Apple sticks with winning iPad Air design formula

APPLE has stuck to the status quo with its iPad Air 2, which remains the ultimate media consumption tablet.

APPLE has stuck to the status quo with its iPad Air 2. There’s no ­attempt to add a keyboard, or implement multiple windows, to snap up consumers seeking a more productivity-oriented tablet such as Microsoft’s Surface Pro 2 or high-end Samsung tablets.

On the contrary, the iPad remains what it has always been — the ultimate media consumption tablet, backed by an abundance of quality apps, media content from iTunes, and formidable learning programs available on iTunes U.

In reviewing the Air 2, I made a point of comparing it with an Air 1, to see if there was much change at all. It’s 1.4mm thinner than Air 1, and about 30g lighter. That may not seem much, but you notice the difference when lying down on a couch reading the Air with your arm extended.

In terms of design, especially around the edges, it looks more like a blown-up iPhone 5S than a giant iPhone 6 or 6S.

The Air 2 offers faster cellular and Wi-Fi communications, has a faster processor and graphics, a better 8 megapixel camera (instead of 5mp) and a much improved screen. Actually, screen resolution hasn’t changed at all. It’s still 264 pixels an inch.

The different is the bonded display. By cramming together the LCD panel and glass layer, Apple has produced a screen that’s ­incredibly clear. Is this rocket science? No, iPhone displays have had this since iPhone 4, but not the bigger iPads.

You can now read an iPad more easily outdoors, although you’d still avoid brilliant sunshine.

On the Air 2, Apple has ditched the orientation switch that lets you freeze the display in either portrait or landscape mode. It’s now available when you swipe from the bottom of the screen. That will irk some.

The most obvious change is the inclusion of Apple’s Touch-ID, introduced with the iPhone 5S. You can now unlock the iPad using your registered thumb or fingerprint. And you’ll soon be able to log in to other apps using your fingerprint.

Dropbox has already updated its iOS app for Touch-ID log in. Unlike the iPhone 6 and 6 plus, the Air 2 doesn’t come with nearfield communication (NFC), so you can’t use it at shops to make payments using Apple Pay.

That’s no loss. I’d be using my credit card ahead of a 9.4-inch long iPad anyway.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using this iPad mainly for reading and watching videos. It has excellent battery life. I could watch video for more than 12 hours at about 75 per cent resolution before the juice ran out. Its most useful feature to me is a modification to the iOS 8 operating system that lets you make calls and send messages from your iPad when connected by Bluetooth to a modern iPhone.

Linking your iPad to your iPhone’s internet is now easy. I don’t see the point of buying a cellular version of the iPad; a WiFi one will do me.

The iPad Air 2 comes in grey, silver and gold. Sixteen gigabyte models cost more than equivalent Air versions did last year, but 128GB models are cheaper.

Rating: 8.5/10
Price: $619-$859 (WiFi only), $779-$1019 (WiFi+cellular)