iPad 12 AI support delayed

Apple’s cheapest iPad is now the awkward gap in its whole AI story. The iPad mini, Air, and Pro already support Apple Intelligence, but the basic iPad still doesn’t. And the latest read on Apple’s roadmap says that probably won’t change for a while. The upshot is simple: if you were waiting for the low-cost iPad to become the “normal” entry point into Apple’s AI features, that moment looks pushed further into 2026. ### What changed? The new wrinkle came out of Apple’s latest earnings-call guidance. CFO Kevan Parekh said iPad revenue in the March-to-June quarter faces a “difficult compare” because Apple launched the current entry-level iPad in March 2025. That matters because it makes a near-term replacement sound unlikely, and MacRumors read that as a sign the Apple Intelligence-ready successor is still months away rather than imminent. ### Which iPad are we talking about? This is the base-model iPad — the one Apple sells as the most affordable option, currently starting at $349. The model on sale now is the 11th-generation iPad with an A16 chip and 128GB of starting storage. It is the mainstream family iPad, school iPad, and “just give me an iPad” iPad. But it is also the one current iPad that sits outside Apple’s AI push. ### Why doesn’t the current one support Apple Intelligence? Because the hardware line is pretty clear now. Apple Intelligence is available across current iPad models that use newer chips, while the entry iPad’s A16 does not make the cut. MacRumors has been pointing to the next base iPad getting an A18-class chip — or possibly A19, depending on which rumor survives — and Apple will also need at least 8GB of RAM for the list. The current model has 6GB RAM. ### So was this supposed to happen sooner? Yes — that was the expectation a few months ago. In February and March, reporting around the next entry iPad said Apple’s AI rollout on iPad was nearing completion and that an Apple Intelligence-capable base model was “still coming this year.” The newer timing read is less confident and pushes the likely arrival further out. Basically, the story shifted from “ready soon” to “not yet.” ### Why does the delay matter? Because Apple has spent months framing Apple Intelligence as a platform feature, not a luxury extra. That pitch works cleanly only if the cheapest mainstream devices can run it too. Right now, someone buying the least expensive new iPad gets the current design, current software, and none of the headline AI features. That creates a weird split inside Apple’s own lineup — especially for education and price-sensitive buyers. ### What probably happens next? The most likely path is straightforward: Apple ships a 12th-generation entry iPad later in 2026 with a newer chip, more memory, and Apple Intelligence support from day one. Nothing in the current reporting suggests a big redesign. The important upgrade is the silicon, because that is what closes the AI gap. If Apple Intelligence is the reason you’re shopping, yes — waiting makes sense. If you just need a basic iPad for web, video, schoolwork, and accessories like the Magic Keyboard Folio or Apple Pencil, the current model is still a perfectly normal buy. The catch is that buying the cheapest iPad today means knowingly buying the one new iPad Apple hasn’t brought into its AI era. ### Bottom line? This is less about a dramatic product delay than about Apple’s AI rollout staying incomplete longer than expected. The base iPad is still the missing piece — and until Apple updates it, “Apple Intelligence on iPad” still comes with an asterisk.