Entry-level iPad refresh timeline and what’s changing

Apple’s most affordable iPad is reportedly lined up for a more meaningful update in the next few months, with changes that appear to go beyond a routine chip swap.

A report citing Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple has been on track since last year to launch a refreshed entry-level iPad in the first half of 2026. The expected window is tied to the iOS 26.4 release timeframe, which runs until May 2026.

A18 chip upgrade: faster performance and Apple Intelligence support

Moving from A16 to A18 in the baseline iPad

The rumored entry-level iPad would shift from the A16 chip to the newer A18 chip. That implies a speed boost, but the bigger practical impact is what the chip enables.

Apple Intelligence comes to the base iPad

With the A18 chip, the entry-level iPad is expected to support Apple Intelligence. Up to now, Apple’s AI feature set has been limited to higher-priced models like the iPad Air, iPad mini, and iPad Pro.

For budget-focused iPad buyers, this change matters because it opens access to Apple Intelligence capabilities that previously required stepping up to a more expensive iPad.

Apple Intelligence features mentioned for the entry-level iPad

If the A18-equipped entry-level iPad supports Apple Intelligence as expected, it would bring access to a set of AI-powered tools that includes:

  • Writing Tools
  • Smart Reply
  • Image Playground
  • Image Wand
  • Genmoji
  • Clean Up
  • Math Notes

Some of these features may feel less essential for everyday use (Image Playground and Image Wand are explicitly called out as potentially less useful), while others—like Writing Tools and Math Notes—are positioned as tools people could realistically use every day.

Why Apple Intelligence support matters for budget iPad buyers

What budget buyers have been missing

Because Apple Intelligence has been tied to more expensive iPads, a large number of entry-level shoppers have effectively been gated out of Apple’s AI feature set. The A18 shift changes that dynamic by bringing those tools to the baseline model.

Value proposition: more capability without moving up-market

The report frames this as a value upgrade: an A18-based iPad would feel faster, support Apple Intelligence features, and potentially deliver a stronger “money’s worth” equation for buyers choosing Apple’s cheapest iPad option.

Why the entry-level iPad upgrade may have been delayed

Planned alongside M4 iPad Air, but didn’t launch

Apple reportedly intended to release the new entry-level iPad alongside the M4 iPad Air, but it didn’t happen.

Possible reasons mentioned

The report lists several possible explanations for the delay:

  • Chip shortages
  • Not enough inventory depletion
  • Intentional marketing changes

Even with the delay, Gurman reportedly says the 12th-generation iPad is “ready to go” and expected to arrive this year.

Broader impact: Apple Intelligence expands to a wider iPad market

Bringing Apple Intelligence to the base iPad is described as a meaningful expansion for Apple’s AI ecosystem, because it would significantly broaden the addressable market by making those features available to more people—especially those shopping at the entry level.