Apple will not launch a new Mac mini until 2023, reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today on Twitter, revising a previous prediction he made prior to Apple's spring event earlier this week.
Last weekend, Kuo outlined his predictions for Apple's Mac lineup in 2022 and 2023, claiming that Apple plans to release a new high-end Mac mini and a 27-inch external display without mini-LED in 2022, while an Apple silicon Mac Pro and iMac Pro will not launch until 2023.
Today, however, Kuo issued an update to his original tweet to underline that he now believes Apple will launch all of these products no earlier than next year.
At the current time, the M1 Mac mini is sold alongside older high-end models that continue to feature Intel chips. The updated model could see Apple introduce M2 and M2 Pro chips. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also tweeted on Tuesday that Apple has M2 versions of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, 24-inch iMac, and Mac mini in development.
The M2 chip is expected to feature the same 8-core CPU, but with speed and efficiency improvements, along with a 9 or 10 core GPU, up from 7 or 8 cores in the M1.
As for the M2 Pro, we don't know full details yet, but it could feature a 12-core CPU. The current M1 Pro chip has a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, so we could also see a GPU boost. Testing on the M2 is already underway as evidenced by references to the chip in the latest beta of macOS Monterey.
Prior rumors suggested a future Mac mini could get a redesign with a smaller chassis, a plexiglass like top, and two-tone color options.
For more on the Mac mini, we have a dedicated guide that walks through all of the expected features and the release timeline.
Apple's online store is down ahead of iPad Air and iPhone SE pre-orders, which are set to begin at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States.
The new iPhone SE features the same 4.7-inch display as the current model, but now offers the toughest glass in a smartphone on the front and back — the same as on the back of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.
The device's new 12MP Wide camera system offers a range of improvements and computational photography features including Deep Fusion, Photographic Styles, Portrait Mode, and Smart HDR 4.
The new iPhone SE contains the same A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro. With a 6-core CPU, the A15 Bionic means that the iPhone SE is 1.8x faster than the iPhone 8. The 16-core Neural Engine, aimed at machine learning tasks, performs 15.8 trillion operations per second, making it 26x faster than iPhone 8. The 4-core GPU delivers 2.2x faster speed than the iPhone 8.
The A15 Bionic also gives the new iPhone SE longer battery life than the previous-generation and older 4.7-inch iPhone models despite having a compact form-factor and 5G connectivity. It continues to support fast charging and be compatible with Qi-certified chargers for wireless charging.
The new iPhone SE is available in two new colors, Midnight and Starlight, alongside PRODUCT(RED). The new iPhone SE starts at $429, up from $399 on the 2020 model, and is available with 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB of storage. Preorders begin on Friday, March 11, with the first devices shipping on March 18.
Available in a new array of colors, the new iPad Air features Apple's Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage for a more natural video conferencing experience, a USB-C port with up to 2x faster transfer speeds, and 5G on the cellular models.
In terms of the M1's pure performance, the 8-core CPU delivers up to 60% faster performance, and the 8-core GPU delivers up to 2x faster graphics performance compared to the previous iPad Air. That makes it faster than the fastest competitive tablet, and 2x as fast as the best-selling Windows laptop in its price range, according to Apple.
The USB-C port is now up to 2x faster than the previous generation, with data transfers up to 10Gbps, enabling it to support a range of USB-C accessories, including cameras, external storage, and displays with up to 6K resolution. Lastly, the new iPad Air supports the second-generation Apple Pencil.
The new iPad Air is priced from $599. It is available in 64GB and 256GB configurations, and comes in space gray, starlight, pink, purple, and blue colors. The new iPad Air is available to pre-order on Friday, March 11, and will be available from March 18.
Apple is working on the successor to the M1 chip, expected to be called the M2, and multiple rumors have already suggested that these chips are going to be used in machines that include a refreshed MacBook Air and a new version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro.
A new report today from 9to5Mac once again reiterates these rumors, with the site claiming that Apple will introduce a MacBook Air and a 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip later this year. Notably, 9to5Mac says that Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo's recent prediction that the next-generation MacBook Air will use either the M1 or an updated version of it is incorrect.
While analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the new MacBook Air will have an updated M1 chip, our reliable sources have told us that the machine is being developed with the new M2 chip.
Codenamed J413, the next generation MacBook Air is expected to be released in a single version featuring M2.
As for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, 9to5Mac claims that Apple could drop the "Pro" labeling, referring to the new machine as just "MacBook" as it has done in the past.
We've already heard plenty about the next-generation versions of the MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro from sources like Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has confirmed that the new MacBook Air will see a complete redesign. Gurman has also provided details on the M2 chip, which is expected to feature the same 8-core CPU as the M1, but with 9 and 10-core GPU options.
There is no word on a release date as of yet, but M2 machines are likely to come out in the later months of the year.
Sony today announced that PlayStation 4 owners who want to try out the Apple TV+ service can get an extended three-month free trial on their console. This offer applies only to those who have not previously had an Apple TV+ subscription.
Interested users can download the Apple TV app from the PS4 TV and Video section, and then follow the on-screen instructions. An Apple ID will be required to redeem the deal, as will a PlayStation Network account.
After the trial period, the Apple TV+ subscription plan will renew automatically at $4.99 per month until cancelled. The PlayStation extended trial deal will be available until July 22, 2022.
The trial is limited to those with a PlayStation 4 console, and it is not applicable to those who have the PlayStation 5 because there is a separate six month free trial for PS5 owners.
Facebook parent company Meta today announced an upcoming fitness update for the Oculus Quest 2, which will allow fitness data captured during VR workouts to be integrated with the Apple Health app.
Right now, when people exercise with interactive games like Liteboxer, Beat Saber, or Dance Central using the Oculus Quest 2, the data can only be viewed on the Oculus Mobile app on the headset itself, which is not particularly useful for those who like to track their fitness metrics.
Starting in April, fitness data from the Oculus Quest 2 will sync to the Oculus Mobile app on iOS devices or with the Apple Health app. Users will track minutes spent working out and calories burned while wearing the VR headset.
If you have an iOS device, you'll be able to choose to sync your VR fitness progress with the Apple Health app to automatically track your VR workouts on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch without having to manually input information about your exercise. This means all your exercise stats, including your activities both in and out of VR, can be tracked and available in one place.
Syncing Oculus Quest 2 data to either the Oculus Mobile app or the Apple Health app is opt-in, but choosing to connect to the Oculus Mobile app will see Move stats stored on Meta's servers. Meta says that Oculus Move stats will not be used to "inform the ads you see on any Meta services."
GRID Studio is known for creating art from vintage Apple devices that are an important part of Apple's history. Each device is disassembled, and the components are artfully displayed behind a glass frame that can be hung on the wall of any Apple fan.
Because GRID Studio works with classic Apple devices, there won't be any deconstructed Mac Studio art pieces for sale for some time, but there are plenty of other offerings on the GRID Studio website, with prices starting at around $40 and going up depending on complexity.
The GRID 1, for example, is one of GRID Studio's most popular pieces because it features an original iPhone, perhaps the most important device in Apple's history. Priced at $400, the GRID 1 is often sold out, but GRID Studio has a new series of GRID 1 pieces coming later in March.
Measuring in at 13x13x8, the GRID 1 features a torn apart iPhone with all of the internal components separated out and labeled so you can see everything that made the original iPhone so special at a glance. The shell of the iPhone is displayed next to individual components that include the power button, headphone socket, speaker, logic board, circuit board, ear piece, and other components.
Each piece of GRID art highlights what was important about the featured iPhone. With the $140 GRID iPhone 4S, for example, there's a clear look at the classic squared-off edges that Apple recently brought back for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, along with the circular volume buttons and the A5 chipset.
If you have a favorite classic iPhone, there's a good chance that GRID has taken it apart. In addition to the original iPhone, there are also GRID pieces for everything up to the iPhone X, along with A-series chips like the A5X, the Apple Watch, the Magic Mouse, and more.
The $269 GRID iPhone X is interesting because the iPhone X was Apple's first iPhone with a notch and the Face ID facial recognition system. You can see the Face ID components laid out next to other iPhone X parts like the dual-lens camera, Taptic Engine, and A11 Bionic chip.
Every GRID Studio piece includes all of the original parts of the device, but the company does not use real batteries to prevent any issues with the battery expanding or exploding with age. GRID's artwork is perfect for an office decoration or as a gift for an Apple fan. Disassembled devices are attractive to look at, informative, and offer a fun glimpse into Apple's history.
One grand prize winner will receive an M1 Max Mac Studio with 10-core GPU, 24-core GPU, 32GB unified memory, and 512GB SSD, plus a GRID 1 that features the original iPhone. A second prize winner will receive the GRID iPhone X, a third prize winner will receive the GRID iPhone 4S, and three additional winners will receive the GRID A5X.
To enter to win our giveaway for one of GRID Studio's art pieces, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (March 10) at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 17. The winners will be chosen randomly on March 17 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Apple plans to launch a series of Macs with M2 chips based on TSMC's 4nm process later this year, according to Taiwanese publication DigiTimes. This advancement should allow for continued performance and power efficiency improvements.
"TSMC's 4nm process will also build Apple's M2 chip that will power the new Mac series slated for launch in the second half of this year," the report claims.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman on Tuesday tweeted that Apple has M2 versions of the 13-inch MacBook Pro, 24-inch iMac, and Mac mini in development. In his newsletter last weekend, Gurman said Apple plans to launch at least some of those Macs around May to June of this year, while DigiTimes gave a second half of 2022 timeframe.
FYI: Still expecting an iMac Pro, for those wondering. M2 versions of the Mac mini, MacBook Pro 13-inch and 24-inch iMac are also in development.
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) March 8, 2022
The standard M1 chip is built on TSMC's 5nm process and has an 8-core CPU, along with a 7-core or 8-core GPU depending on the configuration. The first M2 chip will also have an 8-core CPU, but with faster 9-core or 10-core GPU options, according to Gurman.
Curiously, oft-accurate analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Tuesday tweeted that a 2022 version of the MacBook Air will still use the M1 chip, although he suggested it could be a modified version of the chip without elaborating further. Kuo said the new MacBook Air will feature a redesign with more color options and said that mass production of the notebook would begin in the late second quarter or the third quarter of this year.
The only Intel-based Macs remaining in Apple's lineup are high-end Mac mini configurations and the Mac Pro tower. During its "Peek Performance" event this week, Apple teased that an Apple silicon version of the Mac Pro is in the pipeline.
Amazon today is offering the white version of Apple's 12.9-inch iPad Pro Magic Keyboard for $293.00, down from $349.00. The keyboard is in stock and sold directly from Amazon, and only the US English version of the accessory is receiving the discount.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
This is a second-best deal on the 12.9-inch Magic Keyboard, and for the white color option it's the lowest price we've ever seen on this version of the accessory. Only Amazon is offering this sale, and you won't need any coupon code to see the deal.
This is the new 2021 model of the Magic Keyboard, so it's been optimized to fit the slightly thicker 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro with mini-LED display, but it also fits the 2018 and 2020 models. It features a full QWERTY keyboard, trackpad, USB-C port for charging, backlit keys, and a floating cantilever design.
The iPad Pro attaches magnetically to the keyboard with passthrough charging for the iPad Pro via its Smart Connector, and the Magic Keyboard provides front and back protection when closed.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
iPhones.ru is reporting that iTunes and App Store purchases can no longer be made by Apple device users located in Russia, leaving them unable to pay for apps, media, or Apple services.
According to the Russia-based site, it is now impossible for users to add funds to their App Store or iTunes Store accounts using regional bank cards issued by Russian banks including Alfa-Bank, Sber, and Tinkoff.
Under normal circumstances, Apple users would still be able to buy Apple gift cards to top up their Apple ID account. However, iPhones.ru is also reporting that users are having problems with this mode of funding as well.
It's not clear whether the issue is a result of action by Apple, Russian banks, or the Russian government. If confirmed however, as it stands, users in Russia seemingly now have no way to make purchases in the App Store or the iTunes Store.
Apple Pay has also reportedly been limited and major banks in Russia are not able to use the service, resulting in long lines at commuter rail systems that use Apple Pay to pay fares. The moves by Apple came independently after U.S. sanctions were implemented against the country back in February following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Geekbench scores for the new third-generation iPhone SE shows that Apple's most affordable iPhone features performance on par with the company's flagship iPhone 13, as they both feature the same A15 Bionic chip.
Geekbench scores for an "iPhone 14,6," the model identifier for the new iPhone SE, show a single-core score of 1695 and a multi-core score of 4021. For reference, the iPhone 13 has a single-core score of 1672 and a multi-core score of 4481. The difference in scores are marginal and will not represent real-world difference for customers.
Compared to the previous generation iPhone SE, Apple promises up to 1.2x faster graphics on the new iPhone SE. Apple also now claims up to 15 hours of video playback, which is two hours more than was advertised for the iPhone SE 2. The A15 Bionic chip also powers new features now available to iPhone SE customers, such as Photographic Styles, Smart HDR 4, and Live Text in iOS 15.
The new iPhone SE features the same 4.7-inch design with a Home button and Touch ID but now comes with 5G.
The third-generation iPhone SE starts at $429, $30 more than the previous model, and will be available for pre-order on March 11 and available on March 18.
Apple's new 5K Studio Display supports the 11-inch iPad Pro, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (third-generation or later), and the new fifth-generation iPad Air, but it isn't officially compatible with the fourth-generation iPad Air or the new iPad mini because the USB-C ports on these devices can't achieve the required data throughput to output in the native resolution.
That has led some users to wonder what happens, if anything, when a fourth-generation iPad Air or iPad mini 6 is connected to the Studio Display. Apple has now confirmed to MacRumors that these two devices output to the 5K-capable display in a downscaled 1440p resolution. Suffice to say, other older, non-supported iPads with USB-C aren't capable of driving the Studio Display at 5K either.
Apple's new Studio Display is compatible with a range of Macs, according to Apple, including the following:
Mac Studio (2022)
16-inch MacBook Pro (2019 or later)
14-inch MacBook Pro (2021)
13-inch MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
15-inch MacBook Pro (2016 or later)
MacBook Air (2018 or later)
Mac mini (2018 or later)
Mac Pro (2019 or later)
24-inch iMac (2021)
27-inch iMac (2017 or later)
21.5-inch iMac (2017 or later)
iMac Pro (2017)
Customers can order the Studio Display starting now through Apple's online store, with availability starting March 18, although delivery dates for both the new Mac Studio and its accompanying Studio Display have begun to slip well into April.
In the U.S., the Studio Display is priced at $1,599 with a tilt-adjustable stand and at $1,999 with a tilt- and height-adjustable stand. The monitor can also be configured with nano-texture glass and/or a VESA mount adapter.
The updated 11-inch iPad Pro expected to launch sometime this year can no longer be expected to feature a mini-LED display like its larger 12.9-inch sibling, display analyst Ross Young said today on Twitter.
Earlier rumors indicated that after keeping mini-LED exclusive to just the 12.9-inch iPad Pro in 2021, Apple would expand the newer display technology to the smaller 11-inch form factor. Young, in a tweet, says that's no longer expected this year, noting the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is "doing really well" and that Apple doesn't need to bring mini-LED to the smaller form factor.
If the 11-inch iPad Pro were to gain a mini-LED display, it would bring both iPad Pro sizes to more parity, potentially decreasing the appeal of the significantly larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Both iPad sizes share the same M1 Apple silicon chip, camera, and design, with the display technology and battery capacities being the only differences. Apple is planning to update the iPad Pro sometime this year, and rumors are slightly muddled on what exactly to expect.
Rumors indicate the iPad Pro will support reverse wireless charging for devices such as the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods, but subsequent reports have shed light on issues Apple is facing with developing such a feature.
Apple initially wanted to develop a glass back on the iPad Pro, but it may instead opt for a large glass Apple logo instead for the wireless charging. Regarding performance, Bloomberg'sMark Gurman has said the new iPad Pros running iPadOS will likely feature the M2 Apple silicon chip, which is even more powerful than the current M1 chip in the iPad Pro and the new fifth-generation iPad Air.
Apple plans to launch a "Pro" version of its new Studio Display in June of this year that measures 27-inches and has mini-LED and ProMotion, according to well-respected display analyst Ross Young.
In a tweet, Young says he's still expecting Apple to release a 27-inch mini-LED display in June and has confirmed such plans with sources within Apple's supply chain. Young had previously said that an iMac Pro would launch as early as summer 2022 but no longer believes that to be the case.
Young explains his sources weren't aware of the separation between the iMac, Mac Studio, and Studio Display, adding confusion to Apple's exact plans.
The confusion likely came from the fact that the Studio Display, and presumably the Studio Display Pro, both feature a webcam and a built-in Apple silicon, making it look like an iMac when it's not. Now, it seems that earlier rumors about an iMac Pro launching in June weren't referencing an actual iMac, but instead a Pro version of the Studio Display.
Today's "Studio Display Pro" rumor also adds more clarity to information shared by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who this week said that an "iMac Pro" would not launch until 2023. On the flip side, Kuo said today in a tweet that Apple may not release any mini-LED devices this year due to cost concerns, so it remains to be seen what exactly Apple has planned for June, around WWDC.
During its event this week, Apple teased an Apple silicon Mac Pro, hinting it may not be that far away. Specifically, when talking about the transition to Apple silicon across the Mac lineup, Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Engineering, John Ternus, said that there's "just one more product to go: Mac Pro," before adding "that's for another day."
Young expects the Studio Display Pro to launch alongside the Apple silicon Mac Pro in June, potentially replacing the Pro Display XDR in Apple's display lineup.
Adding further to the confusion of Apple's plan, Apple this week discontinued the 27-inch Intel-based iMac, leaving questions on whether there will be a larger iMac to join the 24-inch in Apple's lineup. Currently, it seems customers wanting a large all-in-one desktop computer from Apple will have to wait it out or purchase the 27-inch Studio Display and pair it with a Mac.
A new video posted to Twitter has offered a first hands-on look at Apple's new green iPhone 13 and the Alpine Green iPhone 13 Pro color options announced earlier this week.
Following a tradition it started in 2021, Apple this week introduced new iPhone colors for the spring. The company unveiled only a new purple color for the iPhone 12 last year, but this year introduced two colors for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro - a standard green and Alpine Green.
A video posted on Twitter has offered a hands-on look at the new color options. The green iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini offers a rich, forest-type green, while the Alpine Green is lighter and more similar to the Midnight Green from the iPhone 11 Pro.
Customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, the UK, the US, and more than 30 other countries and regions will be able to pre-order iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max in alpine green, and iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini in green, beginning at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, March 11, with availability beginning Friday, March 18.
Prior to yesterday's spring event, rumors suggested that Apple might unveil a new Mac mini, but instead we got the all-new Mac Studio, which is something of a mix between a Mac mini and a Mac Pro. Apple isn't phasing out the Mac mini with the debut of the Mac Studio, and a new version is still in the works.
The Mac Studio uses the M1 Max and new M1 Ultra chips, but for the next Mac mini, 9to5Mac claims that Apple will transition to the M2 chip. Apple is allegedly working on two versions of the Mac mini, one with a standard M2 chip and a second higher-end model with an M2 Pro chip.
We've already heard a bit about the M2 chip from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. It's expected to feature the same 8-core CPU, but with speed and efficiency improvements, along with a 9 or 10 core GPU, up from 7 or 8 cores in the M1.
As for the M2 Pro, we don't know full details yet, but it could feature a 12-core CPU. The current M1 Pro chip has a 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, so we could also see a GPU boost. Testing on the M2 is already underway as evidenced by references to the chip in the latest beta of macOS Monterey.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple "had plans" to introduce high-end versions of the Mac mini with M1 Pro and M1 Max chips, but these plans were "probably scrapped" in favor of the Mac Studio, with Apple instead opting for an M2 refresh.
Prior rumors suggested a future Mac mini could get a redesign with a smaller chassis, a plexiglass like top, and two-tone color options.
The Mac mini could see a refresh later this year, and perhaps the best supporting evidence that the machine is not being phased out is the fact that Apple left the Intel model in the lineup. For right now, the 2020 M1 Mac mini is still being sold alongside the older Intel version.
There's no word on specific timing for a refresh, but Gurman has suggested that Apple could introduce additional Mac updates as soon as May or June.
In March 2022, Apple introduced the fifth-generation iPad Air, featuring the M1 chip, 5G connectivity, and a new front-facing camera system. The updated iPad Air comes almost a year after in Apple introduced its current iPad Pro lineup, which also features the M1 chip and 5G connectivity, but sports a number of high-end features like ProMotion and a Thunderbolt port.
The introduction of the previous, fourth-generation iPad Air in September 2020 brought the device much closer to the iPad Pro in terms of design, and with the latest model, the iPad Air has gained the same M1 chip as the iPad Pro, bringing them even closer together. Despite this, the iPad Air and iPad Pro are still quite different devices intended for different groups of users.
Should you consider purchasing the iPad Air to save money, or do you need the high-end features of the iPad Pro? Our guide answers the question of how to decide which of these two iPads is best for you.
Comparing the iPad Air and iPad Pro
The iPad Air and iPad Pro share a large number of key features, such as a squared-off industrial design, a 12MP rear Wide camera, a 12MP front-facing Ultra Wide camera, and a USB-C port:
Similarities
Industrial design with flat edges
Liquid Retina display with 264 ppi, full lamination, oleophobic and anti-reflective coating, P3 Wide Color, and True Tone
M1 chip with next-generation Neural Engine
5G connectivity
ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide rear camera, with digital zoom up to 5x and Smart HDR 3 for photos
ƒ/2.4 12MP front-facing Ultra Wide camera with 2x optical zoom out and Center Stage
4K video recording at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps, 1080p HD video recording at 25 fps, 30 fps or 60 fps, Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps, 3x video zoom, slo-mo video support for 1080p at 120 fps or 240 fps, time-lapse video with stabilization
Apple's specification breakdown shows that the two iPads share many of their most important features, not least the M1 chip. Even so, there are an even larger number of meaningful differences between the iPad Air and iPad Pro that are worth highlighting, including their displays, authentication technologies, and rear camera setups.
11-inch or 12.9-inch display, with 120Hz ProMotion technology
Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display on 12.9-inch model with 1,000 nits max full-screen brightness and 1,600 nits peak brightness (HDR)
600 nits max brightness (typical)
8GB or 16GB of memory
Sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G connectivity
ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide and ƒ/2.4 10MP Ultra Wide rear cameras with LiDAR scanner
True Tone flash
Digital zoom up to 5x and 2x optical zoom out
Video zoom up to 3x and 2x optical zoom out
Extended dynamic range for video up to 30 fps
Audio zoom
ƒ/2.4 12MP TrueDepth Ultra Wide front camera with 2x optical zoom out, Center Stage, Portrait Mode, and Portrait Lighting, Animoji, and Memoji
Stereo recording
Four-speaker audio
USB‑C connector with support for Thunderbolt / USB 4
Up to 2TB storage
Available in Silver and Space Gray
Price starting at $799
Read on for a closer look at each of these aspects, and see what exactly both iPads have to offer.
Design
Both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro use Apple's most recent product design language, also seen on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineup, the iPad mini, and the iMac, featuring industrial squared-off edges.
The 10.9-inch iPad Air is almost exactly the same size as the 11-inch iPad Pro, despite having a smaller display, resulting in it having slightly thicker bezels.
Although the design of the two iPad models is similar, the iPad Air is available in a wider range of colors. The iPad Air is available in Space Gray, Starlight, Pink, Purple, and Blue, while the iPad Pro is only available in Silver and Space Gray.
Authentication
A key area of difference between the iPad Air and iPad Pro is authentication. The iPad Air features Touch ID, while the iPad Pro features Face ID.
The iPad Air has a Touch ID fingerprint scanner embedded in the iPad's top button. The iPad Pro's Face ID is facilitated by the TrueDepth camera array in the top bezel.
Unlocking is something that may be used dozens of times every day, so it is important to choose your preferred method of authentication if you feel particularly strongly about it. That being said, both Touch ID and Face ID are now extremely refined technologies that work well, and most users will likely be happy with whichever they have.
Displays
Display Sizes
The iPad Air features a 10.9-inch display, while the iPad Pro has the option of either an 11-inch display or a 12.9-inch display.
The difference in screen size between the 10.9-inch iPad Air and the 11-inch iPad Pro is virtually negligible. These models are around half a pound lighter than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and will be best for users focused on portability and easy handheld use.
The 12.9-inch iPad Pro, on the other hand, is best for users who are intending to use their iPad more like a laptop, likely on a table or with a keyboard accessory such as the Magic Keyboard. In particular, multitasking is a much better experience on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's large display.
Display Technologies
Both the iPad Air and the 11-inch iPad Pro feature Liquid Retina LED displays with 264 ppi, full lamination, an oleophobic and anti-reflective coating, P3 Wide Color, and True Tone.
The 11-inch iPad Pro can get 100 nits brighter than the iPad Air and features ProMotion technology for up to 120Hz refresh rates.
The biggest advancement in display technology comes to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. This model has all of the display features included with its smaller sibling, including 120Hz ProMotion, but uses a fundamentally different underlying display technology: mini-LED.
Apple calls the 12.9-inch iPad Pro's mini-LED screen a "Liquid Retina XDR display." Mini-LED allows the 12.9-inch iPad Pro to reach up to 1,000 nits full-screen brightness, 1,600 nits peak brightness, and a 1 million-to-1 contrast ratio. The display can reflect what can be seen in the real world by capturing the brightest highlights and subtle details in even the darkest images, allowing users to view and edit true-to-life HDR and Dolby Vision content, which is especially important to creative professionals, including photographers, videographers, and filmmakers.
The iPad Air's Liquid Retina display will be sufficient for the vast majority of users, but some may prefer the responsiveness of ProMotion of the iPad Pro for tasks such as gaming. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro's high-end Liquid Retina XDR display, on the other hand, is best for users who consume a lot of HDR content, those who are creative professionals, or those who want the best possible display.
Storage
The iPad Air offers the option of either 64GB or 256GB storage, while the iPad Pro offers 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB. The maximum 256GB of storage in the iPad Air will be enough for many users, but for those power users who intend to store a large amount of data on their iPad, the option is available with the iPad Pro.
Memory
The iPad Air has 8GB of RAM, while the iPad Pro has either 8GB or 16GB, depending on which storage configuration you choose. iPad Pro configurations with either 1TB or 2TB of storage contain 16GB of RAM, while all other storage configurations contain 8GB of RAM.
8GB in the iPad Air will be adequate for casual users, but 8GB will be defter at handling multiple windows of the same application and a range of intense background tasks.
Ultimately, iPadOS is excellent at memory management and it is questionable how far apps can take advantage of extra memory, so it is unlikely that the amount of RAM in your iPad will be important in most cases.
Cameras
Rear Cameras
A major area of difference between the two iPad models is their camera setups. The iPad Air features a single ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide camera. The iPad Pro has the same ƒ/1.8 12MP Wide camera as the iPad Air, but also adds a ƒ/2.4 10MP Ultra Wide camera and a LiDAR scanner.
As well as being able to zoom in digitally five times, the iPad Pro can also optically zoom out up to two times, thanks to its Ultra Wide lens. The iPad Pro has extended dynamic range when recording video up to 30 fps, and also features a True Tone flash.
LiDAR allows the iPad Pro to measure the distance to surrounding objects up to five meters away, operating at the photon level at nano-second speed. This makes the iPad Pro capable of a "new class" of improved AR experiences with better motion capture, understanding of the environment, and people occlusion.
Users who like to use their iPad as a large viewfinder for photography or heavy users of AR will appreciate the iPad Pro's more advanced camera setup, but for the majority of users who do not use the iPad's rear camera very often, the iPad Air's single Wide camera is more than good enough.
Front-Facing Cameras
Both the iPad Air and the iPad Pro have a ƒ/2.4 12MP Ultra Wide front-facing camera with 2x optical zoom out. The iPad Pro's TrueDepth camera also enables Portrait mode, and Portrait Lighting, Animoji, and Memoji.
Both devices offer "Center Stage" for video calls with the front-facing camera. Center Stage uses the iPad's larger field of view on the machine learning capabilities of M1 to recognize and keep users centered in the frame. As users move around, Center Stage automatically pans to keep them in the shot. When others join in, the camera detects them too, and smoothly zooms out to fit everyone into the view.
Other than Portrait mode, and Portrait Lighting, Animoji, and Memoji, the two front-facing camera setups are identical and there is no reason to get one over the other.
Speakers and Microphones
The iPad Air has two-speaker audio in landscape mode, while the iPad Pro has wider four-speaker audio. If you use your iPad for consuming lots of music and videos with the built-in speakers, the iPad Pro will deliver a slightly better experience.
The iPad Pro can record audio in stereo and features "studio-quality" mics, which may be important for some users who record music or lectures using their iPad. Even so, the iPad Air has a proficient speaker and microphone setup that will be sufficient for most users.
Wireless Connectivity
In terms of wireless connectivity, both iPads feature Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, and 5G on cellular models. The iPad Air only supports a sub-6GHz 5G cellular connection, while the iPad Pro supports both sub-6GHz and mmWave 5G in the United States. mmWave 5G is considerably faster than sub-6GHz where available. If you need a high-speed 5G cellular connection in the United States, this may be a good reason to invest in the iPad Pro.
Ports
The iPad Air features a standard USB-C port, while the iPad Pro features a Thunderbolt port. USB-C on the iPad Air can transfer at a speed of 10Gb/s, while Thunderbolt supports speeds of up to 40Gb/s. As well as being considerably faster, Thunderbolt opens up the potential for compatibility with a much broader range of Thunderbolt-only accessories such as external hard drives and monitors. Thunderbolt also is backward-compatible with USB-C, so the two ports look identical.
Even though Thunderbolt is much faster than the iPad Air's standard USB-C port, most users likely do not have Thunderbolt accessories that can take advantage of these speeds. For this reason, the iPad Air is again the best option for most people in terms of port options.
Accessories
Both the iPad Air and iPad Pro support accessories such as the Apple Pencil 2, as well as Apple's Smart Keyboard Folio and Magic Keyboard. Since they both support the same accessories, there is no reason to buy one model over the other when it comes to the likes of keyboards or trackpads.
Nevertheless, it should be considered that accessories such as the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard have to be purchased separately from the iPad, so will push up the overall price. Therefore, if the iPad Pro, which starts at $799 for the 64GB 11-inch model, is already moving out of your price range and you want an accessory such as the $299 Magic Keyboard, you may need to opt for the iPad Air, which starts at $599, to bring down the overall cost.
Other iPad Options
If the iPad Air is too expensive at $599, you may want to consider the eighth-generation iPad, which has a much lower price tag of $329. This iPad has a 10.2-inch display, the A13 Bionic chip, Center Stage, and is compatible with accessories such as the Apple Smart Keyboard and the first-generation Apple Pencil.
While it lacks the all-screen design of the iPad Air, USB-C, and 4K video recording, the eighth-generation iPad is an excellent low-cost alternative to the mid to high-end iPads.
Moreover, if you are looking for the smallest, most portable iPad, you should consider the iPad mini, which features a smaller 8.3-inch display and the A15 chip, for $499.
Overall, the iPad Air is the better option for the majority of users, simply on the basis of value for money. For most people, the additional $200+ needed to buy the iPad Pro will not be justified to get the likes of Face ID, a more versatile rear camera system, four-speaker audio, and a ProMotion display with refresh rates up to 120Hz.
Some iPad Pro features, such as LiDAR, the Ultra Wide rear camera, larger storage options and up to 16GB of memory, and Thunderbolt connectivity, will only be practically useful to a small niche of iPad users. Most users will never use some of these high-end features. Indeed, many features such as the True Tone flash, mmWave 5G connectivity, Audio zoom, and stereo audio recording may not be meaningfully utilized by many users.
Professionals who have a clear use case for needing larger amounts of RAM and storage, Thunderbolt connectivity, and mini-LED for HDR content will benefit from buying the iPad Pro. Prosumers will also enjoy features such as 120Hz ProMotion for smoother scrolling and gaming, deeper blacks and more vivid colors with the mini-LED display, and LiDAR for AR experiences, even if they are not necessary, and those who want a larger 12.9-inch display for content consumption will similarly need to go with the higher-end iPad Pro model.
Prosumers and professionals who want the iPad to replace their laptop or computer should likely choose the 12.9-inch iPad Pro if they are pairing it with the Magic Keyboard due to the added screen space for multiple applications. This larger iPad Pro is considerably different to the iPad Air, setting itself apart with mini-LED and a much larger display.
Beyond these individual circumstances, the iPad Air is the best option and will be more than ample for most users' needs. With the iPad Air, users can get an all-screen design, the M1 chip, practical features like USB-C and 5G connectivity, and compatibility with the latest Apple accessories.
Apple this week unveiled a third-generation iPhone SE, with key new features being an A15 chip, 5G support, longer battery life, camera enhancements, and more durable glass. While not advertised by Apple, the new iPhone SE also features more RAM.
With assistance from developer Moritz Sternemann, MacRumors has confirmed that the third-generation iPhone SE features 4GB of RAM, compared to 3GB in the previous model. This information is sourced from strings within the Xcode 13.3 Release Candidate that Apple released following its "Peek Performance" event on Tuesday.
The same type of Xcode strings have accurately revealed the amount of RAM in several generations of iPhones and iPads. For example, the strings revealed that the sixth-generation iPad mini also has an increased 4GB of RAM.
Photo and video editing apps can benefit from access to more RAM, as they are able to keep more layers stored in memory. Additional RAM can also allow more apps and pages loaded in Safari to remain active in the background.
The new iPhone SE will be available to pre-order starting at 5 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, March 11 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom, and more than 30 other countries and regions. Deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Friday, March 18.
Apple has confirmed to MacRumors that the brand new Studio Display will work when connected to PCs, but critical new features of the display will not carry over and the experience will be lacking compared to using the display with a Mac.
Features that require macOS, such as True Tone, will not work when connected to PCs. When connected to a PC, the webcam in the Studio Display will work as a normal webcam, but Center Stage does require macOS.
Features that also require firmware updates will not function. Additionally, Apple says that screen resolution on the Studio Display will vary from system to system.
The Studio Display is Apple's new external display that starts at $1599, with an option as high as $2299. The display measures 27-inches and features a similar design to the Pro Display XDR but with larger bezels and no rear panel pattern. The Studio Display also features the A13 Bionic chip that powers Center Stage, Spatial Audio, True Tone, and more. The Studio Display alongside the Mac Studioare available for pre-order and will be available on March 18.
Update: Apple has clarified that when connected to a PC, the webcam in the Studio Display will function as normal, but features such as Center Stage will require macOS.
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