Aside from the iPhone 17e, the new iPad Air powered by the M4 chip and more memory was also announced by Apple today. With a faster CPU and GPU, iPad Air boosts tasks like editing and gaming, and is a powerful device for AI with a faster Neural Engine, higher memory bandwidth, and 50 percent more unified system memory than the previous generation.
Table of Contents
Performance of the iPad Air with M4
The iPad Air with an M4 Chip features an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU which is up to 30 percent faster than the iPad Air with M3 and up to 2.3x faster than the iPad Air with M1. The M4 brings a significant boost in performance to the new iPad Air, empowering users to be productive and creative wherever they are — from aspiring creatives working with large files to travelers editing content on the go. Users will notice the blazing speed of M4 in everything they do — with Apple Creator Studio, compositing photos in Pixelmator Pro or editing video in Final Cut Pro is quicker than ever.
AI with the iPad Air
The new iPad Air will benefit everyone from college students transcribing lecture notes, to creators storyboarding a new project, to business users polishing emails. It is perfect for everyday tasks that use on-device AI, like searching for subjects and texts in photos, or leveraging powerful AI features in apps like Goodnotes and Onform: Video Analysis App. The Neural Engine also powers capabilities in Apple Creator Studio apps, like removing the background of video footage with Scene Removal Mask in Final Cut Pro.
iPadOS 26 Supercharges the iPad Experience
Released last year, the iPadOS 26 offers powerful features that help users handle creative and professional tasks with ease, pushing the capabilities of iPad even further.
- An entirely new, powerful, and intuitive windowing system helps users control, organize, and switch between apps, all while maintaining the simplicity of iPad. And with a new menu bar, users can access the commands available in an app with a simple swipe down from the top of the display, or by moving their cursor to the top.
- Users can manage, access, and organize files with a supercharged Files app that features an updated List view and new folder customization options. With folders in the Dock, users can conveniently access downloads, documents, and more from anywhere. Additionally, they can set a default app for opening specific files or file types.
- The Preview app on iPad gives users a dedicated app for creating a quick sketch, as well as viewing, editing, and marking up PDFs and images with Apple Pencil or by touch.
Accessories for iPad Air
The Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard unlock new levels of creativity and productivity on iPad Air. Both the Apple Pencil and Pencil Pro work with the iPad Air with M4, though it is more recommended to get the latter for advanced features like squeeze, barrel roll, and haptic feedback.
Magic Keyboard for iPad Air provides an amazing typing experience and expands what users can do, with a built-in trackpad ideal for precision tasks like selecting text, and a 14-key function row that allows easy access to features like screen brightness and volume controls. It attaches magnetically, and the Smart Connector immediately connects power and data without the need for Bluetooth; a machined aluminum hinge also includes a USB-C connector for charging. Magic Keyboard for iPad Air has a magical floating design customers love, and comes in black and white.
iPad Air with M4 Pricing and Availability
The iPad Air with M4 will have the same starting price of just ₱42,990 for the 11-inch model and ₱54,990 for the 13-inch model. No word on availability in the Philippines yet.
