Using an aging iPad? Or maybe you’re thinking about getting your first tablet. Great news! Updated models with significantly more horsepower will hit store shelves soon.
Here’s what to expect from iPad in 2026.
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2026 iPad: Building on greatness
The iPad builds on the simplicity of a smartphone with the power and screen space of a laptop, making it uniquely versatile. It’s a thin, lightweight touchscreen you can hold or prop up anywhere, while the intuitive touch interface of iPadOS reduces friction compared to traditional computers. Plus, accessories like the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard expand it into a capable tool for creativity, education and light work.
Apple already makes the best tablets in four product lines: the basic iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro. And most of these are in for an upgrade in 2026.
Here’s what we can look forward to:
iPad 12: Now with Apple Intelligence
iPad 11 stands out in Apple’s product lineup for its low price. It’s nevertheless a powerful computer that fits the needs of young students and casual users alike.
The rumored 2026 basic iPad (often referred to as the 12th-generation iPad) is expected to hold onto the current design — 11-inch, 60Hz screen; Touch ID in the power button; USB-C, etc. — but with significant internal upgrades.
Rumors point to the tablet being powered by the newer A19 chip (the same silicon used in the iPhone 17). Paired with 8 GB of RAM, the processor upgrade should finally give the base iPad the horsepower to support Apple Intelligence features… which are in for their own major upgrade in 2026.
iPad 12 may also include Apple’s newer N1 wireless chip for faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth performance.
Overall, the 2026 entry-level iPad aims to make Apple’s most affordable tablet more capable for everyday tasks. And iPad 12 should stay at the current $349 price when it launches in the spring.
iPad mini 8: OLED!
Image: Cult of Mac/Apple/Paul Inkles
The iPad mini is Apple’s most portable tablet, but still makes room for an 8.3-inch screen.
Multiple industry reports and leaks point to an iPad mini 8 arriving sometime in 2026, potentially late in the year (Q3/Q4). If predictions hold true, the major upgrade will be an OLED display. Unlike traditional LED screens that require a backlight, each pixel of an OLED glows on its own. The result is a bright, even image with strong contrast.
The 2026 iPad mini should also get a faster chip. Likely Apple’s A19 Pro or even next-gen silicon. Note that the seventh-generation model — which launched in 2024 — already supports Apple Intelligence.
Aside from these upgrades, most of the features of the iPad mini 8 are expected to carry over from the current version. In other words, don’t anticipate a redesign.
It’s not yet known if the screen and processor changes will increase the price, which is currently set at $499. Note that with the tablet many months away, details and launch timing could shift.
M4 iPad Air: Faster
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
The iPad Air is a “Goldilocks” tablet — more powerful than the basic model but more affordable than the Pro versions.
Apple is widely expected to refresh the current iPad Air by adding its newer M4 chip, bringing modest gains in CPU, GPU and neural performance over the M3 iteration. The chip will let the mid-range tablet handle demanding tasks like creative work and AI features even more smoothly.
Otherwise, this is a “chip-and-ship” upgrade, with the M4 iPad Air keeping the same 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, Touch ID and basic design as today’s model, with no major changes to the display technology (still LED and 60Hz rather than OLED or ProMotion).
That said, alongside the M4 upgrade, the 2026 iPad Air may also adopt Apple’s N1 wireless chip for faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and possibly the C1 modem for improved cellular connectivity in models that support it.
The update is likely to arrive in spring 2026 — around March or April. Bonus: an increase over the current $599/$799 starting prices should not be expected.
2026 iPad Pro: Nope
Apple upgraded its premier iPad Pro line in fall 2025 with an M5 processor. In recent years, Cupertino introduced new pro tablet models every year and a half, so the next one is not anticipated before spring 2027.
That makes right now a great time to buy an iPad Pro. You can be confident that an improved replacement is about 15 months away — there’s no reason to wait that long if you need a powerful new tablet now.
Apple's pro tablet upgrade for 2025 features the M5 processor for maximum performance.
- Midsize Apple tablet with big-time performance
- 11-inch Ultra Retina XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion and antireflective coating
- 4x peak GPU compute compared to M4 iPad Pro
- Pricey
- Nano-texture glass only available on 1TB and 2TB models
Apple's pro tablet upgrade for 2025 features the M5 processor for maximum performance.
- Apple's biggest, most powerful tablet
- 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR display with 120Hz ProMotion and antireflective coating
- 4x peak GPU compute compared to M4 iPad Pro
- Pricey
- Nano-texture glass only available on 1TB and 2TB models
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
