Apple rolls out new Smart Covers for 2019 iPad Air & Mini models

Capitalizing on the launch of new iPad Air and Mini tablets, Apple on Monday released matching Smart Covers in varying colors and materials.

For the 2019 Air, the company has new leather and polyurethane cases. Both feature automatic wake/sleep functions, and their lids can be rolled back to prop an Air in two positions.

The standard polyurethane Smart Cover costs $49, and comes in white, papaya, charcoal gray, and pink sand colors. Leather versions are $69 and available in black, red, saddle brown, midnight blue, and (PRODUCT)RED, the last donating a portion of proceeds to the Global Fund, a charity fighting AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

For the Mini Apple is only offering a polyurethane Cover, priced at $39. Color options are white, papaya, charcoal gray, and pink sand.

The 2019 iPad mini Smart Cover in papaya.

Most of the new case options are only shipping March 20, even expedited — an exception is the leather Air Cover, which may ship today for people quick on the draw.

The 2019 Air and Mini are mostly spec upgrades, with A12 processors, True Tone displays, up to 256 gigabytes of storage, and first-generation Apple Pencil support. The Air additionally supports Smart Keyboards.

9 Comments

petri 122 comments · 11 Years

About 5 years ago

The new covers for the Air are also stated to be compatible with the 10.5” iPad Pro, unsurprisingly.

gutengel 363 comments · 7 Years

Still no leather option for the 2018 iPad Pros. I honestly dislike the current folio smart cover, makes the iPad twice as thick for the modest price on $100 on a piece of plastic (which deteriorates faster than previous iterations of the design).

iOS_Guy80 899 comments · 5 Years

gutengel said:

Still no leather option for the 2018 iPad Pros. I honestly dislike the current folio smart cover, makes the iPad twice as thick for the modest price on $100 on a piece of plastic (which deteriorates faster than previous iterations of the design).

The new 12.9” and the Smart Cover encompassing the back of the tablet adds uneeded weight. Why all of a sudden on the new 11” and 12.9” models does Apple want to help out users from scratching the back of the tablet? Why not offer protecting the back of the other tablet models? Are the Pro models more worthy of rear protection?

mpw_amherst 358 comments · 23 Years

They've also dropped the Product(RED) cover for the Mini, which is a real shame.

fastasleep 6450 comments · 14 Years

gutengel said:

Still no leather option for the 2018 iPad Pros. I honestly dislike the current folio smart cover, makes the iPad twice as thick for the modest price on $100 on a piece of plastic (which deteriorates faster than previous iterations of the design).

I returned mine to Apple and got a $15 replacement on Amazon that I actually like better, and feels better in the hand. Not a fan of the Folio style but guessing Smart Covers aren’t possible with the magnet layout on these — all I want it for is the stand ability really. Bummer. But the Smart Folio is insulting at $80.