M1 iPad Air could feature 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM as standard

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iPad Air 4
And it could land later today!
Photo: Apple

Recent rumors indicate Apple’s fifth-generation iPad Air — which could be unveiled today during the company’s Peek Performance event — will match iPad Pro in performance. And they weren’t kidding, according to the latest leak.

In addition to a speedy M1 processor, the new midrange slate is expected to feature 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM as standard. That’s twice as much room for apps, games, music and movies than the most recent model offers.

iPad Air to pack 128GB storage, 8GB RAM

iPad Air saw a spectacular upgrade in October 2020, with Apple introducing a brand-new design much like iPad Pro’s, an edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display, and the A15 Bionic chipset. 18 months on, it’s time for another refresher.

The fifth-generation iPad Air is likely to look just like the previous model, but new rumors claim it will be significantly more impressive on the inside. It could get the same M1 chip that powers iPad Pro, plus storage and RAM upgrades.

What to expect from iPad Air 5

South Korean website Naver, which cites a U.S. developer familiar with the new iPad Air’s specifications, reports that the device will ship with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM as standard — with larger storage options available.

That’s double the entry-level storage capacity, and double the RAM, which should lead to significantly smoother performance, particularly when multitasking. And it will complement that brilliant M1 chip beautifully.

The new iPad Air is also expected to feature 5G connectivity for the first time, and an ultra-wide front-facing camera lens that allows for Center Stage. And despite these upgrades, it won’t be any more expensive.

Naver claims the device will start at $599, just like the previous model.

iPad Air 5 could drop today

The report actually comes from tipster yeux1122, whose claims about the newest iPad mini turned out to be accurate. However, they haven’t been around for very long, so it’s probably best to take them with a pinch of salt for now.

We may not have long to wait until we find out what Apple really has in store for iPad Air. The rumor mill indicates that the fifth-generation device will get its grand unveiling during Apple’s Peek Performance event later today.

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