Rumors about the upcoming iPad 11 reveal this is going to be one of the most important updates yet. While it’s said that the redesign introduced with the iPad 10 a few years ago will remain unchanged, reports reiterate the possibility of Apple bumping the specs of this tablet so it would support Apple Intelligence.
While the platform is still in its early days, Apple must update the specs of its devices so they can run these tools. So far, only a few Apple devices have access to this vision of the future, including M-series Macs, M-series iPads (and the iPad mini with A17 Pro), and iPhone models with the A17 Pro or newer chips.
This is why the latest rumors said Apple was planning to add the A17 Pro or A18 processor to this upcoming iPad 11. With these chips and an increase in RAM from 4GB to 8GB, this device would be more than capable of running Writing Tools, Image Playground, and all the other features already available for Apple Intelligence.
However, if these rumors turn out to be accurate, Apple would offer a very enticing upgrade for its cheapest iPad, which is usually the choice for many students. That said, people would get a very capable iPad that is pretty much future-proof and several tools that could be useful for the school, such as creating doodles from a prompt, turning a bad draw into an AI image, and even summarizing a class.
The possibilities would be limitless, and Apple would have the perfect device at a budget price for everyone who wants a new iPad. That sounds too good to be true.
This is why an anonymous leaker with a good track record has posted on their private X account that the chip identifier of the upcoming iPad 11 is T8120. This corresponds to the A16 Bionic chip, which is the same one available with the iPhone 14 Pro.
If the leaker is correct, the iPad 11 would still get a great upgrade with a more capable chip and more RAM, but it wouldn’t be able to run Apple Intelligence tasks. While this isn’t a big deal, this upgrade would be less enticing, as the small spec bump wouldn’t make iPad 10 owners upgrade. That said, what could be one of the most important upgrades would be just a skippable new generation.
In addition, this would slow down Apple Intelligence adoption even more, as the cheapest iPad would take at least another generation to get this AI platform, perhaps in 2026, 2027, or later.
Wrap up
At this moment, anything could happen. Apple is known for testing different devices with several chips and ultimately deciding which one is better for its marketing strategy. If this is the year of Apple Intelligence, Apple would greatly expand these features with the upcoming iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11 models. If not, maybe the company isn’t confident enough that it’s ready to promote this platform to a broader user base just yet.
BGR will let you know once Apple announces these products. We expect the company to host a spring event in the coming months.
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