Apple announced an updated iPad Air on March 2, 2026, adding its M4 chip, 12GB of memory and Wi-Fi 7 support. The tablet retains the previous generation’s 11-inch and 13-inch sizes and starting prices.
Preorders are scheduled to open Wednesday, March 4, with deliveries and store availability beginning Wednesday, March 11. In the U.S., Wi-Fi models start at $599 for the 11-inch version and $799 for the 13-inch version. Wi-Fi + Cellular models start at $749 and $949, respectively.
M4 and new connectivity chips
The M4 replaces the M3 used in the 2025 iPad Air. The new model has an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU, while standard memory increases from 8GB to 12GB across the lineup.
Apple’s N1 wireless networking chip brings Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support. The previous generation supported Wi-Fi 6E. Wi-Fi 7 availability varies by country and region.
Wi-Fi + Cellular models also gain Apple’s C1X modem, with support for 5G and LTE. N1 handles Wi-Fi connectivity in both versions; C1X is included only in cellular models. Cellular service requires a separate data plan, and availability depends on the market and carrier.
Design, storage and software
The updated tablets retain the previous generation’s overall design and LCD displays. Storage configurations remain 128GB, 256GB, 512GB and 1TB.
Both sizes retain a 12-megapixel rear camera, a landscape-positioned 12-megapixel Center Stage front camera and landscape stereo speakers. Supported accessories include Apple Pencil Pro, Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Magic Keyboard for iPad Air.
The new iPad Air runs iPadOS 26, which Apple released on September 15, 2025. The software includes resizable app windows and controls for closing, minimizing and tiling them. It also supports long-running background tasks in compatible apps and adds file-management options, including folders in the Dock and default apps for specific file types.
