Introducing the 5th generation iPad Air! Try the mainstream iPad model, which is even more attractive with the Apple M1

It looks like the traditional iPad Air. However, it is newly equipped with M1 as a processor.At first glance, it may seem like a small change, but it may change the position of the iPad series in the future.

Apple's "M1" chip. It's been a while since a brand has gained an overwhelming position in the IT industry by spreading recognition so rapidly. Now, in terms of both topicality and actual performance, it surpasses the products of manufacturers whose main business is processor development. [Photo] Bench results for the new iPad Air and iPad Pro

Evolution from iPad close to iPhone to iPad close to Mac

Apple has made two new announcements about the M1. One is that the new processor "M1 Ultra", which threatens to achieve double the performance by connecting two "M1 Max" called monster class, was announced and installed in "Mac Studio", and the other is The M1 processor was installed in the mainstream iPad model "iPad Air." The M1 Ultra opens up new horizons for computing performance, while the iPad Air expands the reach of M1 products. After all, the price of the new iPad Air is 74,800 yen (in the case of 64GB / Wi-Fi model, tax included, the same applies below). The display is cheaper than the separately sold Mac mini (79,800 yen), making it the most affordable M1 equipped product so far. By the way, the price in Japan is about 5,000 yen higher than the previous iPad Air, but this is a problem of the exchange rate, and the price in the United States is the same as the previous model. In other words, it can be said that Apple has adopted a much-talked-about processor with higher performance than before for the iPad Air without changing the price. Since the announcement of the M1 in 2020, Apple has broken the conventional wisdom that the computer industry has followed for over 40 years that "the value of digital devices is determined by the grade of the processor." Even on the iPhone, the most affordable "iPhone SE" is equipped with the same "A15 Bionic" processor as the highest-end iPhone 13 Pro, but the iPad is unified with M1 except for the popular models "iPad" and "iPad mini". rice field. Originally announced in 2010 as "there is a new area between smartphones and personal computers," the iPad, which was announced as a product that fills that area, was made with the same processor as the iPhone series in consideration of power consumption. Performance was closer to the iPhone, but in the future it will be closer to the Mac with the adoption of M1. In addition to the large screen and Apple Pencil, high performance and the distinction between the iPhone series are likely to become clearer. By the way, it is a difficult strategy for other companies to adopt the same processor as the upper model in other models. With the exception of Samsung and HUAWEI, most PC and tablet makers buy processors from other companies. At that stage, there is already a price difference between a high-speed and expensive processor with good performance and a low-priced processor with inferior performance. If you try to procure parts at a low price, you will have to make a difference in processor performance between the high-end model and others. There is an advantage that it is easier to make cheap products cheaper by that amount, but selling "cheap goods" with low experience value by yourself is also a risk of damaging your brand value. When choosing a digital product, choosing a processor has always been a headache. Before I bought it, I was worried about "Do you regret choosing a processor with inferior performance?" And "Is this enough for my use?" Even when I was there, I was confused by the suspicion that I didn't know if it really was, saying, "I should have bought a high-priced model without being stingy." On the other hand, Apple's product selection, which makes its own product and its processor, is comfortable. There is no difference in processor model, no difference in operating frequency (GHz), and no worries about which GPU to use. There are only four product categories: iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini and iPad. For those who are actively using the iPad for heavy-duty creative tasks such as video editing and photo editing, there is the iPad Pro in two sizes to choose from. On the other hand, the iPad Air is for those who actively use the iPad in their daily lives and work. The iPad mini is for those who want to focus on portability. The iPad is for those who want to focus on price. The choice is really simple. Those who choose the iPad with a focus on price and those who choose the iPad mini with a focus on size have a clear answer. If there's a point to worry about, they're probably the ones who do some photo editing and video editing. The point is that the iPad Pro is the one who uses it more than a certain point, and the iPad Air is the one who uses it less than that. So, in the following, I would like to consider the product focusing only on the difference between iPad Air and Pro.