12th-Generation iPad: Release Date, Specs, and Price

Let’s take a close look at what we actually know about the next base iPad, the 12th-generation model Apple is expected to release in 2026, and what still isn’t nailed down.

What the 12th-Gen iPad Is

This isn’t supposed to be a flashy redesign or an attempt to make the most powerful iPad ever. It’s Apple’s budget tablet, the one that sits below the iPad Air and iPad Pro in price and features. Apple hasn’t changed the overall look or feel of this entry-level iPad for several generations, and all signs are it will stay true to that with the 12th gen.

Today’s base iPad has a 10.9-inch screen, fairly thick bezels, a physical Touch ID button on the side, and support for the Apple Pencil via USB-C. There’s no ProMotion 120Hz refresh or laminated display like on higher-end models, and that’s not expected to change.

Expected Release Date

Apple tends to refresh this tablet on a roughly annual cadence, and the current 11th-gen model arrived in March 2025. All signs point to an announcement around Apple’s March 4, 2026 Special Event, which Apple Inc. has already confirmed will take place in New York, London, and Shanghai. That event is widely expected to focus on iPad and Mac updates, making it the most likely stage for the 12th-generation iPad to debut.

What’s Changing (Specs)

Here’s where it gets interesting.

Chip

Last year’s iPad used the A16 Bionic chip. The 12th-gen is widely expected to jump up to a much newer SoC. There are two competing ideas right now:

• A18 chip: This is the likely candidate if Apple wants to balance performance and cost while adding support for Apple’s new on-device AI features (Apple Intelligence).
• A19 chip: Some supply chain rumors hint Apple could skip straight to the A19 (the same chip used in the iPhone 17), which would be a more significant performance boost but also more expensive.

Either way, performance should be noticeably better than the current model, especially in tasks like multitasking, gaming, and AI-related features. The upgrade from A16 to anything in the A18/A19 range is substantial.

RAM and Features

The jump in chip power probably comes with more memory. Rumors point to 8GB of RAM instead of the 6GB in the current base model. That matters because Apple Intelligence and future iPadOS features will lean on more memory.

Apple might also finally add faster wireless standards like Wi-Fi 7 (via the N1 chip) and a more efficient Apple-designed modem for cellular models, but that’s not guaranteed. There’s some noise on both sides of this.

Design, Display, Cameras

Don’t expect big changes here. The rectangle, 10.9-inch LCD with a 60Hz refresh rate looks set to carry over. Cameras are likely similar, a 12MP back shooter and a 12MP front with Center Stage support, same as the 11th gen.

If you were hoping for a laminated screen, ProMotion, or ultra-thin bezels, that’s not in the cards for this model. Those still belong to the iPad Air and Pro lines.

Pricing

On price, everyone seems to agree on one thing: Apple isn’t expected to raise the starting point much, if at all. The current model starts at $349 with 128GB of storage, and the consensus is that the new base iPad will land in roughly the same territory.

That doesn’t mean you’ll definitely pay $349. Apple has surprised us before with regional pricing shifts or storage-tier changes. But so far, there’s no solid hint of a higher base price.

There are still unanswered questions, most notably whether Apple will go with the A18 or A19. But the overall direction is pretty clear: better performance, AI support, the same approachable price, and a launch this spring.

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