Leaner, meaner iPad faces tough competition

Apple introduced a faster, slimmer iPad Air 2 last night, tacking on modest improvements such as a fingerprint sensor to its mainstay tablet in time for what is expected to be a hotly contested Christmas market for mobile devices.

Pre-orders start today for the larger iPad Air 2, priced at $499 (€389) and up, with shipping beginning next week. The smaller iPad mini 3 will be $100 cheaper.

Marketing chief Phil Schiller, calling the larger tablet the world’s slimmest, described several new features such as an anti-reflective screen and confirmed the inclusion of the Touch ID sensor, already available on the latest iPhones.