Apple has pulled back the curtain on two new iPads: the eighth-generation iPad and a redesigned iPad Air.
While the new iPad looks the same as its predecessor, it’s all change under the bonnet. It’s now 40% faster than its predecessor, with twice as much graphical power.
According to Apple, it’s twice as fast as the top-selling Windows laptop, three times faster than the best-selling Android tablet and six times more than the best-selling Google Chromebook.
It works with the Apple Pencil stylus, so you can draw on-screen. And it's compatible with Apple’s keyboard too.
The new iPad Air has a completely new look. There’s a new all-screen design with sculpted detail around the camera shutter. Perhaps most noticeably, it comes in five colours, including rose gold.
An anti-reflective screen should make it easier to use in bright sunshine. The screen is 10.9 inches big, and is fully laminated.
For the first time, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor is built into the power/wake button on the top. Previously, it was integrated into the home button.
USB-C now comes as standard on the iPad Air, which should make it compatible with modern accessories. There’s a 7-megapixel front camera with 1080p HD for video calls, and on the back is the iPad Pro's 12-megapixel camera. It supports 4K video with improved stabilisation.
The eighth-generation iPad starts at £329, and is available to pre-order now, with deliveries starting on Friday. The iPad Air starts at £579, and will be available next month.
This year is the 10th anniversary of the iPad. To date, more than 500 million have been sold around the world.
