The last Apple device without AI support is finally getting its upgrade, and it could be just weeks away.
Apple has been on a product tear this month — new MacBook Airs, MacBook Pros, an iPhone 17e, a brand-new MacBook Neo, and refreshed iPad Air models have all landed in March alone. But one notable gap remains in the lineup: the entry-level iPad. While Apple has updated a wide range of products and accessories this month, there is still no iPad 12 with Apple Intelligence support. MacRumors That’s about to change.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, an iPad with an A18 chip for Apple Intelligence is “ready to go” and “still coming this year.” MacRumors And the wait may not be long. The product has been on Apple’s road map for a release in the iOS 26.4 timeframe, which runs until May. 9to5Mac
The Last Holdout Gets Its AI Moment
The entry-level iPad is the last mainline product Apple sells that doesn’t support Apple Intelligence — it follows the iPad mini, which does, thanks to its use of the A17 Pro. AppleInsider The upcoming refresh is set to close that gap for good.
The big change to the new model is a move from the A16 to the A18 chip, which means a faster device and one that supports Apple Intelligence. 9to5Mac The A18 chip will also bring another benefit to the iPad: 8GB of RAM, up from the 6GB found in the current A16 model. 9to5Mac
Beyond raw power, the chip upgrade has wider implications for the software experience. Apple Intelligence support will unlock all of the existing AI features in iPadOS 26, but also upcoming ones like Siri’s long-awaited improvements. 9to5Mac
What Else Is Changing?
Outside of the silicon swap, don’t expect a dramatic redesign. No other major changes have been rumored so far for the iPad 12, so the device is expected to have the same overall design as the current model. MacRumors
One under-the-hood addition to watch for is connectivity. Another potential change is Apple’s new N1 wireless chip — first launched with the iPhone 17 — which enables Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread. 9to5Mac Cellular models may also see the inclusion of Apple’s in-house C1 modem, though that detail remains unconfirmed.
When Can You Expect It?
Given that iOS 26.4 has already reached release candidate stage, the updated iPad could debut by the end of March, leaving all of April as a likely launch window — though it could slip into May depending on supply chain variables. 9to5Mac Either way, Bloomberg notes that the new entry-level iPad hardware is already complete and ready. Gizbot
The MacBook Neo Problem
The A18 iPad’s arrival also arrives with a fresh pricing headache. Consumers looking to pair the $349 budget tablet with the $249 Magic Keyboard Folio are staring down a total cost of $598 — just one dollar shy of Apple’s newly launched entry-level laptop, the MacBook Neo. Hypebeast That tight margin is forcing a real conversation about what “budget” really means in Apple’s ecosystem, and whether a fully accessorized iPad still makes sense at that price.
For now though, the headline is clear: Apple’s most accessible tablet is finally getting the AI treatment, and it’s coming very soon.
