At the company's October 2014 media event in Cupertino, Apple today announced the iPad Air 2, the successor to the original iPad Air. Apple's sixth 9.7-inch tablet is now finally official.
iPad Air | iPad Air 2 | |
|---|---|---|
Storage | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB | 16GB, 64GB, 128GB |
Price | $499, $599, $699, $799 | $499, $599, $699 |
Price with LTE | $629, $729, $829, $929 | $629, $729, $829 |
Display | 9.7-inch, 2048×1536, 264 ppi | 9.7-inch, 2048×1536, 264 ppi |
Processor | 64-bit A7 | 64-bit A8X |
Rear Camera | 5MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture | 8MP, ƒ/2.4 aperture |
Video Recording | 1080p | 1080p (30 fps), Slo‑mo (120 fps) |
Front Camera | 1.2MP photos, 720p video | 1.2MP photos, 720p video |
Fingerprint identity sensor | None | Touch ID |
Assistant | Siri | Siri |
Bluetooth | 4.0 | 4.0 |
Browsing time on cellular | Up to 9 hours | Up to 9 hours |
Browsing time on Wi-Fi | Up to 10 hours | Up to 10 hours |
Height | 9.4 inches (240 mm) | 9.4 inches (240 mm) |
Width | 6.6 inches (169.5 mm) | 6.6 inches (169.5 mm) |
Depth | 0.29 inch (7.5 mm) | 0.24 inch (6.1 mm) |
Weight for Wi-Fi | 1 pound (469 g) | 0.96 pounds (437 g) |
Weight for LTE | 1.05 pounds (478 g) | 0.98 pounds (444 g) |
Connector | Lightning | Lightning |
Colors | Space Gray, Silver | Space Gray, Silver, Gold |
Pre-orders begin tomorrow (October 17), and the devices will begin shipping next week. Before you put down your credit card though, assuming you're not enthused by what's coming in Android 5.0 Lollipop or Windows 10, you might want to see what exactly you're getting. The comparison table below shows you exactly what Apple has changed between the original iPad Air and the iPad Air 2.
Given that the iPad Air 2's pricing is either the same or lower from the original iPad Air, depending on which storage option you choose, you're basically paying less for a lighter but more powerful tablet. So the question is: Do you think it's worth upgrading?