New Low-Cost iPad Coming Next Week: What to Expect

Source: MacRumors

Design

The 12th‑generation iPad isn’t getting a design update this year. It will retain the same 11‑inch edge‑to‑edge display with a Touch ID side button and thick bezels.

The low‑cost iPad is only available in a single screen size and is Apple’s thickest tablet at 7 mm. It features a Retina LCD display with no ProMotion support, no P3 wide‑color gamut, and no lamination (a technology that reduces glare, provides a more responsive feel, and allows for a thinner profile) compared to Apple’s other tablets.

Apple offers the low‑cost iPad in several colors, and new shades could appear in 2026. Current colors include blue, pink, silver, and yellow.

A‑Series Processor

The upcoming low‑cost iPad is expected to be equipped with Apple’s A19 chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 17. Built on a 3‑nanometer process, the A19 should deliver speed and efficiency improvements over the A16 chip found in the current model.

The A19 will enable Apple Intelligence features that are unavailable on the 2025 model. It also adds hardware‑accelerated ray tracing for better gaming performance. While the 11th‑generation iPad has 6 GB of RAM, the new model will likely increase this to 8 GB to support Apple Intelligence.

N1 Chip

Apple introduced its own Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth chip, the N1, with the iPhone 17. The N1 was later added to the iPad Pro, and it may appear in future devices starting in 2026.

The N1 chip supports Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking technology for smart‑home devices. If Apple follows its internal roadmap, the low‑cost iPad might not include the N1 chip.

Apple Modem

Apple has designed C1 and C1X modem chips used in iPhones and iPads in 2025. The next‑generation low‑cost iPad could also receive an Apple‑designed modem for cellular models. Apple’s modem chips are more power‑efficient than Qualcomm alternatives while delivering comparable performance.

Pricing

The 11th‑generation iPad starts at $349 for the 128 GB storage option. So far, there are no indications that the price will change for the 12th‑generation model.

Launch Date

Apple is expected to launch the low‑cost iPad sometime next week, just ahead of the Special Experience event planned for March 4.