iPad Air 5 could get powerful iPad Pro-like features

iPad Air 4 review
(Image credit: Henry T. Casey/Tom's Guide)

While the iPhone 13 launch seems to be the talk of the town ahead of Apple's September event, we're also seeing details surfacing around the potential new iPad Air 5, an upgraded version of one of the best tablets on the market. 

A recent report from Macotakara claims that the next generation of iPad Air could see a handful of upgrades, borrowing a few of the features from the current iPad Pro 2021. The new iPad Air 5 could reportedly get an upgraded dual-camera system and be powered by the rumored A15 Bionic chip, which is reportedly set to arrive inside the next iPhone. 

The report also mentioned 5G connectivity as well as a possible LiDAR scanner, though the source has noted that the latter isn't set in stone, and of course it's just a rumor at this stage anyway. A four-speaker audio system has also been tipped for the next-gen iPad Air; that's another feature iPad Pros have, but not the less expensive tablets from Cupertino. 

Aside from those new features, it's supposedly business as usual for the next iPad Air, with it expected to have a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and Touch ID on the tablet's side button.

But if the display remains untouched, that could also mean that there will be no OLED panel coming to the new iPad Air 5, contradictory to the previous reports. And no new display would mean the option of a 120Hz Liquid Retina display could be off the table, too. 

In other Apple tablet-related news, we've also been hearing about the iPad mini 6 potentially launching during Apple's September event alongside the iPhone 13. The potential sixth-gen iPad mini is also said to feature one of the iPad Pro features — a compact mini-LED display. 

With no official word from Apple, all of the above is just rumor and speculation. But there's no smoke without fire, as we're quietly confident that Apple is set to have a busy fall with new phones, iPads and potentially a new MacBook Pro 2021

Denise Primbet
News Writer

Denise is a Life Reporter at Newsweek, covering everything lifestyle-related, including health, relationships, personal finance, beauty and more. She was formerly a news writer at Tom’s Guide, regularly producing stories on all things tech, gaming software/hardware, fitness, streaming, and more. Her published content ranges from short-form news articles to long-form pieces, including reviews, buying guides, how-tos, and features. When she's not playing horror games, she can be found exploring East London with her adorable puppy. She’s also a part-time piano enthusiast and regularly experiments in the kitchen.