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True to last night’s leak, Apple unveiled both the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 at tonight’s media event in Cupertino. Both iPads are available to pre-order from tomorrow (October 17) and are set to ship by the end of next week. Here’s a rundown of the key features that make these iPads Apple’s best ever…
The world’s thinnest tablet
The iPad Air 2 is the world’s thinnest tablet – some 18 per cent thinner than the original Air at just 6.1mm and 437g. The stunning Retina display comes with a new anti-reflective coating, which is 56 per cent less reflective.
Touch ID
As expected, both iPads now come with Touch ID as standard. The feature, which uses a fingerprint scanner under the Home button, enables users to unlock their device with a finger and authenticate App Store and iTunes purchases. Apple Pay will also work with the new iPads when the service rolls out in the US on Monday.
New processor, longer battery life
iPad Air 2 will ship with the new iPad-only A8X processor – an already immediate upgrade over the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The processor contains three billion transistors and houses a second-gen 64-bit architecture guaranteed to boost general usability. Battery life remains at 10 hours.
Improved camera, new burst mode
The iPad Air 2 has been given the new eight-megapixel iSight camera, and also shoots 1080p HD video. The iPad Air 2’s also has a new Burst Mode, Slo-mo and Time-lapse capabilities. There’s also a new FaceTime camera on the front with new face detection functionality.
Price and availability
Pre-order for both iPads begins tomorrow (October 17) and shipping is expected to begin by the end of next week. Available in Gold, Space Grey and Silver, some models have had $100 slashed off the price. All iPad mini remain on sale, with the original set to retail at just $249, which will translate to under £200. Here’s a quick summary…
iPad Air 2
Wi-Fi only:
16GB: $499
64GB: $599
128GB: $699
Wi-Fi/celluar
16GB: $629
64GB: $729
128GB: $829
iPad mini 3
Wi-Fi only:
16GB: $399
64GB: $499
128GB: $599
Wi-Fi/celluar
16GB: $529
64GB: $629
128GB: $729
