Apple unveils insanely thin iPad Air

As expected, Apple today unveiled their newest model in the iPad family – the iPad Air, a 9.7-inch Retina display tablet featuring a new thinner and lighter design.

The latest model sheds some weight, checking in at just one pound and 7.5mm in thickness. Comparatively, the iPad Air is 20-percent thinner and 28-percent lighter than the fourth generation iPad. The borders of the iPad Air are also thinner with a 43-percent narrower bezel.

On the inside, the iPad Air boasts the powerful A7 chip (same as the iPhone 5s) with 64-bit desktop-class architecture, ultrafast wireless with built-in Wi-Fi and expanded LTE cellular connectivity, and the newly-designed iOS 7. The power-efficient chip allows for a smaller battery with a 10-hour battery life.

The iPad Air with Wi-Fi models will be available in silver or "space gray" starting on Friday, November 1st. Below is the pricing breakdown:

• 16GB: $499
• 32GB: $599
• 64GB: $699
• 128GB: $799

The iPad Air with Wi-Fi + Cellular will also be available on November 1st for the following prices:

• 16GB: $629
• 32GB: $729
• 64GB: $829
• 128GB: $929

As a result of the new announcement, the iPad 2's price will drop to $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and $529 for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G model.