Apple iPad Air 2 release date: The iOS 8-powered flagship tablet of Apple is here and it’s now being heralded as the world’s thinnest tablet to date with a thickness of only 0.24-inch. Other specs of the slab include Apple’s A8X processor and updated 8MP camera with time-lapse.

The iPad Air 2 will be available on October 24 but can be pre-ordered by Friday, October 17.

According to Phone Arena, the iPad Air 2 features a 9.7-inch display, the same size as before, but the screen have been laminated. The LCD, cover glass, and touch sensor have been optically fused, creating a very slim profile for the device.

Gizmodo notes that the iPad Air 2 is “faster and thinner (and golder) than ever” as the device is als now available in gold.

The iPad Air 2 also has a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, a key addition to the gadget. The Verge noted that with the new feature, developers can now allow authentication and payment within apps. The Touch ID on the iPad Air 2 will allow users to use Apple Pay for puchases within apps and for physical goods, Apple says. There’s no NFC in the iPad Air 2, “so no tapping iPad Airs at point of sale,” reminds Gizmodo.

The A8X processor under the hood of the new iPad Air will allow you up to 10 hours of battery life.

Below are the pricing and variants of the iPad Air 2 which will begin shipping next week.

16GB iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi/LTE: $499/$629
64GB iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi/LTE: $599/$729
128GB iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi/LTE: $699/$829

The iPad Air 2 is the sixth iteration of the iOS-powered tablet and comes with the iOS 8.1 out of the box. Apple’s brand of tablets is considered the best-selling in the world and is deemed the premium standard for its category, with the first iPad released in 2010 as the first of its kind to be available and widely-received for the mainstream market.