Aside from the new iPhone 17e, Apple has also introduced the new iPad Air, now powered by the M4 chip, bringing a major performance jump while keeping the same starting price.
The new Apple iPad Air now features an M4 chip!
Available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, the new iPad Air delivers faster CPU and GPU performance, stronger AI capabilities, improved connectivity, and support for the latest iPadOS 26 features. It comes in blue, purple, starlight, and space gray.
The M4 chip features an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU. Apple says the new iPad Air is up to 30 percent faster than the M3 version and up to 2.3x faster than the M1 model.
For graphics-heavy tasks, it supports second-generation hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, delivering over 4x faster 3D pro rendering compared to M1.
Apps like Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, and Apple Creator Studio run smoother, especially when editing large photos, 4K video, or 3D content.
Unified memory now starts at 12GB, a 50 percent increase over the previous generation, with memory bandwidth reaching 120GB/s.
The 16-core Neural Engine is up to 3x faster than M1, improving on-device AI tasks like photo search, transcription, and app-based AI features in apps such as Goodnotes and Onform: Video Analysis App.
AI-powered tools like background removal in Final Cut Pro also benefit from the upgraded Neural Engine.
The new iPad Air features Apple’s N1 wireless chip with support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. Cellular models use the C1X modem, offering up to 50 percent faster cellular speeds and up to 30 percent better power efficiency compared to the M3 model.
It supports 5G, GPS on cellular variants, and eSIM for easy plan activation and switching.
iPadOS 26 introduces a new design built around Liquid Glass, a new windowing system, and a menu bar for quicker app controls. The Files app gets an updated List view and folder customization, and users can now set default apps for specific file types.
The Preview app is now available on iPad for viewing and marking up PDFs and images. iPadOS 26 also enables improved audio input controls, local high-quality recording, and Background Tasks.
The device features a 12MP front camera with Center Stage placed along the landscape edge, plus landscape stereo speakers. The 13-inch model offers enhanced audio quality.
It supports Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C), and the Magic Keyboard with a built-in trackpad and 14-key function row. Apple Pencil Pro supports squeeze, barrel roll, and Find My.
The new iPad Air uses 30 percent recycled content, including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery.
Apple says it is manufactured with 40 percent renewable electricity across its supply chain. Packaging is fully fiber-based and recyclable.
iPad Air M4 Price and Availability
iPad Air (Wi-Fi models):
- 11-inch: PHP 42,990
- 13-inch: PHP 54,990
Wi-Fi + Cellular models:
- 11-inch: PHP 52,990
- 13-inch: PHP 64,990
Education pricing:
- 11-inch: starts at PHP 38,990
- 13-inch: starts at PHP 51,990
Storage options include 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
Accessories:
- Magic Keyboard 11-inch: PHP 17,990 (PHP 16,990 education)
- Magic Keyboard 13-inch: PHP 19,990 (PHP 18,990 education)
- Apple Pencil Pro: PHP 8,690 (PHP 7,990 education)
- Apple Pencil (USB-C): PHP 4,990 (PHP 4,390 education)
The new iPad Air with M4 will be available via Apple Philippines and authorized resellers. Availability details will be announced soon. AppleCare+ protection plans are also available.
Source: Apple
