Apple’s next base iPad reportedly adds A19, 8GB RAM and Apple Intelligence support

Reporting from MacRumors suggests Apple’s next entry-level iPad could be a more meaningful internal upgrade than a routine refresh. The publication says Apple code points to a 12th-generation base iPad with an A19 chip, 8GB of RAM, Apple’s C1X modem and its N1 networking chip.

The biggest practical change would be Apple Intelligence support. MacRumors reports that the A19 supports Apple Intelligence, while 8GB of RAM is the minimum needed to run those features. PCMag, summarizing the same findings, said that would finally bring Apple’s AI features to its lowest-cost iPad, which is currently the outlier in Apple’s tablet lineup.

What the reported chip changes would add

Beyond the processor and memory bump, the reported networking hardware would modernize the base iPad’s wireless stack. MacRumors says the C1X modem supports sub-6GHz 5G, while the N1 chip would add Wi‑Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. PCMag separately echoed those same capabilities in its follow-up coverage.

MacRumors also framed the findings cautiously, describing them as more of a confirmation of prior rumors than a wholly new leak. That makes this look less like a surprise spec dump and more like another data point pointing in the same direction for Apple’s next low-cost tablet.

Timing still looks unsettled

A launch date remains unclear. MacRumors said it is not expecting the new low-cost iPad until spring 2027, while The Mac Observer similarly pointed to early 2027.

Pricing is also still unofficial, but MacRumors reported that the current iPad starts at $449 after a June 2026 price increase and said the new model will likely keep that same starting price. PCMag likewise noted the jump from $349 to $449 on the current generation.

If the reported specs hold, the next base iPad would not just get a faster chip. It would also close one of the clearest gaps in Apple’s lineup by bringing Apple Intelligence support down to the company’s most affordable tablet.