12th-Generation iPad: Release Date, Specs, and Everything We Know About Apple's 2026 Budget Tablet

Apple is moving connected a 12th-generation iPad, and plans to update the astir affordable tablet successful the ‌iPad‌ lineup adjacent spring. It's not going to beryllium a large update, but if you're readying a purchase, you mightiness privation to hold for the newest model.

Design

There are nary rumors of an updated plan for the 12th-generation ‌iPad‌, truthful it volition apt person the aforesaid 11-inch edge-to-edge show with Touch ID Side Button and heavy bezels.

Apple past updated the ‌iPad‌'s plan with the 10th-generation model, giving the instrumentality a much modern look to amended lucifer the designs of the iPad Pro and iPad Air models.

The low-cost ‌iPad‌ is lone disposable successful a azygous surface size, and it is Apple's thickest tablet astatine 7mm. It features a Retina LED show with nary ProMotion support, nary P3 wide color, and nary lamination (display exertion that allows for improved visuals) compared to Apple's different tablets.

Apple makes the low-cost ‌iPad‌ successful respective amusive colors, and we could spot immoderate caller shades successful 2026. Current colors see blue, pink, silver, and yellow.

No changes are expected for the rear camera, beforehand camera, USB-C port, oregon compatibility with accessories similar the Apple Pencil.

A-Series Processor

Rumors suggest the low-cost ‌iPad‌ volition usage Apple's A18 chip, which is the spot that Apple utilized for the iPhone 16e, iPhone 16, and ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus. It is built connected a 3-nanometer process and it volition connection velocity and ratio improvements implicit the A16 spot that's successful the existent model.

The A16 spot that Apple utilized successful 2025 does not enactment Apple Intelligence, but the A18 does, truthful that volition people a large update for Apple's affordable tablet. The 2026 exemplary should beryllium capable to enactment ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features that are unavailable with the 2025 model.

The A18 besides offers hardware-accelerated ray tracing and akin features for improved gameplay.

The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ has 6GB RAM, but Apple volition request to bump that up to 8GB for ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

N1 Chip

Apple debuted its ain Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, called the N1, successful the iPhone 17 models. The N1 was added to the ‌iPad Pro‌, and it's apt that Apple plans to adhd the spot to each aboriginal devices coming successful 2026 and beyond.

The N1 spot supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking exertion for astute location devices.

The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is constricted to Wi-Fi 6, truthful if the 12th-generation mentation does so get Wi-Fi 7, it volition beryllium capable to link to faster 6GHz networks for the archetypal time. Bluetooth 6 would besides beryllium an betterment implicit Bluetooth 5.3.

Apple Modem

Apple has designed C1 and C1X modem chips that it has utilized successful iPhones and iPads successful 2025, and the next-generation mentation of the ‌iPad‌ could besides get an Apple-designed modem spot for cellular models.

Apple's modem chips are much powerfulness businesslike than Qualcomm chips portion providing akin performance.

Pricing

The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is priced starting astatine $349 for 128GB of storage, and determination are truthful acold nary indications that pricing is going to alteration for the 12th-generation model.

Launch Date

Apple plans to merchandise the caller low-cost ‌iPad‌ successful outpouring 2026, which is simply a timeframe that spans from March 20 to June 20. The motorboat volition apt travel sometime successful March oregon April, with Apple besides acceptable to update the ‌iPad Air‌.
This article, "12th-Generation iPad: Release Date, Specs, and Everything We Know About Apple's 2026 Budget Tablet" archetypal appeared connected MacRumors.com

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