New iPad Air may launch in the spring with A15 Bionic, 5G

Apple's "iPad Air 5" could release in early 2022, with a new report claiming that it is similar to the sixth-generation iPad mini, with 5G connectivity and an ultra-wide FaceTime HD camera.

Rumors and speculation has Apple holding another special event in the spring, possibly as early as March. While the iPhone SE is expected to be the main launch, it is thought that the iPad Air could go through a refresh at the same time.

The fifth-generation iPad Air will apparently incorporate a specifications list that echoes the iPad mini 6, including an A15 Bionic chip and support for 5G mobile networks, according to Chinese sources of Macotakara.

The FaceTime HD camera will also be updated to a 12-megapixel ultra-wide version, giving it the same Center Stage-compatible sensor as other iPad models. On the back, the camera will gain a quad-LED True Tone flash.

As for the housing, there was apparently some talk of it using the same sort of chassis as the third-generation 11-inch iPad Pro, complete with a twin-lens camera on the back, but it is still believed to use a single-lens camera as usual.

Few other rumors have surfaced about the 2022 iPad Air so far, but in October, it was forecast by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple would avoid using OLED for the display, to avoid clashing with a potential 11-inch iPad Pro update with mini LED backlighting.