New Low-Cost iPad Coming Next Week: What to Expect

[MacRumors]

One of the new products that we could see next week is a refreshed version of the low-cost iPad. As with the iPad Air, we're not expecting major changes, but it is expected to get some meaningful internal upgrades.

Design

The 12th-generation iPad isn't going to get a design update this year, and we're expecting it to 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. It's still a relatively new design, and Apple doesn't update the low-cost iPad's chassis often.

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 LCD display with no ProMotion support, no P3 wide color, and no lamination (display technology that cuts down on glare, provides a more responsive feel, and allows for a thinner size) 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

The low-cost iPad will likely be equipped with Apple's A19 chip, which is the chip that Apple used for the iPhone 17. 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 A19 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 A19 also offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing for gaming improvements. The 11th-generation iPad has 6GB RAM, but Apple will need to bump that up to 8GB for Apple Intelligence.

N1 Chip

Apple introduced 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 possible 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 gets 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. There is a chance that Apple is reserving the N1 chip for its more premium devices, based on leaked internal code. If that's the case, the iPad won't include the N1 chip.

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 will likely launch the low-cost iPad sometime next week, just ahead of the Special Experience planned for March 4.

Article Link: New Low-Cost iPad Coming Next Week: What to Expect

 

[turbineseaplane]

Long live the un-laminated screens.

I do wish these still had 3.5mm jacks though.

 

[segfaultdotorg]

They're bringing back the Lightning connector! PTL!

 

[M4irmidnight]

Long live the un-laminated screens.

I do wish these still had 3.5mm jacks though.

That’s literally the only thing I wanted to see with this iPad .

I’ve been around the world with iPads , from from air 2 to iPad Pro 11 2018 to m4 11 to mini 7. The conclusion I’ve came to is that iPad is only as good as its lowest model. The OS has to run on it as good as a m5. Was really thinking of getting this but non laminated screen in 2026 is a bit crazy to me.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The conclusion I’ve came to is that iPad is only as good as its lowest model.

Other than my love for the iPad Mini form factor, I agree with you.

The Mac Mini M4 and the lowest end normal sized iPads are the best values of all that Apple sells.

 

[TheBeverage]

Weren't the latest rumors for the A18?

 

[M4irmidnight]

Other than my love for the iPad Mini form factor, I agree with you.

The Mac Mini M4 and the lowest end normal sized iPads are the best values of all that Apple sells.

No hate for the mini here! For its price point , I’d like to see 120hz or OLED. But it’s a great little device . I just couldn’t find a use case for it so I gifted it.

I love my m4 air 13 inch. Got it on sale, loved it ever since. Briefly updated to Tahoe then reverted ha!

 

[turbineseaplane]

Briefly updated to Tahoe then reverted ha!

Sure is nice to be able to!

I suspect it'd be a MASS of folks downgrading iPhones/iPads if they were able to. I have totally "normie" family members who complain about aspects of 26/Liquid Glass routinely, still, months into it.

 

[M4irmidnight]

Sure is nice to be able to!

I suspect it'd be a MASS of folks downgrading iPhones/iPads if they were able to. I have totally "normie" family members who complain about aspects of 26/Liquid Glass routinely, still, months into it.

I really like some aspects of it. Others not so much , main reason for downgrading was lack of stability and wonky stuff like windowing corners . It appears made for touch for the upcoming pros, but that’s useless to me on my air.

I really wish apple had tried a modern take on iOS 6. Could’ve been so good.

 

[Andres Cantu]

Laminated screen will probably happen once the iPad Air switches to OLED.

It's kind of crazy though that the iPad Air 2 in 2014 had a laminated screen, 12 years ago. I know it's the budget iPad, but still.

 

[Geekett]

Don’t buy this iPad with such a crap ultra reflective display, eye killer

 

[Mike82]

It will definitely not have an A19 chip.

 

[kalsta]

… or compatibility with accessories like the Apple Pencil

Yep, as usual, Apple Pencil Pro buyers beware.

Apple doesn’t just lock you in to the Apple ecosystem anymore by limiting compatibility with other brands—they lock you in to subset product categories by limiting compatibility with their own products!

 

[M4irmidnight]

Don’t buy this iPad with such a crap ultra reflective display, eye killer

That bad on the 11th gen huh?

 

[EugW]

That bad on the 11th gen huh?

Dunno about the 11th gen, but our iPad 9 with non-laminated screen is fine. We put a screen protector on that iPad too so even if it did have an anti-reflective coating, it would be useless anyway since the screen protector isn't anti-reflective. No complaints.

The iPad 12th gen will be a good replacement to our kids' iPad Air 2s. It's been a good run (with an interim battery replacement). These new iPads will have AI support and as a bonus, hardware AV1 decode too.

 

[darngooddesign]

Yep, as usual, Apple Pencil Pro buyers beware.

Apple doesn’t just lock you in to the Apple ecosystem anymore by limiting compatibility with other brands—they lock you in to subset product categories by limiting compatibility with their own products!

Three out of the four iPads lines or five out of the six iPad models they sell is hardly a subset.

If this bothers you there are 3rd party pencils/crayons you can buy which even work with the magnetic charging pad on the Airs, Pros, and Mini.

 

[kalsta]

Three out of the four iPads lines or five out of the six iPad models they sell is hardly a subset.

If this bothers you there are bunch of 3rd party pencils/crayons you can buy which even work with the magnetic charging pad on the Airs, Pros, and Mini.

Uh, you might want to look up the definition of ’subset’—it doesn’t imply the size of the set.

Look, Apple Pencil updates and backwards compatibility have been an absolute mess if you look at the broader history. It’s settled down a bit now into two incompatible product ranges, but I still question that. Maybe there’s a good technical reason why they did it this way, but the more cynical side of me suspects its about moneymaking—an attempt to push buyers up to higher-priced products when they would otherwise be happy with the entry level ones.

 

[darngooddesign]

Uh, you might want to look up the definition of ’subset’—it doesn’t imply the size of the set.

Fair enough, but saying subset, without saying small or large, sounds worse than saying “locks you into almost all of the iPads”.

 

[Nyx1]

Come on Apple atleast mini LED instead OLED with pro motion

 

[Abydos]

right: a set is a subset of itself so no matter how you cut as long as element of the original set is included in your new set its a subset. then again no complaint about lack of promotion, screen brightness etc. I'm disappointed

 

[turbineseaplane]

New Low-Cost iPad Coming Next Week: What to Expect​

What to expect?
"Not much"

 

[kalsta]

locks you into almost all of the iPads

Yes, so clearly we each have slightly biased ways of wording it. 😉

 

[darngooddesign]

Yes, so clearly we each have slightly biased ways of wording it. 😉

Five out of six is almost all of them.

But even if I change it to "Most of them" my point still stands.

 

[AlanMarron]

Long live the un-laminated screens.

I do wish these still had 3.5mm jacks though.

Because the battery on my iPad Air M2 is quite tired, I’ve been using my almost new iPad Gen 9 with iPadOS 26.4 dev2.

1. iPadOS 26 has become tolerable
2. I don’t mind the unlamented, shiny screen
3. The 3.5 jack is quite handy with a small speaker, without the oddities of Bluetooth

Maybe I’ll pick up an 11 if they’re being blown out. I don’t have Ai enabled on my Air, so I won’t miss it. Or just stick with my 9.

 

[ikramerica]

One of the new products that we could see next week is a refreshed version of the low-cost iPad. As with the iPad Air, we're not expecting major changes, but it is expected to get some meaningful internal upgrades.

Design

The 12th-generation iPad isn't going to get a design update this year, and we're expecting it to 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. It's still a relatively new design, and Apple doesn't update the low-cost iPad's chassis often.

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 LCD display with no ProMotion support, no P3 wide color, and no lamination (display technology that cuts down on glare, provides a more responsive feel, and allows for a thinner size) 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

The low-cost iPad will likely be equipped with Apple's A19 chip, which is the chip that Apple used for the iPhone 17. 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 A19 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 A19 also offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing for gaming improvements. The 11th-generation iPad has 6GB RAM, but Apple will need to bump that up to 8GB for Apple Intelligence.

N1 Chip

Apple introduced 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 possible 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 gets 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. There is a chance that Apple is reserving the N1 chip for its more premium devices, based on leaked internal code. If that's the case, the iPad won't include the N1 chip.

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 will likely launch the low-cost iPad sometime next week, just ahead of the Special Experience planned for March 4.

Article Link: New Low-Cost iPad Coming Next Week: What to Expect

See, I don’t get why the iPad gets an A19 but the MacBook would only get an A18, even if it’s a pro. The laptop is basically an iPad with a built in magic keyboard, in terms of complexity and costs.