Amazon US began offering Apple’s 11-inch “iPad Air M4” (Wi-Fi, 128GB) at $649 on September 25, marking a $100 discount from its regular price of $749. The Space Gray model is eligible, allowing buyers to purchase it at a lower price than through Apple’s own retail stores.
The sale is positioned as an early discount ahead of Prime Day. Since discounts on Apple products are not offered frequently, the window before the sale ends is limited. Prime Day refers to Amazon US’s major sales event; the equivalent event in Japan is “Prime Appreciation Sale,” which will run from October 16 to 19 in 2026 (with early access sales starting October 13).
Apple raised prices on June 25, 2026, primarily for Macs and iPads, across Japan and other markets worldwide. The 11-inch iPad Air (M4, Wi-Fi, 128GB) went from $599 to $749 in the US, and from ¥98,800 to ¥129,800 in Japan. The increases were driven by soaring component prices amid surging demand for memory and storage, as data center construction for generative AI accelerates worldwide.
ItemUSJapanAt launch in March 2026$599¥98,800After June 25, 2026 price revision$749¥129,800Current Amazon deal price$649No discount
Compared with the list price before the June revision, the current deal price of $649 is still $50 higher. The $100 discount only partially rolls back the price increases accumulated over the past six months.
This discount does not apply in Japan. Amazon Japan is selling the 11-inch iPad Air (M4, Wi-Fi, 128GB) at ¥129,800, the same price as Apple’s own store, with no direct price reduction like the one in the US. In the US, Best Buy has matched the discount at a similar level, with discounts across the series reaching up to $149.
The eligible model features an 11-inch Liquid Retina display. Equipped with technologies including P3 wide color, True Tone, and ultra-low reflectivity, it delivers sharp, eye-friendly image quality for everything from video viewing to browsing, note-taking, reading, and video calls.
The front camera is a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera. It automatically tracks subjects during video calls, making it well-suited for online meetings and calls with family. The rear features a 12-megapixel wide-angle camera capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos.
In terms of performance, the M4 chip handles a wide range of tasks, from everyday use to demanding workloads. The design minimizes performance degradation even when running multiple apps simultaneously, reducing stress in multitasking scenarios.
The device also natively supports Apple’s AI feature suite, “Apple Intelligence,” providing access to various tools that assist with writing, editing, data organization, communication, and creative work.
For peripherals, pairing with the Apple Pencil enables use as a digital notebook, while connecting a Magic Keyboard transforms it into a compact yet practical laptop.
The sale also includes a bonus for new buyers: up to three months of free access to three services — Apple Arcade, Fitness+, and News+.
Colors other than Space Gray are also available, though prices may vary by color.
Apple products are generally sold at list price, and discount opportunities themselves are limited. A $100 discount on the recently released M4-equipped model is particularly unusual, making this a moment that consumers who have been considering a purchase should not miss.