Apple will reportedly refresh its entry-level iPad this week – even as soon as tomorrow.
It is claimed that it'll include the A17 Pro processor in order to make it compatible with Apple Intelligence.
There's been a lot of chatter online about Apple launching new devices this week. It is understood that we'll finally get the iPhone SE 4 that's been rumoured for quite some time. However, it's unlikely to appear on its own.
It has also been claimed that the company is planning to refresh its entry-level iPad too – something that's taken a while considering the iPad 10th gen was released in 2022.
Apple-centric site 9to5Mac states that the 11th gen version will be unveiled in the coming days, alongside the new entry-level iPhone. But while that device is expected to bring about several key changes, including a more iPhone 16-like design, you shouldn't expect the same level of upgrade with the iPad.
Indeed, it could be very similar to the tablet released over two-years ago, at least on the outside. Specifications will improve though, not least to introduce Apple Intelligence to the family.
Apple's AI system is only capable of running on devices featuring the A17 Pro or Apple's own M1 silicon or above. That means the new iPad is more than likely to sport the latter – the same chipset as the latest iPad mini released at the tail end of last year.
It's also claimed that the RAM will be bumped from 4GB oto 8GB – again, to run Apple Intelligence smoothly.
Other than those, 9to5Mac can't see many more hardware updates. Bluetooth 5.3 might be adopted along with Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless connectivity, but don't expect much else.
Still, the look and feel of the existing entry-level iPad continues to be great, so why fix it? It'll also surely come in at the same price of around £329 / $349 / $AU599 for the Wi-Fi only 64GB version. And who knows, there could even be a storage increase for the same cost.
Either way, if current rumours are true, we could find out sooner than later, as some even suggest that Apple's new devices will be unveiled tomorrow, 11 February. We'll naturally let you know as soon as we hear more.
