Forget the iPad Pro, everyone’s talking about the new iPad Air

By Daniel Piper
last updated

Is Apple really set to release an iPad Air that's more pro than the Pro?

While the spread of coronavirus has stopped countless aspects of life in their tracks, it hasn't stopped Apple from releasing all manner of new products in 2020. And if new rumours are anything to go by, the middle child of the iPad range could be next to see an update this year. 

According to China Times, the iPad Air will be getting an 11-inch display (a whole half inch more than the current 10.5-inch model), and enter production between July and September this year. How Apple will achieve the bigger screen, China Times doesn't say – but it could well mean a reduction in the size of the bezels, and maybe even an edge-to-edge display like the new iPad Pro. A bigger screen can only be good news for creatives (check out our best iPad apps for designers for inspiration on how to make use of all those pixels).

iPad Air

The current iPad Air, released in 2019 (Image credit: Apple)

These aren't the only rumours to emerge about an 11-inch iPad Air. Last month, Twitter user @L0vetodream (known to have leaked previous forthcoming Apple releases) suggested (below) that a new iPad Air could boast a Mini LED display as well as touch ID beneath the screen. These are two spectacular features that even the current iPad Pro isn't sporting – would Apple really release an Air that's more pro than the Pro?

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If Cult of Mac is to be believed, though, Apple's first LED iPad won't be ready until 2021. That means the LED iPad Air with under-display Touch ID is probably a slightly more distant fantasy than the 11-inch version rumoured by China Times. Sounds like we might have to just make do with the slightly bigger screen in 2020.

We're big fans of the iPad Air – it's a great budget alternative to the iPad Pro (check out our review of the 2019 iPad Air), but there are still some more features we'd like to see, such as support for the second generation Apple Pencil. Time will tell what features Apple sees fit to give the iPad Pro's smaller and cheaper sibling, but we're sure it'll continue to be a great, budget tablet for creatives. Check out the best deals on the current model below, or see the following retailers for a range of deals on iPads of various models.

  • Best Buy: iPads for up to $100 off, including deals on the Air and Pro
  • Walmart: Hot iPad deals, including savings on the iPad Pro 12.9-inch
  • Amazon.com: Deals on iPads, including the iPad 10.2-inch for under $400
  • Amazon.co.uk: Money off iPads; save £56 on the iPad Pro 11-inch 
  • Currys: A range of iPad deals available, iPads start at £399

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Daniel Piper
Daniel Piper
Senior News Editor

Daniel Piper is Creative Bloq’s Senior News Editor. As the brand’s Apple authority, he covers all things Mac, iPhone, iPad and the rest. He also reports on the worlds of design, branding and tech. Daniel joined Future in 2020 (an eventful year, to say the least) after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more. Outside of Future, Daniel is a global poetry slam champion and has performed at festivals including Latitude, Bestival and more. He is the author of Arbitrary and Unnecessary: The Selected Works of Daniel Piper (Selected by Daniel Piper).

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