Apple Unveils the iPad Air 2, for Real This Time

The iPad Air 2 is even thinner and lighter than its predecessor, the iPad Air.

IMAGE: MASHABLE, CHRISTINA ASCANI

Apple has revealed the latest version of the iPad, called the iPad Air 2. And this time it's even thinner.

The new iPad is just 6.1 millimeters thick, or 0.24 of an inch. That's 18% thinner than the first iPad Air, which was 7.5mm. Weight is 15 ounces.

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Last year, Apple said the iPad Air was as thin as a pencil. To illustrate just how thin the iPad Air 2 is, Apple made a dramatic video that showed a laser shaving the side off a pencil to make it even thinner.

Apple claims the 9.7-inch screen of the iPad Air 2 has the lowest reflectivity of any tablet, reducing glare by up to 56%.

It's powered by a new processor, the A8X, a 64-bit chip based on the A8 processor in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Apple says the CPU is 40% faster than the first iPad Air, with graphics that are 2.5x faster. The iPad Air 2 also includes an M8 motion coprocessor, gathering elevation info from a barometer, the same as the new iPhones.

The iPad's camera is greatly improved. It's now an 8-megapixel iSight camera with f/2.4 aperture, able to capture 1080p full HD video

The iPad's camera is greatly improved. It's now an 8-megapixel iSight camera with f/2.4 aperture, able to capture 1080p full HD video — the same specs as the camera on the iPhone 6. It includes both burst and time-lapse modes.

The front-facing FaceTime camera is upgraded, too, with an f/2.2 aperture that lets in 81% more light. It has improved face detection, the ability to capture HDR videos and a burst selfie mode.

Like the recent iPhones, the iPad Air 2 features a Touch ID fingerprint scanner built into the home button. That means owners will be able to unlock the device just by touching a thumb or finger to the scanner.

It also means the iPad Air 2 is compatible with Apple Pay, the company's new mobile payments system. However, there is no near-field communication (NFC) radio onboard, meaning Apple Pay on the iPad Air 2 is intended for shopping within apps that support it, not in-store shopping.

Battery life is rated at 10 hours, just like previous iPad models. Apple also added support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi networks.

The iPad Air 2 is available in "space" gray, silver and, for the first time, gold. It keeps the same pricing as previous generations, but with slightly different capacities. Apple has discontinues the 32GB model, just as it did with the iPhone. Prices start at $499 for 16GB, $599 for 64GB and $699 for 128GB. 4G LTE versions will be available: $629 for 16GB, $729 for 64GB and $829 for 128GB.

Pre-orders start Oct. 17. Apple declined to give an exact in-store date, instead saying the new iPad would be available toward the end of next week.

The new iPad Air has been rumored for months, but Apple accidentally leaked it a day early by mentioning it in a user manual that was posted to the iBooks app. Both the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 were described, with new features such as Touch ID revealed.