An iPad Air with a speed boost is on the way, according to a report posted Friday by a generally reliable source. The tablet won’t have Apple’s latest processor, though.
And a cheaper alternative, the iPad 11th generation, also could launch soon. If you’re considering an upgrade, take a look at the iPad Pro M3, which brings even more power and features. Check out our M3 iPad Air review for more details. If you’re interested in how Apple’s premium tablets stack up, check out this iPad Pro review for insights into performance and features.
An M3 iPad Air would outpace current M2 version
iPad Air is Apple’s “middle of the road” model. It boasts more features than the budget iPad 10 but doesn’t have all the power of an iPad Pro. That said, a faster version of the Air is on the way in the near future, according to multiple unconfirmed sources. Interestingly, Apple has taken a similar approach in refining its iPhone lineup, especially with models like the iPhone SE 3rd, which didn’t quite meet expectations.
A new version of the tablet with an Apple M2 processor hit the market in May 2024. But this is set to be replaced by an improved version early this year, according to information that leaked out of Apple in the autumn.
At that time, all that was known was that the refreshed tablet would include “internal improvements.” Now tipster Evan Blass posted a heavily redacted document on social media that references “iPad Air 11 (M3)” and “iPad Air 13 (M3),” apparently indicating the device will have an Apple M3 chip. And continue to come in 11-inch and 13-inch variants, too.
Blass offered accurate leaks in the past. He showed off pictures of the iPhone 12 and HomePod mini before their launch, for example.
M2 vs. M3 v. M4
A jump from the M2 to the M3 in the 2025 iPad Air is likely to bring a modest jump in performance — Apple says the newer chip is 15% faster than its predecessor.
It’s not as speedy as the M4, but there’s little chance Apple would put its latest processor in a mid-range tablet. Especially as such a product would almost certainly draw sales away from the iPad Pro M4 that launched last spring.
iPad Air M3: A quick turnaround
Given the minor performance gain coming in the rumored new version, the iPad Air M3 is unlikely to draw the attention of those with an M2-based Air from last year. And that’s true even if the rumors of a 90Hz screen pan out.
However, it turns out there aren’t a lot of those people. The iPad Air M2 reportedly sells poorly compared to Apple’s other tablets, which could be why Apple plans to launch a speed-boosted model so quickly. The usual time between new models in the Air line is two years, while the M3 model is allegedly set to replace the M2 version after only about 9 months.
Of course, that’s assuming the rumors are correct and the iPad Air M3 launches early this year. That could come at a product event in which the iPad 11th generation and the iPhone SE 4 are also unveiled — both of those are also referenced in the document Evan Blass leaked on Monday.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
