Apple’s Upcoming Affordable iPad Model: What to Expect

Apple is working on a new affordable iPad model, the successor to the 2022 model. Although there have been few rumors about this iPad, we’ve compiled the latest information for those who are curious.

Design and Display

The budget iPad is expected to retain the same 10.9-inch edge-to-edge screen and design as the iPad Air, with a Touch ID button integrated into the power button. We may see new colors added to the existing silver, yellow, pink, and blue options. The new iPad will likely continue to have a USB-C port and support the Apple Pencil USB-C.

Processing Chip

The 10th generation iPad uses the A14 chip, which is now considered outdated. The new iPad might use the A16 chip, which was introduced in the iPhone 15. However, if Apple wants to make Apple Intelligence more accessible, it might opt for the A17 Pro or A18 chip.

Supporting Apple Intelligence requires more memory, and the current iPad only has 4GB of RAM. Apple may need to balance costs to keep the price affordable.

Even without Apple Intelligence support, the A16 chip represents a significant upgrade, which could lead to increased efficiency and energy savings, resulting in longer battery life.

Additional Updates

Apple has updated most of its products to support Wi-Fi 6E or later, so it’s likely that the budget iPad will also support Wi-Fi 6E. The current model only supports Wi-Fi 6, which is not compatible with the faster 6 GHz band used in Wi-Fi 6E routers.

Price

There are no rumors about a price increase for the 11th generation iPad, so the starting price will likely remain at $349. Apple has increased the minimum capacity of many of its products in recent years, so we might see a 128GB model with the same price. However, there are no concrete rumors about this.

Currently, Apple only sells the budget iPad in 64GB and 256GB models.

Release Date

Apple is rumored to be holding an event in October to announce a new Mac with the M4 chip and the iPad mini 7. A budget iPad could also debut at this event.

However, rumors about the launch date of the 11th generation iPad are still unclear. Analyst Ross Young said that shipments of screens for this iPad will begin in October, which might be too late for an October launch. A 2025 launch is more likely.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is developing a new Magic Keyboard accessory for the budget iPad and/or iPad Air, expected to launch by mid-2025. Apple might not launch the 11th-generation iPad until this accessory is ready, as they often launch devices and accessories simultaneously.