New 13-Inch iPad Air Specs Lack Audio Feature From Last-Gen Model [Update]

Update: While Apple has not publicly commented on any changes to the speaker system in the new 13-inch iPad Air with M3, a representative with knowledge of the matter has indicated that the model retains the same landscape audio speakers with Spatial Audio as the M2 iPad Air.

Apple on Tuesday announced new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models with the M3 chip, and while the processor upgrade and updated Magic Keyboard are the biggest changes, there's another apparent difference in the larger model compared to its predecessor that may have gone unnoticed.

In the specifications guide for the new 13-inch iPad Air, Apple has omitted the "2x bass" feature mention from the device's landscape stereo speakers.

Double bass was introduced in the previous-generation 13-inch iPad Air with M2 chip in May 2024. Apple said at the time that the 13-inch model delivers "even better sound quality" with double the bass, which is "great for enjoying music and videos." However, there is no mention of the feature in Apple's device specifications for the new M3 variant. The 13-inch iPad Air with M2 chip is the only iPad that has ever included a mention of "2x bass," and it's not clear if the capability has been removed, if both iPad Air model sizes now have equivalent bass, or if its omission is just an error. We've reached out to Apple for comment.

Apple has never provided specific technical details about the enhanced bass effect in the 13-inch M2 iPad Air, so we don't know if it is tied to a hardware change or something else. If we don't hear back from Apple, perhaps a future device teardown will provide some clues.