We expect Apple to release the iPad Air 2026 fairly early next year, probably sometime around March or April.
This is what you can expect from the iPad Air 2026
There are several iPads that will receive an update in 2026, including the iPad Air, the cheap iPad and the iPad mini. We’ve heard relatively little about the new iPad Air, but it seems like there won’t be any major changes and Apple is mainly focusing on improvements on the inside. We list everything we know so far for you.
Design and display
So far there are no rumors of design changes for the iPad Air 2026, so we despise the same 11-inch and 13-inch sizes. The iPad Air is thicker and heavier than the iPad Pro and uses a standard LED screen instead of OLED. The iPad Air will eventually be upgraded to OLED, but for now this more advanced screen technology will be reserved for the iPad Pro. The iPad Air also does not have ProMotion and there are no indications that Apple wants to add this in the short term.
The iPad Air again has a USB C connection, a Touch ID button at the top and the same camera options on the front and back. It is possible that there will be a new color option, but that is not certain with a minor update. There are no rumors of new accessories and the device continues to work with the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil Pro.
M4 chip
Apple has updated the iPad Air with an M-series chip that is a generation behind the iPad Pro’s chip. Since the iPad Pro was updated with the M5 chip in October 2025, the iPad Air 2026 will have the M4 chip. There are up to 10 CPU cores instead of 8, the Neural Engine is faster and there is more memory bandwidth. The GPU is also more energy efficient, which may ensure a longer battery life. The M4 chip is up to 30 percent faster than the M3 chip.
In practice, you may not notice much of a difference between the M3 and M4, although you may experience an improvement in heavy gaming and video editing. The iPad Air already supports Apple Intelligence and that won’t change. Apple has increased the RAM in some iPad Pro models, but it is not yet clear whether this will also apply to the iPad Air. Current models have 8 GB of RAM, the minimum for Apple Intelligence.
Fast charging
With the update to the M5 chip, the iPad Pro is equipped with a fast charging function. This is something that may also come to the iPad Air 2026.
N1 network chip
The iPad Air and other tablets released in 2026 will likely use the N1 networking chip. This N1 chip is an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that offers improvements in connectivity and efficiency compared to the third-party chips Apple used in previous devices. It supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 technology.
The current iPad Air supports Wi-Fi 6E, so the next-generation model may offer faster Wi-Fi speeds on compatible networks with Wi-Fi 7.
Apple modem
Apple used the C1X in the M5 iPad Pro and it is likely that the mobile versions of the iPad Air 2026 will get the same modem chip. The C1X is an improved variant of the C1, Apple’s first proprietary modem chip. It offers performance comparable to Qualcomm chips. Apple’s modem chips are much more energy efficient and integrate better with other iPad components.
Price and availability
There are no rumors of a price increase, so the 11-inch model is expected to start 669 euros are available and the 13-inch model from 869 euros. We expect the iPad Air to hit the market around March or April 2026. Apple may be planning to host a spring event as there are several products likely to be launched during that time. If you want to make sure you don’t miss anything, sign up for our newsletter!
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