What is in a name, especially an evocative as “air”? For me, it means light, floating, breeze, and the distinction is important. In the case of the iPad, it always meant lighter than the original, or at least. But the recent versions of Apple iPad have blurred the definition of “air” and now Apple has made a change for the latest iPad Air M3 (11 inch and 13 inch) which clearly indicates that the “air” distinction probably belongs elsewhere.
There is not much difference between the iPad Air 2024 with the M2 chip and the Apple iPad Air M3 models of 11 inch and 13 inch unveiled today apart from the more powerful M3 chip. This little Apple silicon impregnates the iPad Air with faster overall performance and better intelligence features thanks to a super loaded neural processor which better supports the Apple intelligence ambitions of the Cupertino giant.
“There is, however, an easy -to -miss design change. At the rear, just above the three smart connectors on the magic keyboard, is nothing. In this case, nothing is something because I noticed the absence of two words, “iPad Air”, which were at the back of the iPad Air M2.
I do not know why Apple deleted these words, and Apple does not tell us, but it is a notable change. Here is why.
A question of weight
Steve Jobs have been presented the world “post-PC” for 15 years and unveiled the first iPad. This remarkable and robust tablet weighed 1.5 pounds. At the time, we greeted him for his Sveltness.
Two years later, Apple unveiled the first iPad Air, a lean wonder, 1 book, in glass and aluminum. The product adopted the air name of the original MacBook Air, an ultra-thin 3 pound laptop which, in a particularly theatrical development, Steve Jobs fired from a Manila envelope.
Since then, all “air” products have been lighter and finer than their base and even professional counterparts. It is always so on the side of the MacBook, but things have become more vague in the iPad space.
Picture 1 of 3
Since 2024, Apple’s iPad Air has not been the thinnest or lightest iPad. This distinction goes to iPad Pro M4 models. Introduced in 2024, the 13 -inch iPad Pro iPad Pro use the new OLED TANDEM screen technology. This sandwich two OLED panels for better colors and deeper blacks, while eliminating the need for backlight, which makes the thickness of 5.3 millimeters possible. The 11 -inch model weighs a little less than a book (0.98 pounds), while the 13 -inch pro weighs 1.28 pounds.
Compare this to the new iPad Air with M3. The 11 -inch model has a thickness of 6.1 mimeters and weighs 1.01 pounds. The 13 -inch iPad Air has the same 6.1 military thick and weighs 1.36 pounds. The iPad Air is always thinner of 0.9 mimed than the basic iPad (which has also updated this week) and 17 grams heavier.
These are not large differences, but it is also clear that until Apple brings OLED technology in tandem to the iPad Air range, this tablet will always use a liquid retina screen based on LCD which requires backlight, which makes it naturally thicker than iPad Pro.
Will the real air be held?
There is nothing wrong with the previous range or this new range of iPad Air. The M3 that I knew in the MacBook Air is an excellent chip and offers a large support for video and audio publishing of pro, AAA Gaming and, of course, Apple Intelligence.
What about, however, makes it worthy of air? Without admitting it directly, Apple gave us an index that the name “air” perhaps means less than we thought. Removing the label from this new model is a not too subtle way of saying that the name does not mean what it was doing.
Choosing the iPad that suits you will no longer be: “Obviously, I want the light and thin air model.” There are other more nuanced reasons, such as obtaining a power close to the M4 and a much more affordable price.
After all, the iPad Pro starts at $ 999 for the 11 -inch model. The new iPad Air M3 begins at only $ 599. It is no longer the thinnest or lightest iPad you can obtain, but this balance of prices, performance and management of the pro pencil and this new magic keyboard can be sufficient – at least until Apple is ready for the iPad Air to recover the slim and light crown.
