years. The leaker accurately revealed details about devices like the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple Watch Series 9, but they were incorrect about the Apple Watch Ultra 2 being available in a Space Black finish and the iPad mini being updated in 2023.

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

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Announces Launch of U.S. Passport Feature in iPhone's Wallet App

Wednesday November 12, 2025 9:15 am PST by
Apple today announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app based on information from their U.S. passport. To create and present a Digital ID based on a U.S. passport, you need: An iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 26.1 or later Face ID or Touch ID and Bluetooth turned on An Apple Account ...
Tesla Charging

Tesla Working to Add Apple CarPlay Support to Vehicles

Thursday November 13, 2025 8:31 am PST by
Tesla is working to add support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Tesla vehicles rely on its own infotainment software system, which integrates vehicle functions, navigation, music, web browsing, and more. The automaker has been an outlier in foregoing support for Apple CarPlay, which has otherwise become an industry standard feature, allowing users to...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...

Top Rated Comments

xmarcuswildx Avatar
22 months ago
I just want a damn iPad mini with more ram and a nice screen. Throw an A17 in there and we’ll call it even.

(M1 would be glorious)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
abatabia Avatar
22 months ago
No reason to update from an air 4 or 5, like at all. Unless that camera is that important to you.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aknabi Avatar
22 months ago

But when will they rotate the Apple logo on the back and complete the transformation to landscape-first device? That’s what the people REALLY wanna know!
Just waiting for an Apple patent on a rotating metal logo on the back that orients itself to the landscape or portrait based on device rotation.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
torontotim Avatar
22 months ago

This is probably why no new products from Apple will ever have the freedom of macOS. Words can barely describe the anger this causes me.
If Apple's business strategy angers you beyond words, you should seek therapy.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MrGimper Avatar
22 months ago

Just waiting for an Apple patent on a rotating metal logo on the back that orients itself to the landscape or portrait based on device rotation.
Like the PS logo on the PS2 drive tray?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
transpo1 Avatar
22 months ago
These things are looking more and more like Macbooks every day. Time for Apple to put macOS on the iPad when in keyboard mode.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)