The fifth-generation iPad Air will arrive with some meaningful upgrades such as for 5G connectivity and a faster A15 Bionic chipset, according to a new report. The iPad Air 4 made its debut back in September of 2020, rocking an all-new design inspired by the iPad Pro models. It ditched the thick bezels and the fingerprint sensor embedded in the home button in favor of thin bezels on all sides and a Touch ID button on the top.

Priced at $599, the iPad Air 4 offers a lot. It comes armed with the A14 Bionic chip that also powered the iPhone 12 quartet. Its 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display is quite impressive, the 12-megapixel rear camera is a welcome upgrade, and the decision to go with a USB-C port makes a big difference. With the iPad Pro and iPad mini getting their own major upgrades last year, it was time for the iPad Air to get some neat generation-over-over improvements as well.

Related: Redesigned iPad Pro With Glass Back & MagSafe Might Not Happen In 2022

According to iPhone SE 3 is not getting a design makeover either, at lease according to credible sources like Bloomberg and TFI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Upgrades Where They Matter

While the design reportedly remains unchanged, iPad Air 5 is said to come with some meaningful upgrades. For example, the iPad Air 5 is reported to be powered by an A15 Bionic chip, the same silicon that is at the heart of Apple’s iPhone 13 smartphone lineup. If correct, the iPad Air 5 won’t leave buyers clamoring for more firepower for at least the next couple of years. In addition, the iPad Air 5 is also said to offer for 5G. To recall, Apple extended the same cellular connectivity courtesy to the redesigned iPad mini that hit store shelves late last year.

Finally, the report also notes that the iPad Air 5 will get a front-facing camera upgrade in the form of a 12-megapixel ultrawide-angle camera, up from the 7-megapixel selfie snapper on the current-gen iPad Air. Aside from a boost in the megapixel figures, the front camera also gains  for Apple’s Center Stage, allowing the option to automatically adjust the iPad Air camera’s field of view to keep s at the center of the frame as they move around during a video call.

Next: Want An OLED iPad? Don't Expect One Until 2024

Source: Macotakara