Stunning new alleged leaked CAD renders claim to show a radical redesign for the next generation 12.9-inch iPad Air, featuring an iPad Pro-esque aesthetic with slimmed bezels, a relocated rear camera, and an overall larger footprint. If accurate, the renders preview Apple’s most drastic iPad overhaul in years.
Larger 12.9-inch Display Takes Center Stage
The standout change in the leaked iPad Air renders is the bump up from the current 10.9-inch screen to a spacious 12.9-inch display, making it as large as the costlier iPad Pro model.
| Current 10.9″ iPad Air | New 12.9″ iPad Air (rumored) |
| 2360 x 1640 resolution | Expected 2732 x 2048 resolution |
| 500 nits brightness | Up to 600 nits brightness predicted |
The bigger screen aims to improve productivity and multitasking capabilities while remaining hundreds of dollars cheaper than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. It could attract new customers who want a giant iPad display without the Pro’s premium price tag.
Of course, the larger design will make the next iPad Air heavier and less portable than its predecessor. But enhancements like 5G connectivity, the latest Apple silicon chip, and iPadOS features such as Stage Manager could offset those concerns for people valuing productivity over portability.
Thinner Bezels Mimic the iPad Pro Design
While the 2024 iPad Air inherits the 12.9-inch display of the iPad Pro, it also replicates the Pro’s slimmed-down bezel design in the alleged CAD renders. The bezels appear roughly 40% thinner compared to existing iPad Air models.
The reduced bezels surround the same familiar edge-to-edge display, but they give the tablet a more modern, upscale look resembling the high-end iPad Pro. The change helps the larger 12.9-inch screen fit into a chassis barely bigger than the current 10.9-inch iPad Air.
Side-by-side comparison showing reduced bezels on alleged 2024 iPad Air (right) compared to 2021 iPad Air (left) via MySmartPrice
The slimmer bezels strongly point to the 2024 iPad Air adopting mini-LED backlighting instead of traditional LCD technology. Mini-LED enables thinner display borders while achieving the same brightness, contrast, and dynamic range as LCD. It already features in the high-end 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
So if legitimate, these leaked renders signal that Apple’s critically-acclaimed display tech is finally trickling down to the more mass market iPad Air line. That gives buyers better display performance without paying iPad Pro prices.
New Rear Camera Layout Mirrors iPad Pro Design
Further mimicking the iPad Pro design language, the alleged iPad Air renders showcase a bold new external camera module.
In existing iPad Air models, the single rear camera sits flush in the upper left corner of the tablet’s rear aluminum casing. But according to these renders, the 2024 iPad Air repositions the camera module to a large square-shaped bump in the top center of the tablet’s landscape-oriented rear cover.
New rear camera layout on alleged iPad Air 2024 renders compared to current iPad Air via MySmartPrice
The new protruding block closely resembles the distinctive camera module on existing iPad Pro models. Alongside the thinner display bezels, it gives the iPad Air design an elevated, pro-grade look sure to appeal consumers wanting an affordable yet premium tablet option.
Tech specs of the rear camera itself remain unclear. Some sources claim Apple will retain the 12MP f/1.8 aperture lens with 10x digital zoom found in the 2021 iPad Air rather than upgrading to the superior Pro-grade camera system.
However other reports point to possible improvements including autofocus and tap-to-focus capabilities for sharper shots, center stage support during video calls, and flash LED functionalities missing on current iPad Air models. Either way, early adopters can expect excellent rear camera performance from the 2024 iPad Air generation.
Redesigned Chassis Accommodates New Components
Naturally, incorporating a larger 12.9-inch display requires Apple to reconfigure the internal chassis to retain balance and structural rigidity. These leaked CAD renders provide our first glimpse at that reworked casing design.
Some notable changes include repositioned volume and power buttons along the top edge, and thick antenna lines bifurcating the aluminum rear cover. The latter presumably facilitates global 5G capabilities hinted at in earlier rumors.
Further under the hood, Apple must resize internal space to incorporate the bigger logic board, battery, and other components fitting a 12.9-inch iPad.
Early reports claimed the 2024 iPad Air would utilize the same M2 chip as latest iPad Pro iterations. But newer information instead points to an M2 variant offering identical 8CPU/10GPU core counts and 100GB/s memory bandwidth to the Pro’s M2 silicon, while economizing production costs.
Either way, buyers can expect a sizable performance jump over the M1 chip inside current iPad Air models. Leaker benchmarks even forecast the M2-class chip will outpace some Intel Core i7 processors, cementing the new iPad Air as a productivity powerhouse.
What’s Next for the Radical iPad Air Redesign?
Assuming the leaked iPad Air renders prove legitimate, Apple seems poised to ship its most radically-redesigned iPad Air this fall. And by assimilating top-tier features like 5G, mini-LED displays, and the latest Apple silicon, the 2024 iPad Air threatens to further erode slumping iPad Pro sales.
In turn, analysts expect Apple will further differentiate iPad Pro models later this year or in early 2025. Rumors already float the possibility of OLED displays, M3 silicon, and wireless charging debuting on high-end iPad Pro models to help justify their premium pricing.
But in the meantime, these leaked renders foreshadow the most feature-packed, powerful iPad Air ever hitting stores possibly as soon as September. And it may become the default giant-screen iPad option for mainstream users wanting pro-level features at an attractive price point.
So prospective tablet buyers might want to hold off purchases in anticipation of this radically updated iPad Air lineup. Because based on these stunning renders, the 2024 iPad Air promises massive changes that may force even iPad Pro loyalists to reconsider Apple’s mid-range tablet alternative.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
