The new iPad Air 2 has a body. This year, the Air 2 is hardly hitting like an airstrike, but it still does a mighty fine job of keeping up the alpha male image.
True, besides the slimmer profile the changes are hard to see. A nice exception is the screen, where the specs may sound the same on paper, but improvements are visible to the naked eye in terms of reflectivity and outdoor legibility. The iPad Air 2 also has a better camera, an 8 megapixel auto focus unit, for what it's worth on a ten-incher, and as usual, Apple's latest and greatest chipset to make sure things are running faster than ever before.
So that about sums up the noteworthy things the iPad Air 2 brings to the table. But here's the cheat sheet of its key specs anyway and what we didn't quite like at first glance.
Key features
Connectivity
The Apple iPad Air 2 has much better connectivity thanks to some key advancements in chipset radios and Wi-Fi technology. First off, the new iPad Air 2 retains the MIMO technology (with dual antennas for better signal) and comes with Wi-Fi 802.11ac support that's more than twice as fast as before - up to 866 Mbps.
The Wi-Fi+Cellular iPad Air 2 has gained a speed increase too, now supporting up to 150Mbps of LTE downlink and support for a total of 20 LTE bands in all model variations.
Apple has designed its own SIM solution as well, dubbed Apple SIM. It allows a single carrier-agnostic SIM to connect to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile in the US and Everything Everywhere (EE) in the UK depending on your initial setup (and contract, of course). The solution has seen resistance from some of the carriers though so don't expect it to work as advertised just yet.
Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and EDR is here and, complete with Wi-Fi, facilitating Apple's AirDrop, which can share docs and files across iOS devices and the latest Macbooks with OS X Yosemite. Using AirDrop for transfers to non-Apple certified devices is a no-go.
AirDrop is available in every share menu throughout the iOS 8.1. You can send pictures, videos, App Store and iTunes links, Notes, Maps links, all kind of files from file managing apps (i.e. Filer, Flash Drive, Air Disk, etc.), Office docs, and more. If there are people with an active AirDrop service around you, they will automatically appear in the dedicated AirDrop field. You just mark your files, select the recipient and hit the send key.
AirPlay can wirelessly stream your iPad Air 2 screen to an Apple TV, HDTV or compatible audio systems.
Regular USB mass storage isn't available but there's a workaround using the iTunes computer software. You can store whatever files you want on the iPad, but those are only made available to the app that you've dropped them onto. Good thing is you are not restricted to files compatible with the said app and you can simply drag & drop files that you would download on another computer later on.
The iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular has a built-in A-GPS receiver with GLONASS support, but the Wi-Fi only tablet does not have it (this is standard for iPads).
Apple is continually improving its Find My iPad service. The iOS 7 update brought the so-called Activation Lock. This will not only protect your personal data but will also make your iDevice inoperable once wiped, unless you enter your Apple ID. This means the stolen or lost iGadgets will be of no use to thieves or finders. Of course, this protection is not bulletproof and experienced hackers will have a ball with your iPad, but this might as well make your Average Joe think twice about keeping the iPad to themselves.
True, besides the slimmer profile the changes are hard to see. A nice exception is the screen, where the specs may sound the same on paper, but improvements are visible to the naked eye in terms of reflectivity and outdoor legibility. The iPad Air 2 also has a better camera, an 8 megapixel auto focus unit, for what it's worth on a ten-incher, and as usual, Apple's latest and greatest chipset to make sure things are running faster than ever before.
So that about sums up the noteworthy things the iPad Air 2 brings to the table. But here's the cheat sheet of its key specs anyway and what we didn't quite like at first glance.
Key features
- 3G/LTE 150Mbps model available as an option (comes with GPS/GLONASS)
- 9.7" LED-backlit IPS LCD touchscreen, 1536 x 2048 pixels, ~ 264ppi; scratch-resistant, oleophobic coating, 56% less reflectance claimed
- Thinner than ever at 6.1 mm and lighter at 437g
- A8X 64-bit chipset (rumored as triple-core, 1.5 GHz SoC) with an M8 motion coprocessor with a barometer, 2GB of RAM
- 16/64/128GB of inbuilt storage
- iOS 8.1 with Continuity allows you to take iPhone calls and messages on your iPad
- Stereo speakers
- 8MP auto-focus camera, 1080p video recording at 30fps, 120‑fps slo‑mo, Burst mode, Panorama
- 1.2MP 720p front camera with a larger f/2.2 aperture
- 802.11ac Wi Fi connectivity
- Dedicated secondary noise reduction microphone for FaceTime calls
- TouchID fingerprint sensor
- Four and five-finger gestures
- Comes with premium set of free Apple apps - Pages, Numbers, Keynote, iMovie, Garage Band, etc.
- Available in Gold color option for the first time
- Hardware Mute/Rotation lock switch is gone for no practical reason
- No microSD slot
- Pricey storage upgrades, 32GB version should be standard for the asking price
- No enhanced resistance to liquids or dust, while the competition has them
- Tied into iTunes for uploading most of the content
- iOS UI lacks proper screen size optimizations and looks the same on phones and tablets
- No standard microUSB port
- Wi-Fi-only version lacks a GPS receiver
Connectivity
The Apple iPad Air 2 has much better connectivity thanks to some key advancements in chipset radios and Wi-Fi technology. First off, the new iPad Air 2 retains the MIMO technology (with dual antennas for better signal) and comes with Wi-Fi 802.11ac support that's more than twice as fast as before - up to 866 Mbps.
The Wi-Fi+Cellular iPad Air 2 has gained a speed increase too, now supporting up to 150Mbps of LTE downlink and support for a total of 20 LTE bands in all model variations.
Apple has designed its own SIM solution as well, dubbed Apple SIM. It allows a single carrier-agnostic SIM to connect to AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile in the US and Everything Everywhere (EE) in the UK depending on your initial setup (and contract, of course). The solution has seen resistance from some of the carriers though so don't expect it to work as advertised just yet.
Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and EDR is here and, complete with Wi-Fi, facilitating Apple's AirDrop, which can share docs and files across iOS devices and the latest Macbooks with OS X Yosemite. Using AirDrop for transfers to non-Apple certified devices is a no-go.
AirDrop is available in every share menu throughout the iOS 8.1. You can send pictures, videos, App Store and iTunes links, Notes, Maps links, all kind of files from file managing apps (i.e. Filer, Flash Drive, Air Disk, etc.), Office docs, and more. If there are people with an active AirDrop service around you, they will automatically appear in the dedicated AirDrop field. You just mark your files, select the recipient and hit the send key.
AirPlay can wirelessly stream your iPad Air 2 screen to an Apple TV, HDTV or compatible audio systems.
Regular USB mass storage isn't available but there's a workaround using the iTunes computer software. You can store whatever files you want on the iPad, but those are only made available to the app that you've dropped them onto. Good thing is you are not restricted to files compatible with the said app and you can simply drag & drop files that you would download on another computer later on.
The iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi + Cellular has a built-in A-GPS receiver with GLONASS support, but the Wi-Fi only tablet does not have it (this is standard for iPads).
Apple is continually improving its Find My iPad service. The iOS 7 update brought the so-called Activation Lock. This will not only protect your personal data but will also make your iDevice inoperable once wiped, unless you enter your Apple ID. This means the stolen or lost iGadgets will be of no use to thieves or finders. Of course, this protection is not bulletproof and experienced hackers will have a ball with your iPad, but this might as well make your Average Joe think twice about keeping the iPad to themselves.
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