Six thoughts on Apple’s new M3 iPad Air

This year’s iPad Air was a surprise to me. Apple launched the last Air less than a year ago, and that was a very good device that could already support Apple Intelligence — and most of Apple’s recent gadget upgrades have been about supporting Apple Intelligence. I figured Apple might launch a better Magic Keyboard for the Air (which it did), and that maybe we’d see some big new software ideas at WWDC this year. But a whole new model? Didn’t see that coming.

In fairness, there’s really only one new thing about the new model: it runs on an M3 chip instead of last year’s M2. So maybe instead of a whole new iPad Air, this is more like a mid-cycle refresh. Apple’s chip production changes, and so its devices change too. The new one, just like the old one, starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch screen. It comes in the same very pale colors. You get it.

I’ve had a 13-inch M2 Air for many months and an 11-inch M3 Air on my desk for the last several days. The story is the same as ever: it’s …read more