Apple is working on a 12th-generation iPad, and plans to update the most affordable tablet in the iPad lineup next spring. It’s not going to be a major update, but if you’re planning a purchase, you might want to wait for the newest model.
Design
There are no rumors of an updated design for the 12th-generation iPad, so it will likely have the same 11-inch edge-to-edge display with Touch ID Side Button and thick bezels.
Apple last updated the iPad’s design with the 10th-generation model, giving the device a more modern look to better match the designs of the iPad Pro and iPad Air models.
The low-cost iPad is only available in a single screen size, and it is Apple’s thickest tablet at 7mm. It features a Retina LED display with no ProMotion support, no P3 wide color, and no lamination (display technology that allows for improved visuals) compared to Apple’s other tablets.
Apple makes the low-cost iPad in several fun colors, and we could see some new shades in 2026. Current colors include blue, pink, silver, and yellow.
No changes are expected for the rear camera, front camera, USB-C port, or compatibility with accessories like the Apple Pencil.
A-Series Processor
Rumors suggest the low-cost iPad will use Apple’s A18 chip, which is the chip that Apple used for the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16 Plus. It is built on a 3-nanometer process and it will offer speed and efficiency improvements over the A16 chip that’s in the current model.
The A16 chip that Apple used in 2025 does not support Apple Intelligence, but the A18 does, so that will mark a major update for Apple’s affordable tablet. The 2026 model should be able to support Apple Intelligence features that are unavailable with the 2025 model.
The A18 also offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing and similar features for improved gameplay.
The 11th-generation iPad has 6GB RAM, but Apple will need to bump that up to 8GB for Apple Intelligence.
N1 Chip
Apple debuted its own Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, called the N1, in the iPhone 17 models. The N1 was added to the iPad Pro, and it’s likely that Apple plans to add the chip to all future devices coming in 2026 and beyond.
The N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking technology for smart home devices.
The 11th-generation iPad is limited to Wi-Fi 6, so if the 12th-generation version does indeed get Wi-Fi 7, it will be able to connect to faster 6GHz networks for the first time. Bluetooth 6 would also be an improvement over Bluetooth 5.3.
Apple Modem
Apple has designed C1 and C1X modem chips that it has used in iPhones and iPads in 2025, and the next-generation version of the iPad could also get an Apple-designed modem chip for cellular models.
Apple’s modem chips are more power efficient than Qualcomm chips while providing similar performance.
Pricing
The 11th-generation iPad is priced starting at $349 for 128GB of storage, and there are so far no indications that pricing is going to change for the 12th-generation model.
Launch Date
Apple plans to release the new low-cost iPad in spring 2026, which is a timeframe that spans from March 20 to June 20. The launch will likely come sometime in March or April, with Apple also set to update the iPad Air.
