Apple is expected to unveil a wave of updated devices as early as March, with a refreshed entry-level iPad likely to be among the first announcements. According to reports from reliable industry sources, the new tablet will arrive roughly a year after the current budget iPad launched in March last year.
The next entry-level iPad is rumoured to keep the same external design as its predecessor but receive a meaningful internal upgrade. It is expected to move from the A16 Bionic chip to the newer A18 processor, first introduced with the iPhone 16, alongside an increase in memory from 6GB to 8GB of RAM. That combination would allow the device to support Apple Intelligence, which appears to require at least 8GB of memory to run.
Aside from the processor and memory boost, no major changes are anticipated for Apple’s most affordable tablet. The focus seems to be on future-proofing performance rather than redesigning the hardware.
The entry-level iPad update is likely to form part of a broader launch window that could begin in the first week of March, according to Apple watcher Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter. Gurman reports that Apple is lining up multiple hardware announcements, covering not just iPads but also several Mac models.
Alongside the new budget iPad, Apple is expected to introduce an updated iPad Air powered by the M4 chip. On the Mac side, refreshed 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are said to be on the way, finally bringing the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips after the standard M5 made its debut last year. A new MacBook Air is also tipped to launch during the same period.
Further updates are believed to be in development for later in the year, including revisions to the Mac Studio, Studio Display and Mac mini. Apple is also rumoured to be working on its first lower-cost MacBook, which could arrive sooner rather than later.
If the reports prove accurate, the coming weeks could mark one of Apple’s busiest hardware refresh cycles in recent years, with a strong emphasis on Apple Intelligence support and next-generation silicon across its product line-up.