iPad Air (2026) release date, price, specs, and must-know features
iPad Air M4 and its accessories. | Image by Apple
iPad Air 2026: now official
What's changed vs iPad Air (M3) from 2025:
- Upgrade to the M4 chip
- Similar display (no OLED upgrade for this year's model is rumored)
- Apple's first-party cellular modem, replacing Qualcomm
- Again, two screen sizes: 11-inch and 13-inch options
- Similar design to the predecessor with fresh colors
- 12 GB of RAM
- Apple announced the M4-powered iPad Air on March 2, 2026.
- Pre-orders start on March 4, with general availability starting on March 11, 2026.
Price:
- The iPad Air starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch model.
Jump to:
iPad Air (2026) release date
The iPad Air was announced on March 2, together with the iPhone 17e. Pre-orders start on March 4, and the device is hitting the shelves on March 11.
| Device family | Announcement | Market release |
|---|---|---|
| iPad Air (2024) | May 7, 2024 | May 15, 2024 |
| iPad Air (2025) | March 4, 2025 | March 12, 2025 |
| iPad Air (2026) | March 2, 2026 | March 11, 2026 |
iPad Air (2026) price
Apple is not raising prices with the iPad Air. The 11-inch model starts at $599, and the 13-inch model starts at $799. Of course, those prices are for the Wi-Fi only models, and the ones supporting cellular connectivity are more expensive, as usual.
| iPad model | 128GB of storage | 256GB of storage | 512GB of storage | 1TB of storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPad Air 11-inch (2024) | $599 | $699 | $899 | $1099 |
| iPad Air 13-inch (2024) | $699 | $799 | $999 | $1199 |
| iPad Air 11-inch (2025) | $599 | $699 | $899 | $1099 |
| iPad Air 13-inch (2025) | $799 | $899 | $1099 | $1299 |
| iPad Air 11-inch (2026) | $599 | $699 | $899 | $1099 |
| iPad Air 13-inch (2026) | $799 | $899 | $1099 | $1299 |
iPad Air (2026) camera
An iPad is not entirely a photography device, so we're not seeing wonders in this department for the iPad Air (2026). Nevertheless, the iPad Air with M4 comes with a good enough 12MP camera in the rear and a 12MP camera in the front. All in all, it's decent.
Once again, we have Center Stage with the front camera and good results for video calls.
Once again, we have Center Stage with the front camera and good results for video calls.
iPad Air (2026) design and display
The new iPad Air M4. | Image by Apple
The iPad Air has retained its slim profile for the last few years while still remaining a powerful machine, which is one of the reasons why it is so popular. There is once again an 11-inch model and a 13-inch model.
The iPad Air M4 is available in four colors: Blue, Purple, Starlight and Space Gray. These are in line with the Air look, again desaturated and elegant as usual.
iPad Air (2026) 11-inch dimensions:
- 9.74 in x 7.02 in x 0.24 inch (247.6 mm x 178.5 mm x 6.1 mm)
- Wi-Fi only model: 1.02 pounds (464 grams)
- Wi-Fi + Cellular model: 1.03 pounds (465 grams)
iPad Air (2026) 13-inch dimensions:
- 11.04 in x 8. 46 in x 0.24 in (280.6 mm x 214.9 mm x 6.1 mm)
- Wi-Fi only model: 1.36 pounds (616 grams)
- Wi-Fi + Cellular model: 1.36 pounds (617 grams)
Earlier rumors about the M4 iPad Air upgrading to an OLED display did not pan out, and we have once again a Liquid Retina display for both models, so no upgrade from last year's model in the display department either.
Accessories
With the M4-powered iPad Air, you can use the Apple Pencil with USB-C or the Apple Pencil Pro. You can also use the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air. There are no upgrades on the accessory front for the new iPad Air.
iPad Air (2026) battery
The exact battery size is not shared by Apple just yet. Apple says the new iPad Air models offer up to 10 hours of browsing on Wi-Fi or video watching, and for the cellular models, up to 9 hours of surfing the web on cellular connectivity.
Nevertheless, iPads usually provide good battery life.
Its predecessor, the iPad Air from 2025, had a battery that performed well on browsing and streaming but struggled with gaming, and its battery performance was low there: apparently, the chip was thirsty for juice.
Its predecessor, the iPad Air from 2025, had a battery that performed well on browsing and streaming but struggled with gaming, and its battery performance was low there: apparently, the chip was thirsty for juice.
iPad Air (2026) features and software
The current OS for iPads is iPadOS 26, and that's the OS that the new iPad Air models come with out of the box.
iPadOS 26 is a major upgrade for iPads, which helps them get closer to MacBooks in many ways.
iPadOS 26 brings upgraded multitasking on the iPad. There are now windows that you can resize, and when you close them and reopen them, they will be the same size and in the same place as before. This is excellent if you tend to want to work with multiple apps on your iPad.
iPadOS 26 brings upgraded multitasking on the iPad. There are now windows that you can resize, and when you close them and reopen them, they will be the same size and in the same place as before. This is excellent if you tend to want to work with multiple apps on your iPad.
You can also take advantage of a new menu bar, accessible with a simple swipe down from the top of the display.
The Files app is upgraded as well, offering an updated List view and new options for folder customizations. You also get the ability to add folders in the Dock for your convenience.
There's a new design as well, the theme of Liquid Glass spanning across Apple's entire software portfolio. The design features transparency across the entire OS and is generally looking super-modern and elegant.
iPad Air (2026) hardware and specs
iPad Air (2026)'s specs:
- CPU: M4
- RAM: 12 GB
- Battery: around 7,600 mAh battery for the 11-inch model and around 9,700 mAh for the 13-inch model
- Charging: 30 W wired
- Camera setup: 12 MP main, 12 MP front
The biggest upgrade here is the M4 chip, which offers a significant boost in performance from the iPad Air's predecessor. The M4 chip comes with an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU. The new model is 30% faster than the M3-powered iPad Air, and the performance upgrade is even more noticeable if you come from an older-generation iPad Air.
The M4 processor is also focused on AI performance with faster memory bandwidth and an upgraded Neural Engine.
Moreover, Apple is now granting its iPad Air models 12 GB of RAM, up from the 8 gigs on the predecessors.
Meanwhile, the iPad Air also comes with the N1 (Apple's first-party chip for wireless network connectivity). Cellular models of the iPad Air come with the C1X modem, which is more power efficient than the modem the previous generation iPad Air used.
Should I wait for the iPad Air (2026)?
- You should wait for the iPad Air (2026) if you would love to use the M4 chip in a lightweight and more affordable iPad Air rather than in a Pro iPad.
- You should not wait for the iPad Air (2026) ifyou currently have the M3 iPad Air. The differences may not be huge between the predecessor and the new one, and the M3 chip is fast already, at least when it comes to more moderate Air-like use.
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