Apple’s entry-level iPad might finally get a notable bump in specs next year. A new leak suggests the 12th-gen model — expected in 2026 — will pack several upgrades that bring it much closer to the iPad Air than before.
According to a report spotted by MacWorld, Apple is preparing to use the 3nm-based A19 chip in the base iPad, the same one present inside the standard iPhone 17. The 11th-gen iPad uses the 4nm-based Apple A16 Bionic, so this would be a major jump. The leak also claims the tablet will move from 6 GB to 8 GB of RAM. That alone could open the door for advanced on-device AI features, which are currently limited to the iPad Air and iPad Pro.
Storage probably won’t change this round, since Apple already bumped it with the 2025 version. But the new iPad is said to include Apple’s N1 wireless chip, which adds support for Wi-Fi 7. That would make the entry-level iPad feel a lot more modern and bring it surprisingly close to Air-level networking performance.
Apple launched the iPad (2025) in March, so the 12th-gen model would normally land around the same time in 2026. However, ongoing memory shortages could push the release back. And with memory prices climbing, a price hike for the new iPad wouldn’t be surprising either.
If the leak is accurate, the 2026 iPad could be one of the strongest upgrades the base model has seen in years — faster chip, more RAM, and newer wireless standards, all without jumping to the Air or Pro. For budget-conscious buyers wanting something that still feels current, the 12th-gen iPad might end up being the sweet spot.
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