![]() | |
![]() iPad Air 2 in Space Gray | |
Also known as | iPad Air (2nd generation) |
---|---|
Developer | Apple Inc. |
Manufacturer | Foxconn |
Product family | iPad Air |
Type | Tablet computer |
Generation | 2nd |
Release date | October 22, 2014 |
Lifespan | 2014–2022 |
Introductory price | $499 USD €489 EUR £399 GBP $619 AUD $549 CAD |
Discontinued | March 21, 2017 |
Units sold | 2 million |
Operating system | Original: iOS 8.1 Current: iPadOS 15.8.3, released July 29, 2024 [1] |
System on a chip | Apple A8X with 64-bit architecture and Apple M8 motion co-processor |
CPU | 1.5GHz tri-core 64-bit ARMv8-A "Typhoon" [2] |
Memory | 2GB LPDDR3 RAM [3] |
Storage | 16, 32, 64, 128 GB flash memory |
Display | 9.7 inches (246 mm) 2,048 x 1,536 px (264 ppi) with a 4:3 aspect ratio |
Graphics | PowerVR GXA6850 [4] |
Sound | Stereo (both at bottom) |
Input | Multi-touch screen, headset controls, M8 motion co-processor, proximity, and ambient light sensors, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis gyroscope, digital compass, dual microphone, Touch ID fingerprint reader [5] |
Controller input | PnP |
Camera | Front: 1.2 MP, 720p HD, ƒ/2.2 aperture Rear: 8.0 MP AF Sony Exmor RS IMX134, iSight with Five Element Lens, Hybrid IR filter, video stabilisation, face detection, HDR, ƒ/2.4 aperture |
Touchpad | Glass |
Connectivity | |
Power | 27.62 W·h, 3.76 V (7,340 mA·h) [3] |
Online services | App Store, iTunes Store, iBookstore, iCloud, Game Center |
Dimensions | 240 mm (9.4 in) (h) 169.5 mm (6.67 in) (w) 6.1 mm (0.24 in) (d) |
Mass | Wi-Fi: 437 g (0.963 lb) Wi-Fi + Cellular: 444 g (0.979 lb) |
Predecessor | iPad Air |
Successor | iPad Pro (9.7 inch) iPad Air (3rd generation) iPad (5th generation) |
Related | |
Website | iPad Air 2 at the Wayback Machine (archived March 21, 2017) |
This article is part of a series on the |
iPad |
---|
List of iPad models |
The iPad Air 2 is the second-generation iPad Air tablet computer designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced on October 16, 2014, alongside the iPad Mini 3, both of which were released on October 22, 2014. The iPad Air 2 is thinner, lighter and faster than its predecessor, the first-generation iPad Air, and features Touch ID with the height, width and screen size the same as the iPad Air.
The first-generation iPad Pro replaced the iPad Air 2 as the flagship iPad model, with the 9.7 inch version releasing March 31, 2016, and the Air 2 being relegated as the mid-range iPad model.
The iPad Air 2 was discontinued on March 21, 2017, as was the iPad Mini 2, alongside the introduction of the iPad (5th generation), which replaced the Air 2 as the entry-level iPad model. Its successor, the third-generation iPad Air, was released on March 18, 2019. [6] The iPad Air 2 supported eight versions of iOS and iPadOS, from iOS 8 to iPadOS 15, but does not support iPadOS 16 due to hardware limitations. [7]
The iPad Air 2 was announced during a keynote on October 16, 2014, and was the first iPad to feature Touch ID. The theme of the keynote was "it's been way too long". [8] The Air 2 began arriving in retail stores on October 22, 2014. The slogan for the device was Change Is in the Air. With the release of the new iPad Pro, the slogan for the device was changed to Light. Heavyweight.
The iPad Air 2 originally shipped with iOS 8.1 pre-installed and includes a version of Apple Pay with the in-store NFC functionality removed. The included Touch ID sensor allows the user to pay for items online without needing to enter the user's card details.
iOS 8 comes with several built-in applications, which are Camera, Photos, Messages, FaceTime, Mail, Music, Safari, Maps, Siri, Calendar, iTunes Store, App Store, Notes, Contacts, iBooks, Home, Reminders, Clock, Videos, News, Photo Booth and Podcasts. The Apple App Store, a digital application distribution platform for iOS, allows users to browse and download applications made by various developers from the iTunes Store. Additional apps made by Apple itself are available for free download, which are iMovie, GarageBand, iTunes U, Find My iPhone, Find My Friends, Apple Store, Trailers, Remote, and the iWork apps (Pages, Keynote, and Numbers). [9] Like all iOS devices, the iPad Air 2 can also sync content and other data with a Mac or PC using iTunes. Although the tablet is not designed to make phone calls over a cellular network, it can place and receive phone calls through an iPhone's cellular connection, using Apple's Continuity feature [10] (supported on iOS 8 and later versions of iOS, and OS X Yosemite and later versions of macOS), or using a VoIP application, such as Skype.
On June 8, 2015, it was announced at the WWDC that the iPad Air 2 would support all of iOS 9's new features when it is released in Q3 2015. [11] Air 2 users with iOS 9 will be able to use Slide Over, Picture in Picture and Split View. Slide Over allows a user to "slide" a second app in from the side of the screen in a smaller window, and have it display information alongside the initial app. Picture in Picture allows a user to watch video in a small, resizable, moveable window while remaining in another app. Split View allows a user to run two apps simultaneously in a 50/50 view. [12]
It was revealed at WWDC 2019 that the iPad Air 2 would support iPadOS. It does lack the support for some features though such as Memoji Stickers, Apple's ARKit based applications and support for Sidecar in macOS Catalina, due to it having the Apple A8X Processor. Apart from this, most of the features that were introduced in iPadOS will work with this iPad, including support for external USB drives (using the camera connection kits), the redesigned split screen and multitasking interface (with support for two apps to be open at once) and support for Haptic Touch (no haptic feedback will be felt as the iPad family doesn't have Taptic Engines). Many people have described this iPad with this new software as a budget, and watered down version of its successor the iPad Pro. [13]
With the release of iPadOS 13.4, the iPad Air 2 supports the new mouse and trackpad feature. It works by using the camera connection kits or via bluetooth. Bluetooth powered keyboards with a trackpad may also work depending on the manufacturer.
At WWDC 2020, the iPad Air 2 was revealed to support iPadOS 14. This makes it the first device to support seven generations of both iOS and iPadOS. It does though lack new features such as ARKit 4 and new Apple Pencil features. It does though support the improved Safari browser and new Messages app. The iPad mini 4 was also supported for the next generation of iPadOS 14.
On June 7, 2021 at the WWDC 2021, the iPad Air 2 was revealed to support iPadOS 15. This makes it the first device to support eight generations of software including both iOS and iPadOS.
On June 6, 2022 after iPadOS 16 was announced at the WWDC 2022, it was revealed that the iPad Air 2 will not be compatible with this new version of the operating system. [14]
The iPad Air 2 inherits hardware similar to both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with a major change in processor to the Apple A8X, the high-end 3-core variant of the Apple A8. The iPad Air 2 has 2 GB RAM (making the iPad Air 2 the first iOS device to have more than 1 GB RAM) and the PowerVR GPU has 8 cores. [15] It also uses the Apple M8 motion co-processor which has a barometer and is the first generation of the iPad to inherit the fingerprint Touch ID sensor from the iPhone. In addition, compared to the iPad Air, it includes an improved 8-megapixel (3264×2448) rear-facing camera with 10 fps burst mode and slow motion video at 120 fps, similar to the iPhone 5S camera capabilities. The front-facing FaceTime HD camera has also been improved with a larger ƒ/2.2 aperture, which allows 81% more light in the image. [16] Apple added a gold option to the existing silver and space gray color choices for the iPad Air 2, the previous existing colors were used on the preceding iPad Air.
Unlike its iPad predecessors, the mute/orientation lock switch has been removed to accommodate the reduced depth. Instead, the user must use the Control Center to access these functions.
It has a slightly smaller battery compared to the iPad Air, although Apple claims the same 10-hour battery life as before. The iPad Air 2 is available in 16, 32, 64 or 128 GB storage options with no storage expansion options. Apple has released a "camera connection kit" with an SD card reader, but it can only be used to transfer photos and videos to an iPad. [17]
The iPad Air 2 received positive reviews. The Verge called the Air 2 "the best tablet ever made", giving it a score of 9.3 out of 10 while noting that it offered only "iterative improvement" and that there were "missed opportunities" in its design. [18]
Timeline of iPad models |
---|
![]() |
The iPod Touch is a discontinued line of iOS-based mobile devices designed and formerly marketed by Apple Inc. with a touchscreen-controlled user interface. As with other iPod models, the iPod Touch can be used as a portable media player and a handheld gaming device, but can also be used as a digital camera, a web browser, for email and messaging. It is nearly identical in design to the iPhone, and can run most iPhone third-party apps from the App Store, but it connects to the Internet only through Wi-Fi and uses no cellular network data, as it lacks a cellular modem.
iOS is a mobile operating system developed by Apple exclusively for its smartphones. It was unveiled in January 2007 for the first-generation iPhone, launched in June 2007.
SpringBoard is the standard application that manages the iPhone's home screen. Other tasks include starting WindowServer, launching and bootstrapping applications, and setting some of the device's settings on startup.
iOS is a mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc. and was first released as iPhone OS in June 2007, coinciding with the launch of the first generation iPhone. iPhone OS was renamed iOS following the release of the iPad, starting with iOS 4. With iOS 13, Apple began offering a separate operating system, iPadOS, for the iPad. iOS is also the foundation of the newer audioOS and tvOS, and shares some of its code with macOS. New iOS versions are released every year alongside new iPhone models. From its launch in 2007 until 2010, this occurred in June or July, since then, new major versions are released in September or October. Since the launch of the iPhone in June 2007, there have been 17 major releases of iOS. The current major version of iOS is iOS 17, released on September 18, 2023.
The iPad is a brand of iOS- and iPadOS-based tablet computers that are developed by Apple, first introduced on January 27, 2010. The iPad range consists of the original iPad lineup and the flagship products iPad Mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
iOS 4 is the fourth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc., being the successor to iPhone OS 3. It was announced at the Apple Special Event on April 8, 2010, and released on June 21, 2010. iOS 4 was the first version branded as "iOS" rather than "iPhone OS", due to the release of the iPad. It was succeeded by iOS 5 on October 12, 2011.
iPadOS is a mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc. for its iPad line of tablet computers. It was given a name distinct from iOS, the operating system used by Apple's iPhones to reflect the diverging features of the two product lines, such as multitasking. It was introduced as iPadOS 13 in 2019, reflecting its status as the successor to iOS 12 for the iPad, at the company's 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference.
The iPad Mini is a line of small tablet computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It is a sub-series of the iPad line of tablets, with screen sizes of 7.9 inches and 8.3 inches. The first-generation iPad Mini was announced on October 23, 2012, and was released on November 2, 2012, in nearly all of Apple's markets. It featured similar internal specifications to the iPad 2, including its display resolution.
The iPad Air is a tablet designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced on October 22, 2013, and was released on November 1, 2013. Part of the iPad line of tablet computers, the iPad Air features a thinner design than its predecessors, with similarities to the contemporaneous iPad Mini 2.
The iPad Mini 2 is a tablet computer produced and marketed by Apple Inc. It has a nearly identical design to its predecessor, the first-generation iPad Mini, but features internal revisions such as the use of an A7 system-on-a-chip and a 2,048 x 1,536 resolution Retina Display. Internally, the second-generation iPad Mini has nearly the same hardware as its sibling device, the iPad Air. Apple released the second-generation iPad Mini in space gray and silver colors on November 12, 2013.
The iPad Mini 3 is the third-generation iPad Mini tablet computer designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced alongside the iPad Air 2 on October 16, 2014 and released on October 22. It uses primarily the same design and hardware as that of its predecessor, the iPad Mini 2. Its new features are the addition of the Touch ID sensor compatible with Apple Pay, differing storage sizes and being available in a gold color, as well as the previous colors.
The iPad Mini 4 is the fourth-generation iPad Mini tablet computer designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc. It was announced along with the iPad Pro on September 9, 2015, and released the same day. The iPad Mini 4, which replaced the iPad Mini 3, was discontinued on March 18, 2019, when it was replaced by the fifth-generation iPad Mini. It features most of the hardware similar to the iPad Air 2 including its laminated display and design.
iOS 12 is the twelfth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple. Aesthetically similar to its predecessor, iOS 11, it focuses more on performance than on new features, quality improvements and security updates. Announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 4, 2018, iOS 12 was released to the public on September 17, 2018. It was succeeded for the iPhone and iPod Touch by iOS 13 on September 19, 2019, and for the iPad by iPadOS 13 on September 24, 2019. Security updates for iOS 12 continued for four years after the releases of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 for devices unable to run the newer versions. The last update, 12.5.7, was released on January 23, 2023.
iPadOS 13 is the first major release of the iPadOS mobile operating system developed by Apple Inc. for their iPad line of tablet computers. The successor to iOS 12 on those devices, it was announced at the company's 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 3, 2019, as a derivation from iOS, with a greater emphasis on multitasking and tablet-centric features. It was released on September 24, 2019. It was succeeded by iPadOS 14, released on September 16, 2020.
iPadOS is a mobile operating system for tablet computers developed by Apple Inc. It was first released as a modification of iOS starting with version 13.1 on September 24, 2019. Before the release of iPadOS, iPads were released with iPhone OS, which was later renamed to iOS. New iPadOS versions are released every year mostly in sync with iOS, tvOS, and watchOS.
iOS 14 is the fourteenth major release of the iOS mobile operating system developed by Apple for the iPhone and iPod touch lines. Announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference on June 22, 2020 as the successor to iOS 13, it was released to the public on September 16, 2020. It was succeeded by iOS 15 on September 20, 2021.
iPadOS 14 is the second major release of the iPadOS operating system developed by Apple for their iPad line of tablet computers. It was announced on June 22, 2020 at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) as the successor to iPadOS 13, making it the second version of the iPadOS fork from iOS. It was released to the public on September 16, 2020. It was succeeded by iPadOS 15 on September 20, 2021.
iPadOS 15 is the third major release of the iPadOS operating system developed by Apple for its iPad line of tablet computers. The successor to iPadOS 14, it was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 7, 2021 along with iOS 15, macOS Monterey, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15. It was released to the public on September 20, 2021. It was succeeded by iPadOS 16, which was released on October 24, 2022.
macOS Monterey is the eighteenth major release of macOS, Apple's desktop operating system for Macintosh computers. The successor to macOS Big Sur, it was announced at WWDC 2021 on June 7, 2021, and released on October 25, 2021. macOS Monterey was succeeded by macOS Ventura, which was released on October 24, 2022.
iPadOS 16 is the fourth major release of the iPadOS operating system developed by Apple for its iPad line of tablet computers. The successor to iPadOS 15, it was announced at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, 2022, along with iOS 16, macOS Ventura, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16. It received numerous new features, improving multitasking and many other aspects of the operating system, most notably on iPads with Apple's M1 SoC and later.