Apple Refreshes the iPad Air With the M3 Chip
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Apple has once again updated its mid-range tablet, the iPad Air, with minimal ceremony. On MacBreak Weekly, Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, Alex Lindsay, and Mikah Sargent talked about Apple’s update to its mid-range tablet, the iPad Air, which features the M3 chip with minimal fanfare.
The new iPad Air comes in two sizes - 11 and 13 inches - and offers some notable improvements. Mikah Sargent highlighted a particularly clever design choice: the base model now starts with double the previous storage, making it especially appealing for younger users. "One thing I've seen is a kid gets very tired of their huge game app that they want and they want another one," Sargent explained. "Now a parent doesn't have to delete old apps to download new ones."
While some tech commentators initially seemed underwhelmed by the M3 chip, Andy Ihnatko and Alex Lindsay offered nuanced perspectives. Lindsay emphasized that the M3 would likely handle 95% of typical iPad tasks with ease, making it a robust choice for most users. "This is 90 to 95 percent of someone who would buy an iPad," he remarked.
The pricing remains competitive, with the base model starting at $349 - just a slight increase from previous generations. Alex Lindsay provided important context, noting that this timing is crucial for educational purchasing cycles. "This is the time when budgets get sorted out for education," he explained. "These iPads are probably being purchased for the fall education season."
Interestingly, the panel saw the device as appealing to a broad range of users. While Apple seems to be targeting education and younger users, Alex Lindsay pointed out another significant market: users over 50 who want a simple, reliable device. "It only takes one really bad virus with a PC to make someone want an iPad," he quipped.
The device supports the USB-C pencil and continues to offer a fingerprint reader, a feature Andy Ihnatko and Leo Laporte discussed appreciatively. "I much prefer touch ID," Laporte mentioned, especially when using the device in less-than-ideal positions like in bed or while brushing teeth.
While Apple didn't create much fanfare around this release - forgoing their typical video presentations and event staging - the quiet introduction suggests confidence in the product's appeal. As Mikah Sargent noted, the release of both 11-inch and 13-inch models shows Apple's understanding of diverse user preferences.
The new iPad Air represents a solid, if not revolutionary, update to Apple's mid-range tablet lineup. With its M3 chip, expanded storage, and competitive pricing, it continues to be a compelling option for users seeking a versatile, powerful tablet without breaking the bank.
