iPad Air

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

iPad Air
Apple iPad Air Logo.svg
IPad Air.png
iPad Air in Space Gray
DeveloperApple Inc.
ManufacturerFoxconn
Product familyiPad
TypeTablet computer
Generation1st Air generation
Release dateNovember 1, 2013; 7 years ago (2013-11-01)[1]
DiscontinuedMarch 21, 2016
Operating systemOriginal: iOS 7.0.3, released October 23, 2013
Current: iOS 12.5.4, released June 14, 2021[2]
System on a chipApple A7 with 64-bit architecture and Apple M7 motion co-processor
CPU1.4 GHz dual-core 64-bit
Memory1 GB LPDDR3 RAM[3]
Storage16, 32, 64, 128 GB[a] flash memory
Display9.7 inches (250 mm) 2,048 × 1,536 px color IPS display,[4] (264 ppi) with a 4:3 aspect ratio, oleophobic coating
GraphicsPowerVR G6430
SoundStereo
InputMulti-touch screen, headset controls, M7 motion co-processor, proximity and ambient light sensors, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, digital compass, dual microphone
CameraFront: 1.2 MP, 720p HD
Rear: OmniVision Technologies OV5650 5.0 MP AF, iSight with Five Element Lens, Hybrid IR filter, video stabilisation, face detection, HDR, ƒ/2.4 aperture
Connectivity
Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular:
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n at 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz and MIMO

Bluetooth 4.0

Wi-Fi + Cellular:
GPS & GLONASS
GSM
UMTS / HSDPA
850, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz
GSM / EDGE
850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
CDMA
CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A and B.
800, 1900 MHz
LTE
Multiple bands
A1475: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26; A1476: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 18, 19, 20 and TD-LTE 38, 39, 40
PowerBuilt-in rechargeable Li-Po battery
8,827 mAh 3.73 V 32.9 W⋅h (118 kJ)[5]
Online servicesApp Store, iTunes Store, iBookstore, iCloud, Game Center
Dimensions240 mm (9.4 in) (h)
169.5 mm (6.67 in) (w)
7.5 mm (0.30 in) (d)
MassWi-Fi: 469 g (1.034 lb)
Wi-Fi + Cellular: 478 g (1.054 lb)
SuccessoriPad Air 2
Related articlesiPad Mini 2
WebsiteApple - iPad Air at the Wayback Machine (archived December 14, 2013)

The iPad Air is a tablet designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced on October 22, 2013, and was released on November 1, 2013. Part of the iPad line of tablet computers, the iPad Air features a thinner design than its predecessors with similarities to the contemporaneous iPad Mini 2.

The iPad Air's successor, the iPad Air 2, was announced on October 16, 2014, with the first generation iPad Air being discontinued on March 21, 2016.[6]

Features[]

Software[]

The iPad Air launched with version 7 of the iOS operating system.[7] iOS 7 introduced a major aesthetic redesign of the operating system, departing from skeuomorphic elements such as green felt in Game Center, wood in Newsstand, and leather in Calendar, in favor of flat, colorful design. Jonathan Ive, the designer of iOS 7's new elements, described the update as "bringing order to complexity", highlighting features such as refined typography, new icons, translucency, layering, physics, and gyroscope-driven parallaxing as some of the major changes.[8]

It can act as a hotspot with some carriers, sharing its Internet connection over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB, and also access the Apple App Store, a digital application distribution platform for iOS.

The iPad Air comes with several applications, including the Safari web browser, Mail, Photos, Video, Music, iTunes Store, App Store, Maps, Notes, Calendar, Game Center, Photo Booth, and Contacts.[9] The iPad Air can optionally sync content and other data with a Mac or Windows computer using iTunes. Although the tablet is not designed to make phone calls over a cellular network, users can use a headset or the built-in speakers and microphone to place phone calls over Wi-Fi or cellular using a VoIP application, such as Skype.[10] The device has a dictation application. This enables users to speak and the iPad types what they say on the screen. An Internet connection is required, as the speech is processed by Apple servers.[11] Apple also began giving away its iLife (iPhoto, iMovie, Garageband) and iWork (Pages, Keynote, Numbers) apps with the device.

iOS 9 was released in 2015. A major focus for the iPad was the introduction of three new multitasking features[12] The Air supported two of these features, called Slide Over and Picture in Picture. Slide Over allows a user to "slide" a second app in from the side of the screen in a smaller window, and have it display information alongside the initial app. Picture in Picture allows a user to watch a video in a small, resizable, moveable window while remaining in another app. The third feature, dubbed Split View (which allows the user to run two apps simultaneously in a 50/50 view), was not supported by the device.[citation needed]

In June 2019, Apple announced that it would drop support for the iPad Air with the release of iPadOS 13 in September 2019.[13][14] The iPad Air is supported to iOS 12, with the latest 12.5.4 update released on June 14, 2021.

Design[]

The iPad Air marked the first major design change for the iPad since the iPad 2; it has a thinner design that is 7.5 millimeters thick and has a smaller screen bezel similar to the iPad Mini. Apple reduced the overall volume for the iPad Air by using thinner components resulting in a 22% reduction in weight over the iPad 2.[15] It retains the same 9.7-inch screen as the previous iPad model.[16] The new front-facing camera is capable of video in 720p HD, includes face detection, and backside illumination. The rear camera received an upgrade as well; now being called the iSight camera, in addition to the same functions as the front camera it also contains a 5MP CMOS, hybrid IR filter and a fixed ƒ/2.4 aperture.[17][18] The device was available in space gray and silver colors.[citation needed]

As with previous generations, Apple continued to use recyclable materials. The enclosure of the iPad Air was milled from a solid block of aluminum making it 100% recyclable. The iPad Air is also free of the harmful materials BFRs and PVC.[15]

Hardware[]

The iPad Air inherits most of the same hardware components from the iPhone 5S, such as its Apple A7 system-on-chip and Apple M7 motion processor. The A7 present in the iPad Air is slightly different however, in that it does not use a PoP design which stacks the RAM on top of the SoC.[19] It also features a metal heat spreader to compensate for the slightly faster clock speed and better thermal management. The Air also includes a 5 megapixel rear-facing camera (iSight), a FaceTime HD front-facing camera, support for 802.11n, and an estimated 10 hours of battery life.[16] It boots faster than any previous iPad model.[20]

As with all previous generations of iPhone and iPad hardware, there are four buttons and one switch on the iPad Air. With the device in its portrait orientation, these are: a "home" button on the face of the device under the display that returns the user to the home screen, a wake/sleep button on the top edge of the device, and two buttons on the upper right side of the device performing volume up/down functions, under which is a switch whose function varies according to device settings, functioning either to switch the device into or out of silent mode or to lock/unlock the orientation of the screen.[21] It uses the same home button that was built in previous iPad models and therefore does not include a fingerprint scanner.

In addition, the WiFi only version weighs 469 grams while the cellular model weighs 478 grams – over 25% lighter than their respective predecessors.[21][22] The display responds to other sensors: an ambient light sensor to adjust screen brightness and a 3-axis accelerometer to sense orientation and switch between portrait and landscape modes.[citation needed] Unlike the iPhone and iPod Touch's built-in applications, which work in three orientations (portrait, landscape-left and landscape-right), the iPad's built-in applications support screen rotation in all four orientations, including upside-down. Consequently, the device has no intrinsic "native" orientation; only the relative position of the home button changes.[21]

The iPad Air was available with 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB[a] of internal flash memory, with no expansion option. Apple also sells a "camera connection kit" with an SD card reader, but it can only be used to transfer photos and videos.[21] As of the announcement of the iPad Pro 9.7-Inch on March 21, 2016, the iPad Air was discontinued.

All models can connect to a wireless LAN and offer dual band Wi-Fi support. The tablet is also manufactured either with or without the capability to communicate over a cellular network. The iPad Air (and the iPad Mini 2) cellular model comes in two variants, both of which support nano-SIMs, quad-band GSM, penta-band UMTS, and dual-band CDMA EV-DO Rev. A and B. Additionally, one variant also supports LTE bands 1–5, 7, 8, 13, 17–20, 25 and 26 while the other variant supports LTE bands 1–3, 5, 7, 8, 18-20 and TD-LTE bands 38, 39 and 40. Apple's ability to handle many different bands in one device allowed it to offer, for the first time, a single iPad variant which supports all the cellular bands and technologies deployed by all the major North American wireless providers at the time of the device's introduction.

The audio playback of the iPad Air is in stereo with two speakers located on either side of the Lightning connector.

Reception[]

Critical reception[]

The iPad Air received mainly positive reviews. Writing for AnandTech, Anand Lal Shimpi writes that the iPad Air "feels like a true successor to the iPad 4," praising it for its reduced weight and size. Shimpi further states that the Air "hits a balance of features, design and ergonomics that I don't think we've ever seen in the iPad."[23] UK Editor-in-Chief of TechRadar, Patrick Goss, gave the iPad Air a positive review, giving praise to the A7 chip and camera upgrades, as well as the crisp and colorful display. He concludes by stating: "It's hard to put into words how much Apple has improved the iPad, offering a stunning level of detail and power with a build quality that's unrivalled."[24] Christina Bonnington of Wired awarded the Air a rating of 8 out of 10, calling the performance "outstanding" and noting that high-definition video streams and gaming animations are "smooth and stutter free." She also praised the loading speeds of Safari, the web browser.

Bonnington criticized the speakers for being slightly muddled.[25] Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak criticized the focus on decreasing size and weight rather than increasing storage space and stated that he did not want an iPad Air as it did not fit his personal needs.[26][27] Dave Smith of the International Business Times wrote that while the device was nice, it did not bring anything new to the iPad. Smith strongly criticized the lack of a fingerprint reader, and noted that the updates, such as the increased speed and the decreased size and weight, were only slight improvements.[28][29]

Commercial reception[]

The launch date for the iPad Air did not see as large of a turnout as usual for Apple products; however, this was expected by analysts due to the delayed release of the iPad Mini 2.[30] The Air sold out in Hong Kong two hours after becoming available online.[31]

Timeline[]

iPad Pro (5th generation)iPad Pro (5th generation)iPad Pro (4th generation)iPad Pro (4th generation)iPad Pro (3rd generation)iPad Pro (3rd generation)iPad Pro (2nd generation)iPad Pro (2nd generation)iPad Pro (1st generation)iPad Pro (1st generation)iPad Mini (6th generation)iPad Mini (5th generation)iPad Mini 4iPad Mini 3iPad Mini 2iPad Mini (1st generation)iPad Air (4th generation)iPad Air (3rd generation)iPad Air 2iPad AiriPad (9th generation)iPad (8th generation)iPad (7th generation)iPad (6th generation)iPad (5th generation)iPad (4th generation)iPad (3rd generation)iPad 2iPad (1st generation)
Source: Apple Newsroom Archive.[32]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b 1 GB = 1 billion bytes, 1 TB = 1 trillion bytes

References[]

  1. ^ "Apple – Press Info – Apple Announces iPad Air—Dramatically Thinner, Lighter & More Powerful iPad". Apple (US). Retrieved April 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "About the security content of iOS 12.5.4". Apple Support.
  3. ^ "Apple iPad Air and new iPad mini 2 with Retina still sport 1 GB of RAM, service chat reveals". www.phonearena.com. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  4. ^ "Flagship Tablet Display Technology Shoot-Out". displaymate. Retrieved November 10, 2013.
  5. ^ "iPad Air Teardown". iFixit. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  6. ^ "Apple has discontinued its older iPad Air". The Verge. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
  7. ^ Souppouris, Aaron (September 10, 2013). "iOS 7 will come to iPhones and iPads on September 18th". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  8. ^ Cue, Eddy; Cook, Tim; Federighi, Craig; Ive, Jony et al. (June 10, 2013). WWDC 2013 Keynote. Moscone West, San Francisco, California: Apple Inc. Event occurs at c.1h 25min, to end. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  9. ^ "The new iPad – Amazing iPad apps, built right in". Apple. March 7, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  10. ^ Sarno, David (January 29, 2010). "Apple confirms 3G VoIP apps on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch; Skype is waiting". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  11. ^ "The new iPad: It's a Breakthrough because it features are". Apple. March 7, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  12. ^ The Apple shows off iPad split-screen multitasking in iOS 9 preview. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  13. ^ "iPadOS". Apple (US). Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  14. ^ Miller, Chance (December 10, 2019). "Apple releases iOS 13.3, watchOS 6.1.1, and tvOS 13.3, here's what's new [U: HomePod]". 9to5Mac. Archived from the original on December 15, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b "iPad Air – Design". Apple. Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Seifert, Dan (October 22, 2013). "Apple announces the iPad Air, its thinnest and lightest full-size iPad yet". The Verge. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  17. ^ "iPad Air – Technical Specifications". Apple. September 1, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  18. ^ Stevens, Tim (October 28, 2013). "Apple iPad Air Review". CNET. Retrieved June 11, 2020.
  19. ^ "Anandtech Review of the iPad Air". October 29, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  20. ^ George, POPA (December 3, 2013). "iPads boot time". . Retrieved December 3, 2013.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b c d "iPad Air – Technical Specifications". Apple. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  22. ^ Stevens, Tim (October 30, 2012). "iPad review (late 2012)". Engadget. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  23. ^ Anand Lal Shimpi (October 29, 2013) "The iPad Air Review" AnandTech Retrieved on November 1, 2013
  24. ^ Patrick Goss (October 29th, 2013) "Hands on: iPad Air review" TechRadar Retrieved on November 1, 2013
  25. ^ Christina Bonnington (November 6, 2013). "Apple iPad Air: Air Worthy" Wired. Retrieved on November 9, 2013
  26. ^ Marc Chacksfield (October 23, 2013) "Steve Wozniak: The new iPads just aren't for me" TechRadar Retrieved on November 1, 2013
  27. ^ Matyszczyk, Chris (October 28, 2013). "Woz: No, no, I wasn't criticizing the new iPads". CNET. Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  28. ^ Dave Smith (November 02 2013). "Apple iPad ‘5’ Air Review: 3 Major Disappointments In The New Fifth-Generation iPad." International Business Times. Retrieved on November 14, 2013.
  29. ^ Dave Smith (November 09 2013). "Apple iPad Air Review: Don’t Believe The Hype, A.K.A. The Unpopular Opinion." International Business Times. Retrieved on November 14, 2013.
  30. ^ Chris O'Brien (November 1, 2013). "Crowds are light for the new iPad Air". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on June 11, 2020.
  31. ^ Jeremy Blum (01 November, 2013). "iPad Air sells out in two hours on Hong Kong Online Apple Store" South China Morning Post. Retrieved November 3, 3013
  32. ^ Apple Inc. (2010–2011). iPad News - Newsroom Archive. Retrieved June 7, 2018.

External links[]

Preceded by
iPad (4th generation)
iPad Air
2013
Succeeded by
iPad Air 2
Retrieved from ""