The new iPad Air in an ultra-thin 10.5-inch design offers the Apple Pencil support. With the A12 Bionic chip with Apple's Neural Engine, the new iPad Air delivers a 70% boost in performance and twice the graphics capability, and the advanced Retina display with True Tone technology is nearly 20% larger with over half a million more pixels, according to the vendor. The Apple-designed Neural Engine of the A12 Bionic chip powers the next generation of apps and iPad workflows using advanced machine learning and Core ML for engaging AR experiences, photo-realistic effects in 3D games and graphics performance within apps. The new iPad Air features the same Wi-Fi performance and Gigabit?class LTE connectivity built into the iPad Pro models. With eSIM technology built in, users can connect to wireless data plans right from iPad when traveling in more than 180 countries around the world, according to Apple.

Samsung Electronics has announced mass production of the Exynos 7 Dual 727 mobile application processor (AP) designed specifically for wearable devices with 14nm FinFET process technology. Powered by two Cortex-A53 cores, the Exynos 7270 makes full use of the 14nm process, delivering 20% improvement in power efficiency when compared to its predecessor built on 28nm, and thus notably extending the battery life, Samsung said. By integrating Cat.4 LTE 2CA modem, the new AP allows wearables to connect to a cellular service as a stand-alone device. Tethering and data transfer between devices is also possible with its embedded WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. In addition, integrated connectivity capabilities support FM radio, and location-based services with GNSS (global navigation satellite system) solutions.

Samsung Electronics has begun mass production of Exynos 7 Quad 7570, the company's newest mobile application processor (AP) built on 14nm process technology for the budget smartphone market as well as other IoT devices. Last year, Samsung adopted advanced 14nm FinFET technology for its premium processors and has since expanded the adoption to other segments, bringing premium features to more affordable smart devices. Exynos 7570, with four Cortex-A53 cores in 14nm, delivers 70 improvements in CPU performance and 30% improvement in power efficiency when compared to its predecessor built on 28nm. The new Exynos also offers a fully connected mobile experience by integrating a Cat. 4 LTE 2CA modem and various connectivity solutions, such as WiFi, Bluetooth, FM radio and GNSS. Additionally, with design optimization and feature consolidation for components such as PMICs and RF functionalities, Exynos 7570 reduces the total chipset size by up to 20%, giving manufacturers better ability to craft slimmer smartphones, according to Samsung. It supports screen resolution up to WXGA, record and playback of videos in Full HD, and improved ISP (image signal processor) for 8Mp/13Mp front and back cameras.