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Apple Announces Details, Pricing For iPad Air 2 And iPad Mini 3
Apple has confirmed the specs, pricing, and release dates for its latest tablet hardware revisions. Both the iPad Air and the iPad Mini are getting new versions that will be shipping before the end of next week.
The iPad Air 2 includes a new A8X chip (an upgraded version of the chip found in the iPhone 6 and 6+). The tablet is 40 percent faster and offers 2.5x GPU performance than the iPad Air.
The new version of the iSight camera offers 8 megapixels and 1080p HD recording. The front-facing FaceTime camera also offers HD recording.
The iPad Air 2 is 6.1mm thick, making it 18 percent thinner than the iPad Air. It also includes new anti-reflective coating that reduces reflectivity by 56 percent (and might help with beach eBook reading).
Both the iPad Air 2 and the iPad Mini 3 include Touch ID technology that will unlock the tablet using your fingerprint. You can pre-order both starting tomorrow, October 17.
The iPad Air 2 WiFi version is priced at $499, $599, and $699 for 16 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB respectively. For cellular, add $130.
The iPad Mini 3 will cost $399, $499, and $599 for 16 GB, 64 GB, and and 128 GB. Cellular versions cost $130 more at each price point/memory configuration.
Apple also announced a new version of the iMac with a retina display. The screen resolution is 5120 x 2880, greater than 4K displays (4096 x 2160). The 27-inch iMac with the Retina 5K display is priced at $2,499 and begins shipping today.
Finally, Apple's new desktop operating system, OS X Yosemite is out today for free. Not to be left out, iPhone users can look forward to iOS 8.1 on Monday, October 20.
Our Take
I’ve been an Apple user for quite a while (and I’m typing this on a 27-inch iMac I’ve been happy with for a number of years). To say that I’ve got tech lust for the new 27-inch 5K iMac is an understatement. I can’t wait to see one in person.
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