Apple is expected to soon refresh its entry-level iPad model and this time, it won’t cut any corners in performance. As per an anonymous Twitter account with a proven track record, the next low-cost iPad will be powered by Apple’s premium A12 chip.
In comparison, Apple’s existing base seventh-generation iPad was launched in September last year and runs on a nearly four-year-old processor. Therefore, the A12 upgrade could offer a significant leap especially for resource-intensive tasks such as Augmented Reality applications and games, two areas on which Apple has been focusing quite a lot of late.
On Thursday, renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, in a research note, said Apple is developing two new iPad models with an affordable price tag — a 10.8-inch iPad and an 8.5 to 9-inch iPad mini. Kuo added that these new products will “follow iPhone SE’s product strategy.”
Therefore, it makes sense that, as it did with the new iPhone SE, Apple would pick its latest chipset for an updated low-cost iPad. This move will enable the base iPad to have a practically unprecedented edge over its competitors’ performance and longevity, which are key weaknesses for many.
In addition, since the entry-level iPad now also supports Apple’s keyboard and pen accessories, the presence of a no-compromise chipset could also enable the company to pitch it as a computer replacement for customers on a budget and rival Microsoft’s latest Surface Go 2.
At this stage, it’s unclear which A12 version the 2020 iPad will feature. The new iPad Pro comes equipped with an updated A12Z Bionic chip, a GPU-focused step up from the A12X that powers the 2018 iPad Pro tablets.
However, it’s worth noting Kuo hasn’t confirmed whether he’s referring to the base iPad. The existing $329 iPad has a 10.2-inch screen. So if Kuo predictions fall in line with this new leak, that would mean Apple will be fitting a larger display as well. We don’t know whether it will feature Apple’s rumored new mini-LED technology.
Kuo claims the 10.8-inch iPad could land sometime in the second half of 2020, while the new iPad Mini is slated to arrive in the first half of 2021.
Affinity’s new all-in-one creative app is finally coming to the iPad, nearly a year after Canva launched the redesigned desktop version for Mac and Windows. Creatives have been asking for the iPad release ever since, especially because files created in the new Affinity app cannot be opened in the older V2 iPad apps.
Affinity already has Photo, Designer, and Publisher apps on iPad, but the new release combines those tools into the same unified app that Canva launched on desktop last year.
Touchscreen laptops have been around for years. You can get them in all sizes and shapes. Just not from Apple. For years, the Cupertino giant has treated the idea of a touchscreen MacBook the way I treat a meeting that could have been an email: with open contempt. However, Wednesday looks like the day the company could finally change its mind.
The latest Apple invite puts the “Pro and Tell” showcase in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET) on October 28, 2026. Instead of a regular live-streamed keynote, it is an invitation-only, hands-on event for a handful of press and creators (similar to what the company did for the MacBook Neo earlier this year).
Apple has just launched its latest iPad mini with a notable set of upgrades, including an OLED screen, improved speakers, and a more resilient build. It also gets a new chip, and the whole package costs $200 more than its predecessor. But if you look closely at Apple’s online store, you’ll realize that $699 isn’t enough to get you the most powerful version of the A20 Pro chip inside this tablet. In fact, even if you pay $800 for the 256GB model, you still won’t get the beefiest variant. Only when you jump to the 512GB trim, which costs an absurd $999, do you get the most powerful flavor of the A20 Pro.
The $999 model gets more than extra storage