Apple is readying an incredibly important upgrade for the iPad 12. At least, that’s what leaked code revealed by MacRumors suggests. According to the publication, the next base model iPad will feature the A18 chip — the same chip that powers the base iPhone 16 models.
If that turns out to be accurate, this would mean that not only is Apple bringing an improved processor to its more affordable tablet, but that it’s also giving it 8GB of RAM. These two upgrades alone would make the standard iPad close to on par with the rest of the lineup, and Apple Intelligence would only be one small part of the new possibilities for the tablet.
With the iPhone 16 processor and 8GB of RAM, this tablet will be able to better handle multitasking features, including speedier editing capabilities. This would be especially useful with the upcoming iPadOS 26 and the new window tiling experience. As for education, the arrival of Apple Intelligence could assist students with features like Image Playground and Writing Tools.
iPad mini takes a leap forward
In addition to a new iPad 12, Apple is also preparing an iPad mini 8 update with the A19 Pro chip. If true, this device will feature the same processor as the iPhone 17 Pro models. Still, there’s a possibility that this tablet has at least one fewer GPU core, which is a compromise Apple sometimes makes when moving processors between devices.
A previous Omdia report suggests Apple might also add an OLED display to the iPad mini 8, which could be available as early as 2026. With the current iPad mini being released in October 2024, an update will likely see the light of day sometime between fall 2025 and spring 2026.
That said, even if Apple adds an OLED display, we haven’t heard much else about design changes or possible new features. Bloomberg previously said that Apple has a goal to make all of its products thinner, so the next iPad mini could be thinner while also adding power.
