Will an iPad Air Case Fit on the iPad Air 2?

With the iPad Air 2 officially out, many users who owned an iPad Air in the past might be looking to upgrade (or already have), but one big question that may be on your mind is whether or not an iPad Air case will work with the iPad Air 2.

Whether you’re upgrading to the iPad Air 2 and want to continue to use your old iPad Air case or just find the current iPad Air case selection to be better, it’s important to know whether or not an iPad Air case will work with Apple’s latest flagship tablet.

The simple answer is: it depends on what iPad Air case you’re wanting to buy.

While you might think that both tablets are the exact same size, the iPad Air 2 is actually just slightly slimmer than the iPad Air, but other than, they’re essentially the same. However, that difference in thickness can drastically change how the newer tablet fits in older cases.

Several Reddit users have chimed in providing their experiences with mixed results. Overall, it seems that basic iPad Air cases will fit the iPad Air 2 just fine, while more advanced iPad Air cases that are meant to fit the tablet more firmly won’t work with the newer iPad Air 2.

One users says that most iPad Air cases where the tablet’s four corners slip under four clips can still hold the iPad Air 2 firmly.

However, thickness isn’t the only cosmetic change that the iPad Air 2 underwent. It turns out that the camera hole of the iPad Air 2 won’t line up with an iPad Air case because they’ve been moved slightly, and the microphone is now next to it. Furthermore, the volume buttons have moved and there isn’t a mute switch anymore.

Read: iPad Air 2 vs iPad Air: Which One Should You Buy?

Of course, this really only applies to iPad Air cases that completely cover up the iPad and have small holes cut out for the camera and the buttons. For cases that have an opened presentation without cut-out holes, the iPad Air 2 seems to work just fine in these kinds of iPad Air cases.

If it’s Apple’s own offerings that you’re looking at, the Smart Cover for the iPad Air will work great with the iPad Air 2, but the Apple Smart Case for the iPad Air won’t work with the company’s latest tablet, as it consists not only of the Smart Cover but a tight-fitting case that fits around the tablet.

The iPad Air 2 remains largely unchanged from the previous generation as far as looks are concerned, save for the new Home button which now comes with Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor, which is probably one of the biggest features on the new iPad.

The iPad Air 2 is also lighter and thinner than the iPad Air, mostly thanks to Apple getting rid of the “air gap” in the display that has existed on every iPad model before this. With that air gap gone, the tablet can be thinner and also reduce light glare. The front glass and the actual display are now bonded together, just like the Microsoft Surface, allowing Apple to make the device thinner without sacrificing a lot of internal space.

Of course, the flagship tablet come with performance improvements across the board, including the new A8X processor, which is a 64-bit chip that offers 2.5x faster GPU performance and 40% faster CPU performance than the A7 processor that’s in the iPad Air. The iPad Air 2 also comes with the new M8 motion processor, just like in the iPhone 6.

We wouldn’t say it’s a worthy upgrade for iPad Air owners, but those with older iPad models may want to hop on board if they’re thinking about upgrading soon. The selection of iPad Air 2 cases isn’t ideal just yet, but give it time and more case manufacturers will release a slew of different case options for the new tablet.