M4 iPad Air: What's New and When It's Coming

Source: MacRumors

Design and Display

• No design changes rumored for the iPad Air; expect the same 11‑inch and 13‑inch size options.
• The iPad Air will continue to use a standard LED display rather than OLED, which remains exclusive to the iPad Pro. It also does not support ProMotion.
• Touch ID remains on the top button, and the front and rear cameras stay the same.
• Apple Pencil Pro compatibility is retained.

M4 Chip

• The upcoming iPad Air is expected to receive the M4 chip, one generation behind the M5 found in the iPad Pro (updated October 2025).
• Both the current M3 and the new M4 are built on a 3‑nm process, but the M4 introduces an updated process that improves speed and efficiency.
• CPU performance is projected to be up to 30 % faster than the M3, with GPU performance up to 21 % faster.
• Apple Intelligence will continue to be supported. Current iPad Air models have 8 GB RAM, the minimum required for Apple Intelligence; it is unclear if higher‑capacity RAM will be offered.

Charging

• The iPad Pro gained faster charging with the M5 update; similar improvements could be passed to the iPad Air.

N1 Networking Chip

• The next‑generation iPad Air is likely to adopt Apple’s N1 networking chip, first seen in the iPhone 17.
• The N1 provides Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, offering better connectivity and efficiency than previous third‑party chips.
• Current iPad Air models support Wi‑Fi 6E, so the upgrade would enable faster Wi‑Fi speeds on compatible networks.

Apple Modem

• Cellular iPad Air models are expected to use the C1X modem, the same chip used in the M5 iPad Pro.
• The C1X is an upgraded variant of Apple’s first in‑house modem (C1) and is more power‑efficient than Qualcomm alternatives.
• The current iPad Air does not support mmWave; the new model is not expected to add mmWave support.

Pricing

• No rumors of a price increase. Expected starting prices:
  • 11‑inch model: $599
  • 13‑inch model: $799

Launch Date

• The iPad Air could be announced as early as the week of Apple’s March 4 “Special Experience” event.