Apple unveils thinner iPad

Apple has introduced its iPad Air 2, its thinnest iPad ever in a highly anticipated event on October 16 (US time).

Source: Apple.

The new iPad features an improved Retina display for enhanced contrast and richer, more vibrant colours , and better cameras. Now available in gold, as well as the traditional silver and space gray, the iPad Air 2 and the new iPad mini 3 offer Touch ID and — in the US — a new payment method called Apple Pay.

“iPad is a magical piece of glass that runs more than 675,000 apps specifically designed for it, and is thin and light enough that you can comfortably hold it all day; the new iPad Air 2 is packed with amazing new innovations, weighs less than a pound, and at just 6.1 mm is the thinnest tablet in the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing.

“iPad Air 2 has a new Retina display with anti-reflective coating, second generation 64-bit A8X chip, all-new iSight and FaceTime HD cameras, faster Wi-Fi and LTE wireless, and includes the revolutionary Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.”

Feedback on Twitter was positive for the better cameras and the ability to use a fingerprint to unlock the device. Many also liked the introduction of a gold iPad. There were however jokes about whether the device would bend if it is in a pocket, in reference to reports that this can happen to the recently launched Phones.

Engineered for portability and ease of use, iPad Air 2 has a unibody of anodised aluminum. The improved Retina display features a custom-designed anti-reflective coating which reduces glare by 56 percent*. The new Apple-designed A8X chip delivers a 40% improvement in CPU performance and 2.5 times the graphics performance of iPad Air, but maintains the up to 10-hour battery life**.

Touch ID gives iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 users a simple and secure way to unlock iPad with just the touch of a finger, plus the ability to authenticate within apps to better protect logins and data. Touch ID can be used as a secure way to approve purchases from the App Store, iTunes Store or iBooks Store, and with Apple Pay, when paying for physical goods and services within apps.

The new iPads come with iOS 8.1 including Continuity features across iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite that enable all your Apple products to work together seamlessly. Handoff lets you start an activity on one device and pass it to another, and when your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network, you can make and receive phone calls right from your iPad.

Available for pre-order, both iPads will be available starting later next week in the Australia, mainland China (Wi-Fi models only), Hong Kong, Japan, Macau (Wi-Fi models only), New Zealand, and Singapore. Availability in Turkey, UAE and elsewhere around the world, will continue through the end of October with additional global availability in the coming months. iPads are sold through the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and through selected Apple Authorized Resellers.

The iPad mini line has been updated to include iPad mini 3 with Touch ID and iPad mini with Retina display, now called iPad mini 2 and starting at US$299. Both iPads feature Retina displays, A7 chips, 5MP iSight cameras, FaceTime HD cameras and ultrafast wireless connections. The iPad mini is available at US$249.

*Over the previous generation iPad Air.
**Battery life depends on device settings, usage and other factors. Actual results may vary.