What is the diagonal of iPad 3. iPad lineup

1. The display is a rectangle with rounded corners. The diagonal of this rectangle, excluding roundings, is 12.9 inches (for iPad Pro 12.9 inches) and 11 inches (for iPad Pro 11 inches).
2. The amount of available space is less than stated and depends on various factors. The standard configuration (including iOS 12 and pre-installed apps) takes approximately 10 to 12 GB depending on the device model and settings. Pre-installed applications take up about 4 GB; they can be deleted and downloaded again. The amount of available space may vary depending on the device and software version.
3. Size and weight vary depending on device configuration and manufacturing process.
4. Battery life varies depending on device settings and usage. More details on the page.
5. To use FaceTime, all users must have a FaceTime-enabled device and a Wi-Fi connection. Availability of FaceTime over cellular networks varies by carrier; Data charges may apply.
6. Data plan required. Gigabit Class LTE, 4G LTE Advanced, 4G LTE, and Wi-Fi calling are not available in all regions or with all carriers. Speeds are based on theoretical throughput and may vary depending on local conditions. For more information about LTE support, contact your carrier or visit.
7. Cellular plan must be purchased separately. The model you purchase is configured to work with a specific cellular network technology. Contact your carrier for information about your device support and cellular plan availability.
8. Not all carriers support Apple SIM and eSIM cards. Check with your carrier for details. Not available in mainland China. eSIM is supported on the 11-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro (3rd generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), iPad (7th generation), and iPad mini (5th generation). Apple SIM technology is supported on iPad Pro 9.7-inch, iPad Pro 10.5-inch, iPad (5th and 6th generation), iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, and iPad mini 4.

Apple iPad 2 is a 9.7-inch touchscreen tablet computer. The thickness of the device is 8.8 mm, which is a record among market samples. It is a third thinner than the existing iPad case, which is 13.4mm thick. The tablet now has two cameras – the main rear one and the front one for video telephony. The Apple iPad has a dual-core A5 ARM architecture processor. It works twice as fast as the previous generation of A4 chips, and also has 9 times more powerful graphics subsystem.

Apple iPad 2: disappointed expectations

In 2013, the world was presented with a new creation from Apple - iPad Air. The tablet has won the recognition of millions of users around the world. And a year later, at the autumn presentation, the company presented the thinnest device in the world - iPad Air 2, which did not revolutionize the world of mobile technology, but became no less popular than its predecessor. Despite the release of the new product, many users were in no hurry to change first-generation devices, because they did not see much point in it. Of course, the iPad Air 2 received several important changes that made it the flagship among tablet computers.

Comparing the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 will allow you to determine exactly what the advantages of the newer gadget are. However, there is a category of users who, in any case, change their smartphones and tablets from Apple after the release of a new model. This is, rather, dictated not by the need to use advanced device functions, but by the desire to be one step ahead of the rest. If you value value for money, functionality, and also use a rational approach when buying gadgets, comparing two popular models will be useful and interesting for you.

Comparison and review of two tablet models: iPad Air and iPad Air 2

The differences between the two devices are in the appearance and size of the case. If the length and width of the gadgets remained the same - 240 mm and 169.5 mm, then iPad Air 2 became the thinnest device in the world at the time of its release. Its thickness was 6.1 mm, which is 1.4 mm less than that of its predecessor. Many experts have come to the conclusion that minor differences in the sizes of the iPad Air and iPad Air 2 are practically not felt when using gadgets, which cannot be said about their weight.

The new device has become much lighter - its weight was only 437 grams, which is 36% less than the first generation device. Thanks to its reduced weight, iPad Air 2 is very comfortable to work with. After prolonged use, your arms and back will not get so tired. This was a significant transformation for users who prefer to hold the tablet in their hands rather than place it on a horizontal surface.

It should be noted that the first generation iPad Air only comes in two colors - space gray and silver. The second-generation gadget is presented in three colors - in addition to the usual silver and space gray, a golden one has been added. This gives users more options to choose from. Some people prefer to buy smartphones and tablets in the same color scheme. Now you can purchase a similar device to go with your gold iPhone.

The first generation tablet is supplied to the market with a version of the operating system iOS 7, and the second - iOS 8. Today, the characteristics of the device allow you to upgrade to iOS 9.2, which improves system performance and fixes some bugs.

Display Specifications

The screen resolution of the compared devices remains the same - 2048 by 1536 pixels. Has not changed - it is 9.7 inches, which ensures comfortable work. We believe that these sizes are optimal for a tablet computer designed for a wide audience of consumers.

At the same time, the second-generation gadget is equipped with a completely different level. During its development, the technology of full screen lamination was used. The developers managed to remove the air gap between the glass and the matrix. This made the device thinner and led to the fact that the image in the iPad Air 2 visually seemed to lie on the surface of the glass. The device released earlier does not have similar visual effects. Another advantage of the second generation iPad Air was its reliable anti-reflective coating, which ensured comfortable work with the gadget in bright light conditions.

Some users considered it a minus that in the new tablet the developers removed the button for blocking automatic image rotations when changing the position of the gadget in space. It was located on the side panel and was often used by gamers who like to read while lying down and often change their position. Auto-lock allowed you to capture the image. On the iPad Air 2, a similar option must be activated using user settings.

Camera

It is immediately worth noting that in the second generation iPad Air, significant changes affected the camera. The first thing that catches your eye is that its resolution has increased to 8 megapixels. In the model released in 2013, it is 5 megapixels. At the same time, the iSight camera is equipped with a high-tech sensor and advanced optics, which improves the quality of pictures and videos. For many, the presence of new functions was a pleasant surprise. One of them is Slow Motion. It is designed to slow down video recording. Thanks to this function, you can shoot interesting videos, which can be conveniently emphasized using slow motion. In addition, the camera has other interesting and useful features.

When comparing photos taken on the two tablets, you will notice that the iPad Air 2 produces better photo quality. Images have improved color reproduction. At the same time, all colors look more natural. The noise level in the pictures has been reduced and the detail of objects has been improved. However, such improvements are only important for discerning users. The camera performance of the first generation device is quite satisfactory for a device of this level.

The changes did not affect - its resolution is still 1.2 megapixels. However, it is not equipped with autofocus.

Technical Parameters

The 2013 tablet is equipped with an A7+M7 processor. Gadgets introduced in 2014 run on the A8X+M8 processor. iPad Air 2 has three cores, while its predecessor had two. The clock speed of the gadgets is 1.5 GHz and 1.4 GHz, respectively. According to the developers, such changes made it possible to increase the performance of the central processor by 40%. Power has been improved by 2.5 times.

The difference between iPad Air and iPad Air 2 lies in the amount of memory. If the first generation tablet has 1 GB of RAM, then the second generation device is equipped with 2 GB of RAM. At the same time, the 2013 model has built-in memory capacity of 16 and 32 GB. Various modifications of the later gadget allow you to purchase a tablet with 16, 64 or 128 GB of memory. This improvement is dictated by the development of a huge number of applications that require not only performance from a tablet computer, but also a sufficient amount of memory.

Battery life

The battery capacity of the device, released at the end of 2014, is 7184 mAh. Its predecessor has a larger battery capacity - it is 8827 mAh. The developer stated that in the mode of searching information on the World Wide Web, watching videos and listening to audio, the battery of the newer device will last for 10 hours of continuous operation. At the same time, its predecessor works for about 12-13 hours without recharging. In maximum brightness mode, while watching HD video, the time is reduced by 2 hours - these are the results shown by test tests.

We can conclude that Apple had to sacrifice battery capacity in order to fit it into the thin body of the iPad Air 2. It should be noted that no matter how long the battery life of any device, it will always not suit certain categories of users. You always want your phone or tablet to last longer. In this regard, Apple has found an excellent compromise between the weight of the gadget, its size and operating time.

Air iPad is a modern and very popular tablet from Apple among users. Air runs on OS version 9 and is presented in a thin aluminum case. The weight of the gadget is only less than 500 grams.

But that's not all the winning features of the iPad Air. This device has powerful technical characteristics - an A7 processor, a large bright display, and an excellent camera. In many respects, it is superior to the iPad 3, A1474 and many others, if you compare the iPad Air with them. In addition, the buyer has the right to choose how much memory will be in his tablet - 16 or 32 GB. As for the colors of the tablet, there is little choice here. The manufacturer has released tablets in gray colors. One is a silver shade, the second is “space gray”.

Of course, the Air tablet supports wireless networks, and the user can access the Internet whenever he wants. After all, today Wi-Fi points are located almost everywhere.

For iPads of the Air model, it is possible to download and install almost any software. There are more than 800 thousand available games and applications for the device. No matter how many programs you want to have on your tablet, you can download as many. Of course, everything is within the memory capacity of your device.

But the first pleasant moment that catches the user’s eye after several days of using the new product is the long operation of the gadget without additional recharging. The battery capacity of the device is more than 32 W/hour, which allows you to work up to 10 hours in wireless networks.

These were the main parameters, and now - a detailed review of the Apple iPad Air.

The box with the device contains the following:

• The tablet itself.
• USB cable.
• Charging.
• Documents.
• Accessory for removing SIM cards.

But in principle, has anything changed with the arrival of the new model? Or just the appearance? Absolutely yes. But the improved “filling” is also placed in a lighter and more stylish body. The gadget, now running on an A7 processor, has become faster. But first things first...

Design and build

So, let’s immediately note that the product was a great success. This is noted by the majority of users who have managed to test all lines of tablets from the Apple company. They note that the cardinal difference was only between the first and second generation of devices.

But the manufacturer can afford not to change anything much, because this is in its principles. And the consumer is accustomed to this state of affairs. But, for example, with Apple’s competitors, every new gadget always comes with a new design. Otherwise, they believe, the user simply will not understand what is new.

But in the situation with Air, the Apple company deviated a little from its rules, and the new tablet is really different in appearance from its younger “brothers”. This was one of the main reasons why the device immediately aroused wide interest among the public.

For example, the mini model's screen was too small to view video clips. But many people use the tablet, for the most part, as a TV. This is convenient, because you can watch videos both in nature and in transport.

And although the difference between the new product and the small model in terms of screen size is not very large, it is more convenient to work with it. How to play, write SMS, and surf. And simply showing a presentation will have a greater effect if done on a large display.

What does the new Air tablet bring to its owners? Firstly, by design. He became more strict. Its dimensions in terms of thickness have decreased. And many note that the device is similar to the mini model. The gadget can easily fit in a large palm. It turned out to be very convenient to operate the device with one hand. Let’s say you can read this way on the bus, or just lying in bed before going to bed.

The dimensions of the new product have changed very significantly. If previous tablet models weighed more than 600 grams, then the Air weighed less than 500 grams. As for the length and width, the device has also become significantly smaller when compared with the second and third versions of the iPad.

Moreover, the difference between the new tablet and the previous ones is more felt visually than when simply talking about numbers. The bezels on both sides have been reduced. The Home button at the bottom remains the same. The controls are similar to those on previous devices. At the top of the display is the camera. On the right side there is a mute lever and sound control elements. At the top, at the end there is a power button.

Air tablet model display

Diagonal dimensions – 9.7 inches. There is LED backlighting. The resolution is 2048 x 1536 pixels. Based on these characteristics, we can already say that this is one of the best screens. The picture is of excellent quality, no matter what angle you look at it from. Moreover, many users advise setting the brightness to 80 percent, and this is quite enough. According to numerous reviews, the gadget’s display is clear, bright and smooth.

But after the mini model with Retina resolution was released onto the market, many were faced with the question of what is better to buy. Here there can be only one recommendation - to look at both models with your own eyes, and only then make a final decision. Although, it should be noted that for most users the diagonal is of great importance. let it not be very convenient to carry the device with you. For example, it will not fit in a trouser pocket.

Memory

If you look deeply and remember all versions of the iPad, for the first time a model with 128 GB of memory was announced with four. In general, if we classify tablets from the Apple company by memory capacity, in addition to this option there are 3 more - with 16, 36 and 64 GB on board. And so, there are even 8 versions, if you take into account the versions with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 4G.

And when you take into account the color gamut, you get all 16. As statistics show, in terms of memory, most users choose the “golden mean” and purchase a device with 64 GB.

But if you store a lot of information in your gadget, it is better to immediately buy the 128 GB version. Previously, this version of the tablet seemed incredible to many. But today they won’t surprise anyone. Devices with minimum parameters of 16 GB, on the contrary, will soon fall into oblivion.

Accessories

Although many consider such additions to devices to be unimportant, it is still worth paying some attention to them. It is true that a number of them are absolutely useless. But others are very smart and even irreplaceable.

Among the original items, the EarPods headphones stand out. Thanks to them, you can conveniently communicate via FaceTime and listen to your favorite music tracks.

In addition, it is recommended to immediately purchase a SmartCover for the tablet - a regular cover that can activate the device when it is opened. Can also be used as a stand. Or an alternative to this accessory – SmartCase. This is a case with the usual functions. On online forums you can find reviews about the use of these accessories. There will likely be a wide variety of iPad cases available in the future from a variety of manufacturers.

But in principle, the Air case is not really needed. Only if it's a stand. In appearance, the device seems super reliable. This applies to both metal and glass elements.

Performance

The model operates on the operating system version iOS 7.0.3. It makes no sense to characterize it in detail here, since the review will be too long. You can read extensive articles online about the pros and cons of this iOS.

In short, the tablet has A7 processes. The same one is in the iPhone 5S. It has a 64-bit architecture and also has an M7 coprocessor.

Many people try to measure the performance of a device using a benchmark, but this data is not very objective. The software launches quickly, but many programs have not yet been optimized. For example, they “slow down” when the display orientation changes. Because of this, processes in some games are launched first in a small window, and only after clicking the pause button does it expand. Naturally, these are not hardware defects, but unoptimized software.

For a number of users, after downloading some programs from the Apple store, their icons did not appear on the table. In this case, rebooting the gadget solved the problem. Sometimes Safari disappears.

During the process of changing the layout, the device sometimes slows down. That is, nothing happens when you click on the corresponding button. By the way, users note that this happened extremely rarely on previous iPad models.

But, of course, Apple will take into account all these problems in the newest versions of its devices and try to correct everything. Although, developers of Apple products do not always somehow react to user complaints, even if they were contacted by the support service.

As noted earlier, there are Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 4G versions of tablets. Many people purchase the American version and are very satisfied. After all, 3G will be enough for most, and if LTE is enabled, it’s easier to use, for example, the iPhone 5S as an access point for the iPad.

Of course, the Air also has Bluetooth (with a fourth profile). Using AirDrop, you can easily transfer a picture or anything else to another gadget. But only on iOS device. It is still a mystery why AirDrop on a MacBook cannot detect Apple smartphones and tablets.

Duration of work

According to the manufacturer, the operating period without additional recharging is up to 10 hours. This is for the mode of watching video clips with Wi-Fi turned on. Or 1 hour less when using mobile networks.

The Lightning connector is used, which many users recognize as significantly better than the same micro USB. After all, now you don’t have to worry about mixing up the end of the plug. This is a serious advantage compared to the previous connector.

Camera

Let us immediately note that the module in Air has not been changed. It is 100% the same as in the third and fourth tablet models. At the top of the display is the FaceTime camera. It has a very good resolution of 12 megapixels. The main camera comes with 7 MP and autofocus. The user can also shoot HDR. The quality of the pictures is quite good. See below for an example of a photo taken by the Air camera.

However, with all these wonderful characteristics, we note that few people take photographs with a tablet. And from the outside it looks a little strange.

To summarize what has been said about the iPad Air...

To summarize, let’s touch on such an important issue as the price of this device. As usual, prices differ in Russia and abroad. In America, the cost of a tablet varies from 500 to 800 dollars. As you guessed, it depends on the amount of memory of the gadget. Of course, the 128 GB model is the most expensive. Prices for Wi-Fi + 4G models are 15-20% higher.

Before the start of sales of the model on the domestic market, it was filled with Chinese fakes. And prices here started from 35 thousand rubles. But at the same time, there was no special excitement, as usually happens with Phone. And the reason for this is quite clear. A tablet is, after all, not a phone. And users change it, of course, less often. Only in case of emergency (broken or very outdated).

Therefore, if you are the happy owner of the latest iPad line with the maximum amount of memory, what is the point of changing it to Air? Well, only if you really want to have a new product, and the funds allow it. In this regard, a tablet is akin to a camera, which is usually replaced when it breaks down. Or, in extreme cases, when not just one new model came out after your device, but 2 or more generations.

So what kind of user would the Air be ideal for? It seems that for those users who are still working with the iPad 2 and were looking forward to the new product. And also for those who have not previously used tablets at all, schoolchildren, students. Also for a category that previously dealt only with Android and wants to try a more advanced gadget (we’re talking about hardware and operating systems).

To summarize, we note that many users really liked Air. Familiar functionality, but in a lighter package - what could be better? A fairly long period of operation without recharging is another significant advantage. There are only difficulties with unoptimized software - but only a small percentage of programs. And in terms of performance everything is perfect.

Probably, in two years the developer will further improve the tablets, making them as thick as a sheet of paper. And now the iPad Air is an excellent option for the most demanding user.

The new generation of Apple tablet is already available for purchase. A separate presentation was dedicated to the device, where it, along with the iMac with a 5K screen, became the center of attention of technology lovers. The iPad Air 2 has become thinner and lighter, its characteristics have improved, and Apple traditionally pays attention to constantly improving its capabilities. Due to the abundance of information leaks, preliminary data on the tablet became known long before the announcement of the tablet. However, this did not affect all the qualities of the device; a number of characteristics, for example, processor features, were made public later.

Apple was able to make the tablet a symbol of our time; these devices were invented long before the day the first iPad appeared. But these devices clearly owe their fashion and popularity to Apple. A fashionable electronic gadget, a blogger's tool, a secretary's diary, a school student's textbook, a DJ console, a medical record in a hospital, a pilot's assistant - there are a lot of use cases, everyone chooses a convenient option for themselves. In its presentations, Apple likes to show beautiful videos of how devices help people. And this is true - a huge software base allows you to turn the iPad into almost anything.

The new iPad Air 2 will be sold alongside the previous generation iPad Air. Perhaps it will now be more difficult to choose a tablet from Apple. They are both good, but the torment of choosing whether to save money or, conversely, give preference to a device that is more advanced in terms of technological progress, will certainly haunt a potential buyer. Let's look at what's good about the new product from Cupertino and how Apple will fight off its competitors, defending market share in different countries.

It should be noted that the share of Apple tablets in Russia continues to decrease. According to our forecasts, next year it will be less than 10% (currently 11-12%), consumer interest is shifting towards tablets priced up to 10,000 rubles, where Apple products are not represented. Meanwhile, this category already accounts for more than 45% of sales in Russia.

According to the analytical company IDC, prepared specifically for Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru, the share of tablets running the iOS operating system decreased by 36.5% (the first half of 2014 compared to the first half of 2013), and the entire tablet market fell by 38 % in monetary terms.

Specifications

• OS: iOS 8.1
• Screen: IPS, IGZO, 2048x1536, 9.7’’, 264 ppi laminated display
• Processor: Apple A8x, 3 cores, 1.5 GHz, 64-bit, M8 coprocessor
• Memory: 16, 64 or 128 GB
• Camera: iSight 8 MP, slow motion, autofocus, HDR, Full HD video recording, front FaceTime HD
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11ac MIMO, Bluetooth 4.0, 2G/3G/4G, nanoSIM
• Dimensions: 240x169.5x6.1 mm, weight 437 (444) g, Wi-Fi/Wi-Fi+LTE
• TouchID fingerprint scanner

Set

The supply package has remained unchanged for many years. It is very modest and includes only a power supply, a cable and a paperclip for removing the SIM card, if we are talking about the version with LTE. Of course, you can find a couple of apple stickers and a very short user manual.

Design

Visually, we have the same iPad Air that debuted last year. It would seem that the device is already thin and light, but Apple made it even smaller. The use of new laminated glass made the case even thinner. Now this figure is only 6.1 mm, which is 18% less than the iPad Air. I wonder how the Air 3 will turn out, because the body is already very, very thin. Therefore, I have no doubt that those who like to bend devices will be able to test the strength of the tablet. The large area and minimal thickness will clearly help the iPad Air 2 become the hero of the next viral masterpiece.

As before, no savings were made on materials - the body is entirely made of aluminum. The build is excellent, the device looks and feels expensive. The golden color of the case, which first appeared from Apple last year, is now available for tablets of the American brand. Thanks to it, you can immediately understand that you are holding a new product and not an old generation device.

The side design has changed slightly: the buttons located on the side now have a new shape, and at the same time, the screen rotation switch, which was also responsible for switching to silent mode, has been removed.

The frames around the screen are still small; for a large device, the iPad Air 2 turned out to be quite mobile and easy to take with you, even if there is no question of carrying the tablet in your jacket pockets. Still, it is too big and a more compact mini would be better suited for this purpose.

Screen

The screen resolution is 2048x1536 pixels. The surface is protected by glass; now a laminated coating is used, which allows us to preserve all the previous advantages, while making the device even thinner. The screen with excellent sensitivity, high-quality oleophobic coating and error-free response deserves high praise. Apple notes that the new screen has an improved anti-glare coating. According to the company, the difference is 56%, but if you take Air and Air 2 and go outside with them, there is not much difference - both fade in the sun, and the data is equally difficult to see under direct sun.

Our expert Mikhail Kuznetsov conducted detailed testing of the screen:

The screen of the new version of the Apple iPad Air has undergone small but pleasant changes. The characteristics have not changed - the resolution is 2048x1536 and the pixel density is 264 ppi - it still looks decent, there’s nothing to complain about here. However, now there is no air gap between the matrix and the outer glass, due to this the anti-glare properties have improved - there are fewer internal reflections in the display. Viewing angles have also become wider thanks to this solution. Actually, the screen without an air gap is the main innovation. The brightness reserve is up to 407 cd/m2 at maximum - this is quite enough in a typical use scenario. The contrast ratio reached 1063:1, this figure remained virtually unchanged. As already mentioned, the main increase in quality was achieved due to a more efficient structure.

Gamma has an optimal value of 2.25, and the indicator is quite linear throughout the entire range. All midtones are displayed with the correct brightness, dark and light areas of the image have good detail.

The average color temperature is about 7000K, the image tint is slightly “cooler” than the reference one.

The blue component is slightly out of balance in the color balance. The average Delta E error is about 5.32 units, the deviations are not too critical. Visually, the gray scale is very smooth, with a slight cold tint.

The situation within the color gamut shows that the deviations were kept within reasonable limits.

Testing on 24 ColorChecker templates gives the following result: the average color rendering error Delta E is about 3.01 units. Distortion is not at all critical, natural colors look adequate. In general, the screen of the Apple iPad Air 2 retained its main advantages - excellent clarity and high-quality color reproduction. At the same time, the design of the display without an air gap has improved the perceived quality. There are fewer reflections on the screen, which means the image looks more confident in different lighting conditions. Balanced characteristics allow us to say that the screen will please the user in a variety of usage scenarios - the image will be excellent in any case.

Performance

Apple iPad Air 2 features new, more powerful hardware. As before, a 64-bit architecture is offered, represented by the Apple A8X chip, which has become the most powerful solution on the market, surpassing even very powerful graphics from NVIDIA, the well-known Tegra K1. Like its predecessor, the tablet remains cool in games and is very good as a multimedia and entertainment device. But, at the same time, it is still unclear what games can unlock the potential of such graphics. But the iPad Air 2 is still faster than the first generation tablet. The difference may not be very critical, but nevertheless, it is noticeable. This is the first time a triple-core processor has been found in Apple products, and on the market such a phenomenon can be called very exotic. According to the data, Apple A8X is 40% more productive than the old A7 in iPad Air, graphics performance has increased by 2.5 times.

Finally, Apple showed off an iOS device with 2GB of RAM for the first time.

Apple iPad Air 2 became the company's first gadget running iOS with this amount of RAM. Built-in memory can be 16, 64 or 128 GB. The 32 GB version has been removed, so you either have to be content with the minimum amount, or pay a significant amount for a larger space.

What’s interesting: the body has become smaller and thinner, the battery capacity has decreased, while performance has seriously increased, and the Apple iPad Air 2 works for the same 10 hours as devices of previous generations.

The device runs iOS 8.1, now instead of the removed lever that was located on the side, an additional button has appeared in the control panel, it is responsible for blocking automatic screen rotation.

A tablet with a 4:3 aspect ratio is not the best solution for watching videos. Given Apple's traditional restrictions on transferring data and downloading content, everything here is much less convenient than on Android or Windows. But, at the same time, there are enough players to watch a wide variety of videos, and large amounts of memory turn the iPad into an excellent mobile movie center. The device plays movies in 1080p without any problems, and the data can be streamed to your home system directly from the tablet, for example, using Apple TV. The speakers are loud, despite its thin size, the tablet is loud, in no way inferior to its predecessors, so it will be very good as a small TV.

The iPad doesn't help as a player either; you can listen to your favorite tracks by connecting headphones. Traditionally, there is no radio, but there is support for Internet radio. The sound is high quality, the volume margin is large.

Data transfer

The tablet received a modified Wi-Fi module. Wi-Fi 802.11ac, HT80 with MIMO is now supported. If you have the appropriate equipment on wireless networks, the iPad Air 2 should demonstrate higher data download speeds and at the same time be more stable. In addition, the device now supports up to 20 LTE bands, as before, 2G/3G/3G networks are supported. By the way, this is the first generation of Apple tablets to offer a new SIM card. Now the buyer does not have to go to the operator to choose a tariff, but independently selects the necessary options. The card will be installed in the device itself. This service is currently only available in the US and UK.

Fingerprint scanner

In the fight for the safety of personal data, Apple offers to use its own development - the Touch ID fingerprint scanner. The new button replaces the old element, so the Home key is now even more useful and important. The scanner works great, sensitivity is at the same high level as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. The device remembers up to 10 fingerprints, the data is stored locally in the device itself and is not transferred to external servers. By the way, there is no NFC chip, which would be useful for Apple Pay payments. In such cases, TouchID works as an additional link in the security chain of data transfer during payment. However, a tablet is a gadget healthy enough to wave in front of the terminal at the checkout.

Camera

If in the very first generation of Apple tablets there was no camera at all, then by the sixth generation the device acquired not only front-facing FaceTime, which films in HD resolution, but also a more advanced iSight module located at the back. Apple iPad Air 2 sports an 8 megapixel sensor with f/2.4. Of course, you shouldn’t expect from it the same quality that the iPhone 5s demonstrates, not to mention the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, but, nevertheless, thanks to the five-element lens, the tablet takes pictures at the level of the iPhone 5, which takes quite good photos.

Now the gadget has also been taught to conduct serial shooting, shoot slow-motion video at a speed of 120 frames per second, and at the same time the tablet will be able to do Time-lapses. There is Full HD video recording, as well as a front-facing FaceTime HD camera, which is useful for video conferencing or self-portraits. Panoramas are created in 43-megapixel resolution, which, if desired, can always be enlarged and some part of the frame can be examined. But there was no flash; it would be difficult to take pictures of anything in the dark.

Versions

iPad Air 2 is presented in three colors at once - in addition to the already well-known versions in dark gray and silver, a model in gold color was also released. You can choose between 16, 64 or 128 GB of memory. The 32 GB option has been removed from sale. As before, versions are available with Wi-Fi or together with Wi-Fi and LTE. The ability to access the Internet wherever you want costs quite a lot - you have to pay an additional 6 thousand rubles.

Opinion Hi-Tech.Mail.ru

There are a lot of innovations in Apple's flagship tablet today. A new, more powerful processor, increased RAM, Touch ID, an improved camera and more compact dimensions, along with other practical improvements, will be the key advantages of the device. But users do not replace tablets as often as smartphones, so there is no reason to say that a shortage of sales is expected. Although it should be noted that five years have passed since the announcement of the first iPad, tablets have changed the market - people are more likely to buy these devices than laptops. There are enough opportunities for routine tasks, while the difference in size, operating time and mobility is very noticeable.

Owners of last year's iPad Air are unlikely to run for the updated version - still, the tablet is not one of the most essential devices like smartphones, as sales statistics show. By the way, the past year was disappointing for Apple in Russia - expensive iPads sold noticeably worse than before, and given that you need to pay even more money for the new generation, other brands will probably take advantage of this, perhaps offering not the same level of technology, but winning in price.

As for specific numbers, according to our research into unofficial retail, no more than 1,000 new generation tablets are expected in Russia at the start of sales. For comparison: last year 4 times more devices were imported. This is explained by the almost simultaneous start of sales of PCT models in Russia, which turn out to be more profitable in procurement than unofficial ones due to the greatly increased exchange rate. The iPad Air 2 will primarily compete with the old Air, which costs less, but at the same time has relevant qualities for today.

Alexander Pobyvanets, [email protected]