As part of Apple’s product launch week earlier this month, many were expecting an update to Apple’s cheapest iPad, alongside the latest versions of the iPad Air, MacBook Neo, and other MacBooks. But the new base iPad never appeared, and the week came and went.
Now, Bloomberg’s Mark Garman has an update on the launch. And this product is still expected to be released relatively soon.
In today’s Power On newsletter, Mark Gurman provides an update on when a new version of Apple’s cheapest iPad will be released.
Since last year, Apple had planned to launch an updated version of its entry-level iPad in the first half of 2026. The product has long been on the roadmap for release within the iOS 26.4 window by May. The big change in the new model is the move from an A16 chip to an A18 chip. For better or worse, this means faster devices and devices that support Apple Intelligence.
The iOS 26.4 release cycle does not necessarily indicate exact months. However, given the fact that iOS 26.4 already reached release candidate stage last week, we’ll probably see the update debut by the end of this month.
As a result, the product will be released by the end of April, but depending on changes in the supply chain, it may be pushed back to May.
What’s new on iPad (A18)
The current base model iPad is powered by the A16 chip from the iPhone 14 Pro lineup. This new model, as the title suggests, is promoted to the A18 in the iPhone 16 lineup. This provides significant performance improvements, but more importantly, it introduces support for Apple Intelligence.
There will be little focus on Apple Intelligence by the release of iOS 26.5. With iOS 26.5, the company is expected to finally deliver on some of its key Siri promises from WWDC24. Nevertheless, this will bring AI capabilities to Apple’s cheapest iPad. This is one of the only products in Apple’s lineup that doesn’t have this feature.
Apple may also bring its C1 modem and N1 network chips to lower-priced iPads, but rumors on this point are less concrete.
Yes, for the most part, Apple’s A18 iPad refresh is just a chip upgrade.
summary
It doesn’t hurt that the new iPad is a minor refresh. Sure, it’s boring, but this product does its job very well.
That said, the MacBook Neo highlighted some pretty significant flaws in the base iPad. If you buy the Magic Keyboard Folio with the base iPad, you’ll pay a total of $598. That’s just $1 less than the MacBook Neo.
Even if there aren’t any major changes to the iPad itself, I’d like to see Apple pay a little more attention to the keyboard it releases with the iPad. A $349 iPad and $249 keyboard doesn’t seem very sensible.
What else do you expect from Apple’s cheapest iPad? Let us know in the comments.
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