Tim Cook shared a brief and amusing update on Apple’s latest products on X, which brought some chuckles online: “Introducing the latest iPad Air!”
The humor lies in the fact that there isn’t much to elaborate on regarding the M3 iPad Air. It’s simply the newest version! Nevertheless, there is a compelling aspect about “the latest iPad Air!” that might not be immediately apparent but is worth noting.
What can be said about the M3 iPad Air? Well, the only notable change is a slight modification to the optional keyboard case. When diving into comparisons between the older iPad Air accessories and the new ones, it’s easy to zone out.
At least the M2 iPad Air had a significant upgrade with a larger model. In contrast, the M3 iPad Air maintains the same colors, uses the same displays, employs the same camera systems, and keeps the same storage options, all at the same price.
The distinction between the M2 and M3 chips seems to cater primarily to those who might be better off investing in the M4 iPad Pro instead.
However, there is something quite peculiar about the M3 iPad Air launch that stands out.
First off, the reception to the M3 iPad Air has been intense. Even before its release, the reviews are rolling in…
“This is the saddest product announcement I’ve ever witnessed from Apple,” reads a prominent reply to Tim’s Tuesday post.
“So… the same device you’ve been selling for years? I predict a slight bump in processing power, a marginally improved camera, no actual new features, and yet an increased price?” counters another commenter.
(Just to clarify, the camera hasn’t improved at all, nor has the price increased.)
“Is this some kind of joke?” questions another user. A fourth commentator sums up the situation aptly: “Re-introducing the iPad Air from 2024, but this time with the M3.”
Essentially, that’s quite accurate — and there’s nothing inherently wrong with that.
This is what makes the M3 iPad Air interesting: it’s replacing the M2 iPad Air, which launched just last May. It’s a peculiar situation to have an iPad Air model that was replaced in less than a year when the previous version lasted two years. Odd, yet not necessarily bad!
If Apple were to consistently update each iPad with a newer chip on an annual basis, that wouldn’t be so bad. It might seem dull, but a predictable update schedule is preferable to erratic updates.
What intrigues me the most about the M3 iPad Air is its arrival merely nine months after the M2 iPad Air. You can’t really label Apple as lazy for that quick turnaround, even with unchanged colors and marketing visuals.
On a related note, I echo Dan Moren’s thoughts on Six Colors regarding the choice to implement the M3 chip:
The choice to use the M3 processor is somewhat surprising since it’s based on an older manufacturing process that Apple has been actively moving away from in its other product lines.
I was honestly expecting to report that Apple would phase out the M3 chip by the end of the week. My assumption was that Apple would upgrade the MacBook Air to the M4 chip, keep the M2 MacBook Air available to target a specific price bracket (which might clarify the reason for its RAM upgrade to 16GB), and eliminate the M3 MacBook Air from its product line.
In a twist, Apple has added a new M3 device to the lineup. Seems fitting that we’d see a new iPhone in 2025 lacking MagSafe… or a new iPad without Apple Intelligence.
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Follow Zac Hall on X, and tune into Runtime with co-host Sophia Tung on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
