Apple announces iPad Air

As expected, Apple has just announced the latest addition to the iPad family at its press event today. Not so expected is the name ‘ meet the iPad Air.

The new device is thinner, lighter and more powerful than its predecessors. It’s 8 times faster than the original iPad, boasting the same 64 bit architecture found in the iPhone 5s.

In terms of design, the iPad Air cuts down in all the right ways. It weighs in at just 1 lb, which is 0.4 lbs lighter than the last edition. Then there’s the reduced thickness, taken down to 7.5mm, which is 25% smaller than the last designs.

There is of course a Retina display included, as well as other cool bonuses like dual microphones. The iPad Air is going on sale on November 1st, which includes its first every sale in China. It starts at $499. The standard model comes in 16Gb, 32GB, 64Gb and 128GB for $499, $599, $699, and $799 respectively.

We’ll likely have more information on the device tomorrow, so make sure to head back then.