On another keynote event last night, Apple announced the next generation iPad, which is the iPad Air 2. As expected, the new iPad Air 2 is slimmer than the predecessor and more powerful (with an upgraded processor and internal components). It also has the Apple TouchID so you can unlock the iPad with just a touch of a finger.
The surprise comes from the better display due to Apple’s impressive engineering for combining 3 panels into 1, making the iPad Air 2 even thinner (world’s thinnest tablet at the moment) and sharper images on the screen.
It’s tough to judge how good the screen is until we can see it in person. I do remember when we first introduced to the iPhone 5 and how impressive the screen was compared to the previous iPhone 4s. Textures and colors pop and it feels as if they are printed on the surface of the phone. I’m sure this is pretty much what we are going to experience on the iPad Air 2.
The new screen also features Apple’s custom-designed anti-reflective coating that reduces glare by 56%. Again, I’m already impressed with my iPad Air and iPhone’s glare compared to the other phone manufacturers’ screens, but it’ll be interesting to see it in action. It’ll be useful for those who like to carry the iPad outdoor on a bright, sunny day.
The cameras have also been improved drastically (both front and back) though I’m still cringing whenever I see someone takes a photo with their iPad. Apple’s keynote explains it nicely when someone uses their iPad for work and research based on the photo taken, so it’s definitely easier to take the pictures directly on the iPad. Fair enough.
Thanks to the TouchID, the new iPad Air 2 will also be compatible with Apple Pay, Apple’s upcoming payment service. Thankfully (or regretfully?), you cannot use the new iPad for Apple Pay in retail stores. The sight of people waving their iPads to pay for their food in restaurants scares me deeply. You can, however, use the Apple Pay to buy things online or in supported apps.
The $1 million question is how course: “Should I upgrade from iPad Air to iPad Air 2?”. I think it depends. If you are happy enough with your iPad Air and all you do with your iPad is playing casual games, browsing, checking Facebook, or reading news, I think you don’t really need iPad Air 2. Except of course, it’s better to hold since it’s thinner and has sharper screen (great for reading things).
If you like to take photos and videos with your iPad, then iPad Air 2 will give you a huge smile. Or if you run powerful apps for your research and work, you’ll appreciate the huge power gained from the new processors inside the iPad Air 2.
iPad Air 2 is now also available in Gold and costs AUD 619 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model. For the whole pricing details of the iPad Air 2, check out Apple’s Buy iPad Air 2 page.
