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Apple Leak Confirms A18 Chip for Next Low-Cost iPad Model

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Apple is developing a new low-cost iPad powered by an A18 chip, according to code references accidentally disclosed by the company yesterday.

11th-gen-ipad-blue.jpeg

The finding builds on a previous report by Bloomberg that indicated Apple plans to launch a 12th generation entry-level iPad in the spring of 2026. The device is expected to maintain the current design while incorporating the faster processor.

The current 11-inch iPad features an A16 chip and starts at $349. The A18 chip currently powers the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16 Plus, so it will bring significant performance improvements over the A16, which debuted in the iPhone 14 Pro. The chip includes a 16-core Neural Engine designed for AI workloads, which would enable Apple Intelligence features on the budget device.

Apple released the current entry-level iPad in March 2024. The company usually updates its budget tablet annually in the first half of the year, although the exact release timing has varied.

Article Link: Apple Leak Confirms A18 Chip for Next Low-Cost iPad Model
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2025/08/14/new-low-cost-ipad-feature-a18-chip/
Good to see the entry level model also being updated frequently. Hoping to see the same bright colors. It is a vey good tablet and discounts should be there a few months after release.
 
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A lot of rumors.

Will we have a MacBook SE or an iPad SE?

I like the idea of a MacBook SE with an A18 processor but with the body of the 12” MacBook. It fits well if you want a really good battery life with a good portability.

The thing is that the 12” retina was aiming a really high price for a premium portable laptop so I don’t see Apple reducing that "premium factor" and change it for a "low cost" approach. But in the meantime, I don’t see a reason for a 13" MacBook if you already have an Air variant going anywhere and being very popular..

I think Apple is doing a lot of weird things this days. I think since the MacBook are not that slice of cake like the iPhone, they are pushing more and more devices to non Apple user and with that, they are trying to go all to services and iPhones. Those subscriptions, that new MacBooks comes with a new iPhone, etc. I don’t know, something like that
 
RaoulCapano said:
That is nice, but what they need to do is fix the air gap in the display. Once you've used any other model (or tablet) that has a quality display, the base iPad's looks pretty bad.
Click to expand...
I think they don’t for two reasons: 1) laminating is somewhat expensive, 2) it’s cheaper to repair non-laminated displays and given the mass orders that schools take and other organizations it’s cheaper for them should a repair be needed.
 
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aParkerMusic said:
Buy one with better specs then. This one is for people who want to save money and are willing to compromise on the lower quality display....
Click to expand...

I have the iPad Mini 7 and have had other tablets in the product line, including one of these base models in the past. For them to improve the display isn't going to kick it up into another pricing tier.
 
Valve1138 said:
The same A18 they’ll use in the rumored low cost laptop? And probably the next Apple TV?

Get a lot of bang for your buck out of that one chip.
Click to expand...

The Apple TV will be getting the A17 PRO. I am a bit surprised they didn’t do the A18 like the other low cost devices. The A18 also matches up with the 3 years update cycle over the A15 in the existing Apple TV.

Now Apple needs to support an older processor for a longer period of time with the Apple TV. I wonder what was behind that decision.
 
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RaoulCapano said:
That is nice, but what they need to do is fix the air gap in the display. Once you've used any other model (or tablet) that has a quality display, the base iPad's looks pretty bad.
Click to expand...
The air gap in the display makes repairs cheaper for consumers or education institutions that deploy the base iPad. There is nothing wrong with the base iPad's display. I'm typing this on a 2015 15" MacBook Pro whose displaystill looks great after 10 years of use. If you're not old enough to remember B&W SDTVs then I'm sure my last statement sounds crazy, but I just don't see (sorry) about OLED. My iphone 15 Plus screen just fatigues my eyes quicker.
 
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svish said:
Good to see the entry level model also being updated frequently. Hoping to see the same bright colors. It is a vey good tablet and discounts should be there a few months after release.
Click to expand...

I don't have a 10th or 11th gen ipad, but it seems to me that the displays are definitely better than the 9th gen and previous generations. It looked to me that the gap is much narrower than older generations. It is still noticeable and worse than ipad air, but better than before. But maybe I'm mistaken since I've compared those only in shops.
 
aParkerMusic said:
Buy one with better specs then. This one is for people who want to save money and are willing to compromise on the lower quality display....
Click to expand...

The problem is with that even a bargain bin Amazon comes with a laminated display. I'm happy to compromise with things display technology (IPS, colour gamut etc) and max brightness but not the lack of lamination.
 
nymphe said:
I don't have a 10th or 11th gen ipad, but it seems to me that the displays are definitely better than the 9th gen and previous generations. It looked to me that the gap is much narrower than older generations. It is still noticeable and worse than ipad air, but better than before. But maybe I'm mistaken since I've compared those only in shops.
Click to expand...

It's very notable compared to the Air or even a bargain bin Amazon tablet. The iPad looks almost like a mirror in comparison, reflections are awful
 
Add max 15% more money and you get second hand 2024 mini.
Base Ipad is cool money/value, I am not inclined into buying new anymore.
 
tomtad said:
It's very notable compared to the Air or even a bargain bin Amazon tablet. The iPad looks almost like a mirror in comparison, reflections are awful
Click to expand...
For the kids’ iPads I always put screen protectors on them anyway so it’s moot.

The reflectivity is dependent upon the screen protector. It doesn’t really matter what’s underneath.

However, indoors without direct light on it, the reflections are not an issue.
 
Valve1138 said:
The same A18 they’ll use in the rumored low cost laptop? And probably the next Apple TV?

Get a lot of bang for your buck out of that one chip.
Click to expand...
Rumors are pointing to the entry level MacBook getting the A18 Pro (which is currently only in the iPhone 16 Pros), while the base iPad and the Apple TV would most likely get the standard A18 (which is currently in the iPhone 16 and 16e). They are pretty similar but the A18 Pro has an extra GPU core as well as more cache.
 
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The A18 should have been released in this year's base iPad, so it's good to see they are bringing the base iPad up to date with a more modern processor that is very capable. Hopefully they also bump the RAM up to 8GB.

RaoulCapano said:
That is nice, but what they need to do is fix the air gap in the display. Once you've used any other model (or tablet) that has a quality display, the base iPad's looks pretty bad.
Click to expand...
I have the new base iPad. It's great for what it is. If someone wants a better display, they can get an iPad Air or iPad Pro
 
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UltimaKilo said:
The A18 should have been released in this year's base iPad, so it's good to see they are bringing the base iPad up to date with a more modern processor that is very capable. Hopefully they also bump the RAM up to 8GB.
Click to expand...
This is classic Apple. Gimp the initial release of a new design in some way, rationing the feature set for subsequent iterations. I’m expecting the next iteration of the iPad to have 8 GB RAM and A18.

UltimaKilo said:
I have the new base iPad. It's great for what it is. If someone wants a better display, they can get an iPad Air or iPad Pro
Click to expand...
For my preferences, the iPad Air doesn’t really make sense. It’s either the base iPad or else the iPad Pro. The iPad is a decent entry level machine, aside from the missing AI and Photos Cleanup support. If you want a serious upgrade though, the next step up for me is the iPad Pro. The iPad Air has neither OLED nor Face ID, and starts with 128 GB storage like the base iPad, vs. 256 GB on the base iPad Pro. The iPad Air seems to me to be in an awkward middle ground that isn’t very compelling, but YMMV.

I guess if you must have AI and don’t want to spend money on the iPad Pro, the iPad Air can make sense, but not for me.
 
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As a shareholder i love how they use leftover batches A-chips to power new products. The production cost already lowered with approx 60% and asking a premium for new products with aged tech.
 
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