Apple is preparing a splash in its entry-level iPad lineup for the next spring cycle, With an update that isn't limited to a chip change: there will be a reorganization of capabilities, positioning adjustments, and a clear idea of āākeeping the entry-level price at bay to continue putting pressure on Android tablets. Leaks agree that we'll see tangible improvements in performance and software features that bring the basic iPad closer to experiences previously reserved for higher-end models.
The pieces of the puzzle are already on the table: new models identified internally as J581 and J582, release schedule between March and April, and a strategy consistent with what the company presented in early 2025 with the 11th-generation iPad and the iPad Air with the M3 chip. The result points to one of the most significant refreshes of the entry-level lineup since the 2022 design change, with a focus on productivity, education, and greater integration with the latest iPadOS and Apple Intelligence features.
iPad Entry Refresh in 2026: Design, Storage, and Chips
The big news for the basic range It's twofold: more screen and goodbye to the traditional minimum capacity. Leaks point to a 12th generation iPad with an 11-inch panel, a comfortable jump for work and study, and the elimination of the model with the lowest storage, which currently stands at 128 GB. The move is clear: raise the bar for the basic experience, even if it means that the cheapest option is no longer so limited in internal memory, thanks to the arrival of iPadOS 26.
The design won't swerve, and that's not a bad thing: It's expected to follow on from the iPad introduced in March 2025, with an aluminum chassis, Touch ID, and the same philosophy of straight lines and uniform edges. Apple is said to continue reserving Face ID for the Pro models, preserving a logical and restrained range differentiation.
In terms of accessory compatibility there is also a step forward, With confirmed support for the Apple Pencil (at least the second generation) and the Magic Keyboard, this brings the basic iPad much closer to that hybrid territory between leisure and productivity that opens so many doors in distance learning, office work, and light content creation.
The internal engine is upgraded with a more modern chip than the A16 Bionic, current heart of the 2025 iPad. Sources differ on whether it will be an A17 or even an entry-level M; in any case, the goal is clear: to gain headroom for iPadOS and ensure demanding features like advanced multitasking or integrations with Apple Intelligence. The underlying idea is that the 2026 iPad won't be underpowered.
The roadmap places this renewal at an advanced stage of development in Cupertino, under the codes J581 and J582. This nomenclature is repeated in several reports and fits with the internal nomenclature pattern observed in previous generations, reinforcing the credibility of the calendar planned for spring.
In terms of price, Apple will play a restraining game: The reference price for the United States remains around $349, a powerful message for the entry-level segment. In Brazil, circulating figures suggest around R$3.199,90 by June 2025, although tariffs and exchange rate volatility are a factor there.
Removing the 128GB step has consequences: On the one hand, it reduces the feeling of buying a device that will outlive its usefulness after two years; on the other, it pushes more price-sensitive users toward secondhand or refurbished options. It's a commitment to durability and less perceived obsolescence, even at the cost of cutting back on the cheapest option.
Synchronization with the software is intentional: The new entry-level iPad is expected to arrive ready to take advantage of key features already established in iPadOS, such as Stage Manager and more polished multitasking, and to increasingly integrate the Apple Intelligence functions that the company began rolling out in mid-2024.
Performance and software: iPadOS 19 today, iPadOS 26 just around the corner
The basic iPad of 2026 will have to coexist with two software pillars: what is already known from iPadOS 19 and the ambitious leap of iPadOS 26, The version presented at WWDC25 with a numbering change that aligns all of the company's platforms. This isn't just cosmetic: it comes with new features in multitasking and a new visual language shared with iOS and macOS.
iPadOS 26 introduces flexible windows and more free-form app management, A redesign of the window system that lets you work however you want, combining modules and adjusting spaces without losing control. This is complemented by Liquid Glass, a common aesthetic across apps and menus that provides consistency and familiarity when switching between devices.
In terms of compatibility, the official list circulating is generous: from the fifth-generation iPad mini and eighth-generation iPad onwards. However, Apple's intelligence features require muscle: iPads with an M1 chip are required, or in the case of the iPad mini, the A17 Pro. This detail is key to understanding why Apple is looking for a more capable chip in the entry-level iPad in 2026.
iPadOS 26 rollout times are now set: The developer beta was released on June 9, 2025, the public beta arrives in July, and the final version should arrive by the end of September. Anyone who buys an iPad in spring 2026, therefore, will receive months of a mature ecosystem and customized apps.
What works today in iPadOS 19 is not lost, it is amplified: Stage Manager, optimized multitasking, and improved integration with Apple Intelligence all fit the vision for a more ambitious entry-level iPad. The combination of updated hardware and these software features is what will make the entry-level model perform better in real-world usage scenarios.
Price, availability and effects on markets
If nothing goes wrong, the calendar indicated by several sources points to March or April for the announcement and release, Maintaining the annual cadence that Apple has faithfully followed in recent iPad releases. The move fits with the pattern of introducing powerful hardware in the fall and following up with tablets and laptops in the spring.
The reference of $349 as the starting price in the United States would be maintained despite the chip jump, A deliberate move to maintain traction with Android in the low-to-mid range. It's the same recipe that explains the iPad's success in education and business: good integration, guaranteed updates, and a long lifespan.
In Brazil, the reading is more complex due to tariffs and inflation, But even there, the basic iPad remains among the most desirable devices for e-learning and corporate deployments. IDC's data, which places Apple at 36% of the global tablet market in the first quarter of 2025, reinforces the brand's leadership and is holding off rivals pushing hard on price.
The withdrawal of the 128GB model will increase the price of entry tickets in some countries, And pressure on the secondhand and refurbished market is expected to increase. In return, the base experience improves, frustration due to lack of space is reduced, and the device becomes more sustainable in the medium term for increasingly large apps and content.
There are also clues behind the scenes in the supply chain, Such as the shipments of the iPad Air and 11th-generation iPad that DigiTimes placed in December, paving the way for spring launches. That same report spoke of a transition to "in-house" Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chips, something other sources don't expect to see until 2026, showing that times are changing and it's worth taking each piece with a grain of salt.
The accompanying ecosystem: iPad Air, iPad Pro, foldable, and more
Not only the entry-level iPad is moving: the iPad Air will make the jump from M3 to M4 with limited changes, based on the models in development identified as J707, J708, J737, and J738. The idea is to squeeze the performance per watt and AI out of the new chip, while maintaining the attractive mid-range price point that has served it so well since the arrival of the 13-inch version in 2024.
The iPad Pro is also stepping on the gas with the M5 on the horizon this fall, Following the high-performance update path that Apple sets each year. There are rumors of improvements to the neural engine and possible size adjustments, with the eternal debate about a larger model, thinner bezels, and "computer" ambitions without abandoning iPadOS.
The Mac context adds muscle to the first half of 2026, with a MacBook Air with an M5 chip around March and an M5 MacBook Pro in the spring. The latter would be the last with the current design (released in 2021) before the jump to OLED and a revamped chassis in the next iteration, changes that affect the entire productivity ecosystem.
Beyond laptops and tablets, the catalog would be expanded with a new external monitor, the first since the 2022 Studio Display, codenamed J427, also planned for early 2026. And at home, the long-awaited home hub (J490) could finally see the light of day in the first half of the year after delays linked to Siri's new capabilities.
On the iPhone side, the start of the year would be marked by the 17th, direct heir to the 16e launched in February, which would adopt the A19 to align with the iPhone 17 family. Already in autumn, Apple has a repositioning in hand with the iPhone 17 Air as a replacement for the Plus, thinner than ever but with compromises in battery and cameras according to the first reports.
Looking ahead to 2026 and 2027, foldable iPhone rumors are pushing a new format, With an internal screen close to 7,8 inches and an external screen of 5,5 inches, in addition to a price that seems ultra-premium. This plan coexists with a parallel idea of āāan 18,8-inch foldable iPad when unfolded; although 2026 was previously mentioned as the year of the foldable, the latest rumors move the needle to 2027 or even 2028, with the aim of minimizing creases with metal plate solutions and improving durability.
As always at Apple, the schedule is flexible and can slip a few months, but the general pattern is consistent: high-end in the fall and entry-level/mid-range family in the spring, with a reinforced basic iPad to absorb the new features of iPadOS 26 and act as a gateway to Apple Intelligence, and an iPad Air that raises the bar without breaking the price balance.
In retrospect, 2025 set the stage for what we'll see in 2026: The 11th-generation iPad with A16 Bionic and the iPad Air M3 in March marked the pace and prices, while the iPad Pro with M5 was reserved for the latter part of the year. This lineup makes it credible that the entry-level iPad will be replaced in the spring, with a focus on performance and storage.
The question for the user is clear: is it worth losing the 128 GB step if the starting price remains the same, in exchange for a more capable device for the coming years. For many, the combination of an 11-inch screen, a more modern chip, Apple Pencil and keyboard support, and the direction of iPadOS will tip the scales in favor.
It remains to be seen whether the almost frozen pricing policy coupled with the disappearance of the most basic option will push more people into the Apple ecosystem. Or whether, on the contrary, the Android competition will continue to attract those who prioritize price above all else. What's beyond doubt is that Apple wants an entry-level iPad that lasts longer, performs better, and makes fewer compromises, and all the leaks point in that direction.
