The cheapest iPad in Apple’s lineup has spent the past year and a half as the odd one out: the only current iPad that cannot run Apple Intelligence. According to details found in Apple’s own code, its successor fixes that problem head-on. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris dug up the core specifications of the 12th-generation iPad, and MacRumors published them on September 25, 2026. GSMArena followed with its own report on September 27, 2026.
Several of these specs had already appeared in earlier rumors, so the code mostly confirms them. It also shows how far the entry-level tablet is set to move.
What the code points to
- Chip: A19, replacing the A16 in the current iPad 11-inch (A16)
- Memory: 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB
- Cellular: Apple’s own C1X modem with support for sub-6GHz 5G networks
- Wireless: Apple’s N1 networking chip, bringing Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread
- Software: Apple Intelligence and the new Siri AI features
The RAM figure is the key change. MacRumors notes that 8GB is the minimum Apple Intelligence needs, and that is exactly why the 6GB iPad 11 has been left out. With the A19 and 8GB, the budget iPad should finally get the same AI features as the rest of the family. The move from the A16 to the A19 should also bring a clear jump in general performance. Apple’s store page for the current model makes the gap plain: it lists the A16 chip with “No Apple Intelligence”.
Apple silicon all the way down
The connectivity changes may matter just as much in daily use. The cellular version of the current iPad uses a Qualcomm modem. According to MacRumors, the C1X is more efficient. Moving Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to the N1 chip also brings Wi-Fi 7 and Thread support to Apple’s cheapest tablet, which is handy for anyone using an iPad as a smart-home controller. Put together, the entry-level iPad would join Apple’s wider move to its own chips for processing, cellular and wireless.
Timing and price
The code does not give a release date. The current entry-level iPad launched in March 2025, and the new model is widely expected about two years later, in spring 2027. MacRumors says no low-cost iPad is coming in 2026. The next Apple tablet is expected to be a refreshed iPad mini, due before the end of October.
Pricing is still open. As of September 2026, the iPad 11-inch (A16) starts at $449 for 128GB on Apple’s US store after a price increase in June 2026. The 256GB version costs $549 and the 512GB version $749. The two outlets disagree on what comes next: MacRumors expects the iPad 12 to keep the same starting price, while GSMArena would not be surprised to see it reach at least $499. The code says nothing about colors either. The current model comes in Silver, Blue, Pink and Yellow, and MacRumors suggests new shades are possible.
Earlier on GismoLand: iPad Sales Slide. Apple’s tablet dips 8% as the whole market cools off.
