M1, SingTel & Starhub to offer Apple's new iPad Air 2 and mini 3 in late Oct

SINGAPORE - M1, SingTel and StarHub will offer Apple's new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 tablets later this month, the telcos said in statements on Friday.

While pricing and data plans were not yet released, the telcos said the 4G LTE devices will be able to connect to the telcos' ultra-fast networks.

At 6.1mm, Apple said the iPad Air 2 is 18 per cent thinner than its predecessor and is "the world's thinnest tablet".

The aluminium-body tablet uses a new A8X processor, and boasts up to 10 hours of battery life. It weighs 435g and has twin cameras capable of producing high-definition videos.

The new tablet comes with a more powerful processor that delivers livelier graphics, improved battery life and Touch ID, the fingerprint unlock system that Apple introduced last year on its iPhones.

Apple also upgraded its smaller tablet, called the iPad Mini 3, which will also have the Touch ID system.

Consumers can already order the new devices from Apple's online store. According to The Straits Times, prices start from $688 for the 16GB Wi-Fi version of the iPad Air 2, and from $548 for the equivalent version of the iPad mini 3.

Apple will cut prices for the current iPad models, reported AFP.

maryanns@sph.com.sg