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New iPad Air ok to read in direct sunlight?

I would love to read books on my iPad but it's currently impossible in direct sunlight. Have they fixed this in the new iPadAir? It mentions an anti-reflective coating

iPad Air Wi-Fi, Cellular

Posted on Mar 22, 2022 7:31 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Mar 23, 2022 6:03 PM

In addition to reflections from the iPad screen, in part mitigated by anti-reflective coatings, the principal problem with attempting to use your iPad (and for many LCD-based screen) in direct sun is that of insufficient screen brightness.


Most LCD backlight panels, used in computing devices, cannot produce sufficient light to be visible when used in particularly bright ambient lighting conditions - such as bright sunlight. The most recent models of iPad Pro, featuring miniLED backlights, do have capabilities to produce much brighter screen images, but at the expense of considerably reduced battery life. Additionally, the much brighter backlight cannot be sustained for long periods due to increased heat generation.


While some low resolution LCD screens use retro-reflective screens, which are visible in sunlight, these are rarely used with tablet computers.

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Mar 23, 2022 6:03 PM in response to Lorrie Stapleton

In addition to reflections from the iPad screen, in part mitigated by anti-reflective coatings, the principal problem with attempting to use your iPad (and for many LCD-based screen) in direct sun is that of insufficient screen brightness.


Most LCD backlight panels, used in computing devices, cannot produce sufficient light to be visible when used in particularly bright ambient lighting conditions - such as bright sunlight. The most recent models of iPad Pro, featuring miniLED backlights, do have capabilities to produce much brighter screen images, but at the expense of considerably reduced battery life. Additionally, the much brighter backlight cannot be sustained for long periods due to increased heat generation.


While some low resolution LCD screens use retro-reflective screens, which are visible in sunlight, these are rarely used with tablet computers.

New iPad Air ok to read in direct sunlight?

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