Apple's iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3: in pictures

Apple has updated its iPad lineup by unveiling the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. Both of these build on the existing hardware by adding some new features already present on the iPhone line.

Let's take a look at the improvements.

As you'd expect, the new iPad Air 2 is thinner and lighter than its predecessor. It is 6.1mm thin, making it 18 percent thinner than the iPad Air, and a fraction lighter at 0.96 pounds.

Dimensions-wise, the iPad mini 3 is identical to the iPad mini 2.

While on the outside the 9.7-inch 2,048 by 1,536 display looks the same, internally there are some big differences. Three separate layers have been fused into one, making it thinner and giving it better colors and contrast.

The display on the iPad Air 2 also features antireflective coating, giving iPad Air 2 the least reflective display of any tablet.

The iPad mini 3 shares the same display specifications as the iPad mini 2.

On the inside the iPad Air 2 is powered by a new 64-bit A8X processor, based on the A8 found inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Also inside the iPad Air 2 is the M8 motion coprocessor, as fond inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Despite the faster hardware, the iPad Air 2 still delivers the same 10 hours of battery life currently offered by the existing iPad Air.

The iPad mini 3 continues to be powered by the A7 processor and M7 motion coprocessor.

Probably one of the most requested new features for the iPad has been Touch ID fingerprint sensor. This technology first appeared on the iPhone 5s and now finally comes to both the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3.

The new Apple SIM is preinstalled into iPad Air 2 with wi-fi + Cellular models and offers owners the flexibility to choose from a variety of short-term plans from select carriers in the U.S. and UK direct from the iPad Air 2. This allows users to choose the plan that works best for the with no long-term commitments. For travellers, it also means they will also be able to choose a data plan from a local carrier.

Participating carriers in the US and UK are AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and EE.

The iPad Air 2 features an updated 8-megapixel iSight camera with improved low-light capability. It also brings burst mode and slow-motion to the list of features it offers.

The iPad mini 3 shares the same camera as the iPad mini 2.

The new Apple SIM is preinstalled into iPad Air 2 with wi-fi + Cellular models and offers owners the flexibility to choose from a variety of short-term plans from select carriers in the U.S. and UK direct from the iPad Air 2. This allows users to choose the plan that works best for the with no long-term commitments. For travellers, it also means they will also be able to choose a data plan from a local carrier.

Yes, both the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 3 is available in the gold finish, along with silver and space gray.

The iPad Air 2 starts at $499 for the 16GB wi-fi model, with the 16GB wi-fi plus cellular starting at $629. For the iPad mini 3, the starting price is $399 for the 16GB wi-fi version, and $529 for the wi-fi plus cellular version.

64GB and 128GB options are available, for $100 and $200 extra respectively.