Apple’s entry-level iPad has always been about value, but performance wasn’t its strongest suit. The company’s Pro models offered much higher horsepower with their M-series chips.
But the 2026 iPad might finally be getting the boost it needs.
A new report suggests that the upcoming 12th Gen iPad will feature Apple’s A18 chipset, marking a significant jump in performance over the current model’s A16 chip. So it’s shaping up to be one of the more meaningful upgrades Apple’s bringing to its base iPad in years.
The details were revealed in an ESR tech listing for a ‘paper-feel’ screen protector for the new iPad’s 11-inch display. And it even leaked the processor details.
The big new change is the A18 chip that could bring a 20%+ jump in performance over the previous generation. Even with single-core gains potentially reaching up to 30%. That’s a substantial leap for a device that’s typically aimed at students, casual users, and first-time iPad buyers. With the A18 Pro powering Apple’s cheapest MacBook, the capable 3nm chip with a 6-core CPU should bring better multitasking and smoother everyday performance.
It’s not just about the faster chip. The bigger implication of the upgrade is AI.
The new iPad might pack 8GB of RAM, enabling support for Apple Intelligence features. This is currently missing on the base iPad. Apple has been rolling out AI features across devices, and this update could finally bring it to the same level as Apple’s more premium devices.
But if you’re hoping for more substantial changes, visually speaking, the 2026 iPad might disappoint. Apple seems to be focusing on performance, since the listing showcases a familiar design consistent with the 2025 iPad.
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