Apple launching iPad Air 5 with A15 chip and 5G rumored to land early this year

According to recent reports, Apple will unveil its 3rd-generation iPhone SE at a virtual event in March or April this year, and if the newest whispers on the grapevine are to be believed, the iPad Air 5 will be introduced at the same time. The iPhone SE 3 and the 5th-generation iPad Air will both be released in 'the spring of 2022,' according to Japanese tech blog Mac Otakara, citing a "trusted source in China" (so between March-May).

According to the latest report, the 2020 iPad Air 4's overall design, including its single-lens primary camera, 10.9-inch display, and squared edges, would be retained in its fifth version.  The internals, on the other hand, is due for an upgrade — the A15 Bionic chipset from the iPhone 13 series is reported to be powering the iPad Air 5, along with 5G compatibility for cellular models and a 12MP ultrawide front-facing camera.

The New iPad 10.2 (the ninth in Apple's standard lineup) was released in 2021, along with the powerful M1-equipped iPad Pro 11 and the bigger iPad Pro 12.9. Apple even released a 6th-generation iPad Mini to replace the 2019 model.

Given that every other active iPad model has just had a refresh, it's safe to assume that the 2020 iPad Air 4 will be replaced. With being stated, keep in mind that this is only a rumor and not official information, so take it with a grain of salt. With no fewer than five iPad models to choose from – each with its own set of configuration options – it may appear that Apple is attempting to overwhelm us with options.

The cheapest option doesn't have the smallest screen, the thinnest option isn't the most compact or lightest (and it isn't the Air, oddly enough), and the power of each iPad doesn't always correlate with its price... so it's a matter of compromise when it comes to selecting certain desirable characteristics.

The iPad Air 5, if reports are true, will effectively be positioned as a less powerful iPad Pro 11 with a few other concessions, bringing some balance to the equation by matching the pricing more directly to the chipset onboard.

Apple's market research, which we believe to be extensive, will most likely say yes to whether or not we need such a vast assortment of alternatives. In any case, the 'Air' suffix no longer designates the thinnest and lightest model, but rather the 'Pro-but-not-too-Pro' model.