Apple’s cheapest iPad may soon be getting an AI upgrade
Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reports that Apple’s entry-level iPad could soon receive Apple Intelligence features powered by a new A18 processor, an upgrade over the current A16 chip.
- This update aims to expand AI accessibility across Apple’s best-selling devices, bringing the budget iPad in line with iPhones and Macs that already support these features.
- No major design changes are expected, with the focus remaining on internal upgrades to drive AI adoption among mainstream users.
Apple boss Tim Cook has repeatedly said the company is committed to (and excited about) AI technology, but not all Apple products have gotten the message. While all iPhones and Macs currently sold support Apple Intelligence, the entry-level iPad still isn’t capable of running any of Apple’s AI features.
However, according to a new report, the base iPad will soon receive an update that gives it the ability to run Apple Intelligence features, bringing it in line with the rest of Apple’s lineup (minus the Apple Watch, of course). And above all, encourage a large part of the company’s customers to use its AI technology.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman discusses at length what he describes as the “multiple” product launches Apple has in store “over the coming weeks.” This includes updates to the iPhone, Mac and iPad lines, but most iPad announcements will be fairly minor, he warns.
“For those expecting design changes,” Gurman writes, “prepare to be disappointed: There’s not much new in the iPad family this year other than faster processors.”
The exceptions to this, he writes, are the arrival of an OLED display on the new iPad mini (likely later this year) and the elevation of the standard iPad to AI-ready status through the inclusion of Apple’s A18 processor, up from the current A16. Gurman predicts that this upgrade will be central to the iPad’s marketing campaign.
It makes sense that Apple would finally want to complete the package and bring the standard iPad into the Apple Intelligence fold. The company’s cheapest products are, for obvious reasons, its best sellers. So the best way to increase adoption of a new feature is to make sure those products support it. Hence the (somewhat misguided) desire to get Apple Intelligence on the iPhone 16e last year.
In fact, it was in many ways a surprise that the iPad 2025 doesn’t get AI and a price hike. Just over a year ago, a source confidently predicted that this would be the case. The name of this source was Mark Gurman.
So it’s worth remaining skeptical until the announcement is actually made… but he’s probably right this time. You can stay up to date with all the latest news and rumors with our new, frequently updated iPad 2026 superguide.
