Apple to Upgrade Entry-Level iPad With A19 Chip and iPad Air With M4 in 2026 [Leak]

Apple is planning to bring its newest silicon to the rest of the iPad lineup next year. Code discovered in early software builds indicates the entry-level iPad and the iPad Air are both due for significant processor upgrades in 2026 to support Apple Intelligence.

According to the findings reported by Macworld, a new base model iPad (identified as J581 and J588) will run on the A19 chip. That is the same processor powering the current iPhone 17 and would represent a massive jump over the A16 chip found in the 11th-generation model. The move likely necessitates an upgrade to 8GB of RAM, the threshold required to run Apple's AI features locally.




The code also points to an updated iPad Air lineup under identifiers J707, J708, J737, and J738. These models are expected to adopt the M4 chip, keeping the mid-range tablet fast without encroaching on the M5 iPad Pro released in October. While the internals are getting a speed bump, the external design and display specs will likely carry over from the current generation.

Both tablets are set to gain Apple's custom N1 wireless chip. This in-house silicon has been shown to deliver significant Wi-Fi speed improvements over the Broadcom components used in older devices.

The leak largely backs up a 2026 roadmap shared by Mark Gurman last month, although that report initially suggested the budget iPad might use an A18 chip. The software analysis did not reveal references to a new iPad mini, despite separate rumors that an OLED update for the smaller tablet is in development.

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