Apple rolls out two new iPads with 64-bit processor

As expected, Apple announced today two new entries into its iPad line of touch tablets: an upgraded iPad mini and the new iPad Air, both built with Apple's 64-bit A7 processor. The A7 chip, previously included only in Apple's iPhone 5S, boasts "twice the CPU and graphics performance" over the previous iPad and supports OpenGL ES version 3.0. Both devices also come with the iPhone 5S's M7 motion coprocessor for tracking accelerometer, gyroscope and compass data. In addition to the A7 processor and M7 motion coprocessor, both iPads come equipped with a Retina display capable of 2048x1536 resolution, an iSight 5 megapixel camera, and are installed with the recently released iOS 7. The new iPad Air -- which like the Macbook Air comes with a slim form factor, around 20 percent thinner than a fourth generation iPad -- delivers on a 9.7 inch screen, while the iPad mini brings the same Retina display to a 7.9 inch screen. The iPad Air is expected on shelves on November 1st, while the iPad mini is expected later in the month. Prices for iPad Air range from $399 (16GB model) to $699 (128GB model) and prices for the new iPad mini will start at $529 (16GB with wi-fi and cellular). Additionally, the existing iPad mini has been dropped down to $299 for the 16GB wi-fi model.