MacWorld has stumbled upon some interesting new information about the upcoming iPad 2026/12th-gen. It will get a shiny new A19 SoC found on the base iPhone 17 and a much-needed memory bump from 6 GB RAM to 8 GB RAM. In theory, this should allow it to run Apple Intelligence features, which, at the time of writing, are only available on the iPad Air and iPad Pro models.

A storage upgrade seems unlikely because the 2025 model just got one. On the other hand, the iPad 2026 will ship with Apple’s N1 chip, unlocking Wi-Fi 7 functionality. This makes the base iPad an even better deal than its last-gen counterparts, because it effectively offers iPad Air-level features at a lower price.

Apple unveiled the iPad (2025) in March. Ideally, the 12th-gen iPad should surface around that time next year. However, there’s a good chance it could be pushed back due to the ongoing memory shortage. And, given the numerous upgrades it offers and the skyrocketing prices of memory, a price increase seems imminent.

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Anil Ganti – Senior Tech Writer – 2808 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2019

I’ve been an avid PC gamer since the age of 8. My passion for gaming eventually pushed me towards general tech, and I got my first writing gig at the age of 19. I have a degree in mechanical engineering and have worked in the manufacturing industry and a few other publications like Wccftech before joining Notebookcheck in November 2019. I cover a variety of topics including smartphones, gaming, and computer hardware.