Apple unveils new iPad Air with M3 chip — Price, release date, and more

Apple announced the release of the new iPad Air featuring the M3 chip, which is designed for improved performance and portability. The device is said to be nearly twice as fast as the iPad Air with the M1 chip and up to 3.5 times faster than the model with the A14 Bionic chip.

The iPad Air will be available in two sizes: an 11-inch model priced at ₹59,900 and a 13-inch model at ₹79,900. Pre-orders are open, with general availability starting on March 12. The prices are unchanged from the M2 generation.

The new iPad Air comes in four colours — blue, purple, space grey, and starlight — and four storage options: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.

The M3 chip includes an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU, which provide faster performance for multithreaded workflows and graphics tasks. The device supports advanced features such as dynamic caching, hardware-accelerated mesh shading, and ray tracing. The Neural Engine in the M3 chip is reported to be 60% faster for AI-based tasks compared to the M1 chip.

Apple also introduced a new Magic Keyboard designed for the iPad Air, featuring a larger trackpad and a 14-key function row. The keyboard connects magnetically and includes a USB-C connector for charging.

Additionally, Apple updated the standard iPad with the A16 chip, offering increased performance for everyday tasks. The updated iPad is reported to be nearly 30% faster than its predecessor and up to 50% faster than the model with the A13 Bionic chip.

The new iPad is priced starting at ₹34,900 and will come in four colours — blue, yellow, pink, and silver, and comes in three storage variants: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB.

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