Apple’s iPad Air 5 could be way more powerful than previously expected

It’s weird, but although Apple’s first new iPhone of 2022 is widely expected to retain a 2017 design and a 2014 screen size, said third-gen SE model has easily managed to capture the limelight ahead of today’s big “Peek Performance” event, generating a surprisingly huge amount of interest among existing owners of devices like the iPhone 11, XR, and even iPhone 12.

Say hello to the iPad Pro Air!

The 2022 iPad Air should look identical to the 2020 generation (pictured here) on the outside.

As you probably already know, that bad boy is a massive improvement over the A15 Bionic silicon used by the iPhone 13 lineup, which was until today expected to expand to both the third-gen iPhone SE and fifth-gen iPad Air.

But what about the price?

That, our friends, is the million-dollar question, although obviously, the iPad Air 5 is not expected to catch up to the third-gen iPad Pro 11 in all areas, which means there should still be a significant price gap between the two models.

While the new iPad Air could “borrow” the iPad Pro’s 12MP front-facing camera with Center Stage functionality as well, there’s no word on a rear shooter upgrade. That means you’ll probably have to settle for a single 12MP primary cam… or shell out some extra dough for a secondary ultra-wide-angle lens and LiDAR scanner.

The iPad Air 5 could be very similar to the 2021 iPad Pro 11 (pictured here).

The Apple M1-powered iPad Air (2022) is also likely to keep its predecessor’s somewhat uncomfortable top-mounted fingerprint sensor alive rather than go the Face ID authentication route, and while its 10.9-inch display will undoubtedly be great, super-premium stuff like ProMotion technology is bound to be left out.