According to MacRumors, a new report from Macworld claims the 12th-generation iPad, expected in early 2026, will be equipped with Apple’s A19 chip—the same processor that just launched in this year’s iPhone 17. This would break a long-standing tradition where the affordable iPad gets a chip that’s one or two generations behind the latest iPhone. The report is based on an alleged internal Apple code document that also mentions model codenames J581 and J588 for the device. Previous leaks had pointed to the iPad 12 using an A18 chip, which would have been more consistent with Apple’s past strategy. The same document suggests the next iPad Air will get an M4 chip and that both new tablets will include Apple’s energy-efficient N1 networking chip.
A Major Policy Shift
Here’s the thing: if this rumor is true, it’s a huge deal. Apple hasn’t put a current-generation chip in its cheapest iPad since the iPad 4, which launched back in 2012. For almost a decade, the math has been simple: you get a great tablet, but you’re buying yesterday’s silicon. The current iPad 11 has an A16 chip from 2022. The one before that had an A14 from 2020. You get the pattern. So why would Apple change it now? Cost is the obvious hurdle. The A19 is a premium, leading-edge component. Putting it in a device that often starts around $349 seems, well, counter to Apple’s typical margin-protecting playbook.
Decoding The Confusion
But there’s some weirdness in this leak that makes me skeptical. The codenames, J581 and J588, don’t fit the usual sequential pattern Apple uses. And earlier code discoveries had already pegged J581 and J582 as the iPad 12. It’s messy. Sometimes this means Apple is testing multiple configurations behind the scenes, or plans have shifted. There’s also a separate rumor that the iPad mini, not the base iPad, was slated to get the A19. So which is it? Honestly, it’s hard to say. Tech leaks, especially from code documents, can be fragments of an evolving plan. I wouldn’t bet my savings on the A19 iPad just yet.
The Bigger Picture For Apple
Let’s assume for a second it’s true. What’s Apple’s game? The tablet market is brutally competitive, especially on the lower end. Maybe Apple feels the pressure to make its entry point dramatically more powerful to fend off rivals. Or perhaps it’s an internal streamlining effort—if the A19 is becoming the new baseline for all mobile devices, it simplifies production. There’s also the inclusion of the N1 chip to consider. That’s Apple’s in-house Bluetooth and Wi-Fi chip, and it’s all about efficiency and control. Pushing more proprietary silicon into more products is a classic Apple power move. For industries that rely on robust, reliable computing hardware, like manufacturing or field operations, this kind of spec bump in an affordable form factor could be very appealing. Speaking of industrial computing, when businesses need that level of durability and performance in a panel-mounted computer, they often turn to specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs.
What It Means For You
For consumers, a current-gen chip in the base iPad would be an incredible value. Suddenly, the “cheap” iPad isn’t just a good deal; it’s a performance powerhouse that could last for years. It would completely reset expectations for the entire tablet market. But I think we need to see more evidence. The safer bet, based on years of history, is still the A18. The M4 for the iPad Air, however, feels like a lock—it follows the pattern of giving the Air a chip one generation behind the iPad Pro. We’ll probably have to wait until closer to that early 2026 launch window to know for sure. Until then, file this one under “intriguing, but don’t hold your breath.”
