Although Apple debuted the fourth generation of the iPad Air last month (I discussed it on September 16), the first day that you can purchase the 2020 version of the iPad Air is tomorrow. Apple gave review units to select journalists, and yesterday many of these folks posted their reviews. And the folks who have spent time with these devices have come to a conclusion that is very similar to what I wrote last month: this is the first iPad Air that is good enough to almost be an iPad Pro, and for many attorneys, it is the perfect device to get. If you think that you might want more than what the iPad Air offers and if you can wait, I encourage you to NOT purchase an iPad Pro today. The writing seems to be on the wall, and I expect Apple to announce new iPad Pro models at some point soon. The last iPad Pro update was announced on March 18, 2020, so you may have to wait until March 2021. But at this point, the iPad Pro is starting to look a little outdated while the iPad Air is fantastic. It is a great time to get an iPad Air. It is not a great time to get the iPad Pro.
Here are the initial reviews that jumped out at me, the ones that I recommend that you read if you are thinking about getting a new iPad Air:
- Jason Snell of Six Colors had this to say about the current iPad Air versus the next iPad Pro: “There is, undoubtedly, an iPad Pro update on the horizon that will put plenty of distance between those models and today’s iPad Air. But who cares? Many features that were previously locked into Apple’s top-of-the-line iPads have migrated down to a more affordable model. Not everyone needs an iPad Pro, especially when there’s an iPad Air that’s this good.”
- Federico Viticci of MacStories likes the new iPad Air, but says that Face ID is better than Touch ID on an iPad because it works automatically, without having to reach up and touch anything. I suspect that I would agree with this. When I wear a mask because of the pandemic, I often miss Touch ID on my iPhone, but I have never missed Touch ID on my iPad Pro. But if you are upgrading to the new iPad Air from a prior iPad model that didn’t have Touch ID, you may not be as bothered by the lack of Face ID.
- Matthew Panzarino of TechCrunch concludes his review of the iPad Air with this good advice: “Buy this if you want a portable iPad Pro to use alongside a MacBook or desktop computer for those times you don’t want to carry or can’t carry it. If you want an iPad Pro as your only computer, get the big iPad Pro, but probably wait until they update that one in a few months.“
- Henry Casey of Tom’s Guide did a good job analyzing all of the features of the new iPad Air.