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Apple Leak Confirms A18 Chip for Next Low-Cost iPad Model
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Finally can play AAA games on a cheap iPad!
Apple is developing a new low-cost iPad powered by an A18 chip, according to code references accidentally disclosed by the company yesterday.
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
Apple should have give the entry level iPad A17 Pro chip, now they made it the only device who don't have apple intelligence access after the feature was released.
Apple Intelligence is rather light and you can download Gemini, Grok or ChatGPT on the base iPad. The A17, while it was and remains capable, is unlikely to be able to perform more taxing on-device AI tasks by 2027 or 2028, whereby Apple may still be selling this upcoming iPad sporting an A18, especially of they bump the RAM of the base Odell up to 8GB, which I suspect is coming in the next iPad.Apple should have give the entry level iPad A17 Pro chip, now they made it the only device who don't have apple intelligence access after the feature was released.
This would make the next device much more capable than any base iPad released to date, especially for students and casual users. In fact, it could even be a great complimentary iPad to something like the Mac Mini user who takes an occasional work trip and splurges on the keyboard now that iPad OS 26 has made the iPad more “grown up”.