Evolution Archive
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iPad · Air

2014

iPad Air 2

An ultra-thin 6.1mm aluminum unibody introduces Touch ID, a fully laminated anti-reflective Retina display, and the triple-core A8X chip to the 9.7-inch iPad.

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Announced
2014-10-16
Family
iPad
Branch
Air
Historical weight
Major evolution

Key specifications

Apple verification ↗
Display
9.7" Retina IPS, 2048×1536 (laminated)
Chip / CPU
Apple A8X · 1.50 GHz
Memory
2 GB
Base storage
16 GB
Ports & charging
Lightning
Weight
437 g
Dimensions
240×169.5×6.1 mm
Original OS
iOS 8.1
Launch price
$499
Released
October 22, 2014
Discontinued
March 2017
Graphics
PowerVR GXA6850
CPU cores
3

Generation delta

What changed?

Introduced

8

  • Fully laminated anti-reflective Retina display

    Fuses the cover glass, touch sensor, and LCD panel into a single layer with an anti-reflective coating, eliminating the internal air gap and reducing glare/reflections by 56%.

    Display

  • Touch ID fingerprint sensor

    Integrated into the Home button, enabling biometric device unlocking and in-app Apple Pay authentication.

    Sensors

  • Apple A8X chip

    Custom 64-bit architecture featuring a triple-core CPU and 8-core PowerVR GPU, accompanied by 2GB of LPDDR3 RAM (the first iOS device to ship with 2GB of RAM, laying the memory foundation for Split View).

    Silicon

  • Apple M8 motion coprocessor

    Continuously tracks motion data from the accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, and a newly integrated barometer.

    Silicon

  • 8MP iSight rear camera

    Upgraded from 5MP with an f/2.4 aperture, 1080p Full HD video recording, 120fps Slo-mo video, burst mode, and time-lapse video.

    Camera

  • Apple SIM support

    Cellular models shipped with Apple SIM in select countries, allowing users to choose short-term cellular data plans directly from device settings.

    Connectivity

  • Gold color finish

    Added alongside Silver and Space Gray.

    Product

  • 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MIMO

    Dual-band support providing theoretical wireless throughput up to 866 Mbps.

    Connectivity

Changed

2

  • Enclosure thickness and weight

    Reduced from 7.5mm to 6.1mm (18% thinner than the original iPad Air), reducing weight from 469g / 478g to 437g (Wi-Fi) / 444g (Cellular).

    Connectivity

  • Storage tier structure

    16GB, 64GB, and 128GB replaced the original 16/32/64/128 structure at launch (32GB reintroduced later in September 2016).

    Storage

Retired

1

  • Hardware rotation lock / mute switch

    Removed from the right side of the aluminum chassis to achieve the 6.1mm profile.

    Design

Retained

4

  • 9.7-inch LED-backlit Retina display with 2048-by-1536 resolution at 264 ppi

    9.7-inch LED-backlit Retina display with 2048-by-1536 resolution at 264 ppi.

    Display

  • Lightning connector for charging and wired data transfer

    Lightning connector for charging and wired data transfer.

    Ports

  • 3.5mm stereo headphone jack

    3.5mm stereo headphone jack.

    Product

  • 10-hour battery life rating via a 27.3-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery

    10-hour battery life rating via a 27.3-watt-hour rechargeable lithium-polymer battery.

    Power

Technology DNA

Ideas carried by this generation.

DisplayRetina display

High-density display branding introduced on iPhone 4 and later expanded across product families.

BiometricsTouch ID

Fingerprint authentication introduced on iPhone 5s.

Canonical predecessor

iPad Air (1st generation) iPad Air 2