The iPad Air, one of Apple’s most popular tablet series, has long been devoid of significant innovations. Launched in 2020 with a design change, the model has since continued with only minor updates such as the processor and camera.

iPad Air to Offer Face ID

However, a new development suggests this is about to change. It’s being claimed that the upcoming new iPad Air will feature Face ID, a technology long exclusive to the iPad Pro.

According to a report by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, Apple will introduce a new iPad Air next spring. This model is rumored to feature the long-awaited Face ID feature. While Face ID has been standard on iPhones since 2018, it was only available on the iPad Pro on the tablet side. Even the most affordable iPhone models featured this feature, but the iPad Air series was left out.

There was a reason Apple didn’t add Face ID to the iPad Air until now. Until last year, the price difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro was only $200. In exchange for this difference, users would have gotten a 120Hz display, Face ID, and a more powerful processor. If Face ID had been available on the iPad Air back then, users would have had no reason to choose the iPad Pro.

However, the situation is different today. The new iPad Pros are $400 more expensive than previous models. In exchange for this price difference, they offer features like a much thinner body, a high-end OLED display, an advanced Magic Keyboard, a nano-texture display option, a 120Hz refresh rate, and Face ID.

This new landscape makes it more logical for Apple to add Face ID to the iPad Air. Users now prefer the iPad Pro not just for Face ID, but for its superior screen quality, thinner design, and the “premium” experience it offers.

Therefore, adding Face ID to the iPad Air will not blur the distinction between the two models; on the contrary, it will make the series more attractive. The new iPad Air is also expected to feature the M4 chip.