This might not seem guaranteed after the 2025 launch of the 11th Gen iPad and the 10th Gen iPad's release all the way back in 2022, but apparently, Apple is gearing up for the 2026 debut of a 12th Gen iPad... with at least one unexpectedly significant upgrade over its predecessor. Also, a new iPad Air edition with M4 processing power, but that's far less surprising.
What comes after A16?
You'd think the logical answer would be an A17 chipset, but it's important to remember that "standard" logic and common math don't always apply to the consumer tech industry in general and Apple products in particular.
That explains why the 2026 iPad is now expected to use an Apple A19 SoC instead of a "logical" A17 or the A18 rumored a few months back. While that rumor came from a pretty reliable source, this new report seems even more trustworthy being, well, newer and purportedly relying on "legitimate Apple code" examined by the experts over at Macworld.
The 2026 iPad is likely to look a lot like the 2025 iPad... at a first glance. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
Although not fully etched in stone, the iPad 12's A19 processor is as close to being officially confirmed now as these things can get. And while that won't bring Apple's mid-range tablet on the same performance level as this year's M3-powered iPad Air duo, it will certainly deliver a massive upgrade over the iPad 11 (A16).
We're talking a much bigger improvement than what the 2025 iPad brought to the table compared to its 2022 predecessor (which packs an Apple A14 Bionic SoC), with one of the obvious goals being to offer full Apple Intelligence support.
On top of that, of course, the 12th Generation iPad should feel faster and smoother than this year's "base" 11-inch Apple slate across a wide range of use cases, with 8GB RAM instead of just 6 guaranteeing important improvements in the multitasking department (among many others). Oh, and the iPad (2026) is also likely to borrow the ultra-advanced N1 wireless chip from the iPhone 17 family in addition to the A19 SoC.
Will you be buying Apple's next-gen "vanilla" iPad?
Only if it keeps its predecessor's price unchanged
0%
Yes, even if the price goes up
0%
No, I plan on buying a different iPad
0%
No, I plan on buying a different tablet
0%
No, I don't care about tablets in general
0%
With all of that in mind, you shouldn't be surprised (or very disappointed) to hear that the design, display, and cameras are all expected to go totally unchanged. Let's hope the same will be true for the $350 starting price as well.
What comes after M3?
Now this is an easy and "logical" one. While Apple is reportedly preparing a huge speed upgrade for its most affordable iPad, the costlier iPad Air will likely make a simple (and elegant) jump from an M3 to an M4 chipset next year.
The 2026 iPad Air is all but guaranteed to look identical to the 2025 iPad Air. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
That should bring the non-Pro 11 and 13-inchers in line with 2024's iPad Pro duo, which is definitely not bad for a pair of not-that-expensive tablets... that are also expected to undergo no visible changes in the design, display, and camera departments.
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That almost certainly means the $599 and $799 starting prices of the iPad Air 11 and iPad Air 13 will go unchanged as well, so as predictable and as unremarkable as a bump from Apple M3 to Apple M4 power sounds, I believe these 2026 tablets are also worth some attention and a little bit of excitement from those who can't afford a state-of-the-art iPad Pro.
This is why Apple rules and everyone else drools
Sorry, Samsung, sorry, Huawei and Xiaomi, and especially, sorry, Lenovo, but this report makes it abundantly clear (for the umpteenth time) why Apple leads the global tablet market so comfortably and why no one can come close to its sales numbers quarter after quarter and year after year.
That's a huge lead for Apple that Samsung and Lenovo can't hope to cancel very soon.
As soon as the Cupertino-based tech giant identifies a key weakness on one of its iPad models, said weakness is substantially strengthened (if not eradicated), as will apparently be the case for the A16 chipset inside the non-Air 11-incher.
Meanwhile, the company never tries to fix what's not broken, keeping the reasonable pricing of the iPad Air family intact and only lightly upgrading its specifications with each new generation. If that's not a perfect strategy, it's clearly very close.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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