Tech

Apple just surprised everyone with major updates to the iPad Air and iPad Mini

iPad Mini (March 2019)
Apple
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Apple just surprised everyone by announcing major updates to the iPad Air and the iPad Mini.

The company said on Monday morning that both devices would get upgraded internals and support for Apple's stylus, the Apple Pencil.

The same A12 Bionic chip that powers Apple's iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR will now power the iPad Air and iPad Mini.

iPad Air (March 2019) with Smart Keyboard Apple Pencil
The new iPad Air supports the Apple Pencil and Apple's Smart Keyboard.  Apple

Apple said that the A12 would offer a "70% boost in performance" to the iPad Air and that the iPad Mini would be three times as powerful as the previous model.

Both updated devices are available online starting on Monday and are scheduled to arrive in stores in the coming week. The iPad Air starts at $499, and the iPad Mini starts at $399.

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Ben was a senior correspondent based in New York City. He specialized in coverage of video games, consumer technology, food, and culture.He has a BA in magazine journalism from Temple University. He wrote for the Philly Weekly and served as a senior reporter at Joystiq before joining Engadget as a senior editor in 2012.Ben joined Tech Insider as a member of the founding staff in April 2015 and transitioned to Insider in July 2016. He doesn't like writing in the third person.