Apple Reportedly Plans Three New iPads for the First Half of 2027
Apple is reportedly preparing up to three new iPad models for early next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, as reported by Engadget. The lineup would cover the base iPad, the iPad Pro and the iPad Air. MacRumors reported on November 1 that the entry-level iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro are planned for release in the first half of 2027.
The Base iPad
The base iPad is reported to gain Apple Intelligence, Apple's set of on-device and cloud AI features, paired with an A19 processor and 8GB of RAM (the working memory the chip uses for active tasks). It would also include Apple's N1 wireless chip and C1X modem, enabling Wi-Fi 7 and sub-6 GHz 5G, the lower-frequency 5G band that trades peak speed for better range. Bloomberg has previously identified the entry-level model by the internal code name J581.
The iPad Air
The iPad Air is reported to receive an OLED display matching the iPad mini, along with chip upgrades. OLED panels light each pixel individually, which allows deeper blacks and thinner screens than conventional LCD. In July, Bloomberg reported that Apple was nearing launch of an OLED iPad mini, a new iPad Air and a base iPad, all slated for 2027. Bloomberg had earlier reported plans for updates to the entry-level iPad and iPad Air by spring 2026, so the timeline has moved.
The iPad Pro
The iPad Pro is reported to receive a processor upgrade beyond the M5 that Apple introduced in the iPad Pro in October 2025. The successor could be an M6 or a later M7. Engadget's report says the new iPad Pro will likely include vapor chamber cooling, a sealed, flat chamber with a small amount of liquid that moves heat away from the processor, to manage the additional heat generated during AI workloads. Bloomberg reported in July that Apple was testing new iPad Pro models for spring 2027 that retain the current 11-inch and 13-inch display sizes. That same July report described a redesigned entry-level MacBook Pro for the first half of 2027.
Why the Hardware Matters for the Software
Apple unveiled its next generation of Apple Intelligence and Siri AI at WWDC26 in June. The reported hardware changes place that software on a wider range of devices, from a base-tier tablet to the Pro line, and make thermal management a design requirement rather than an afterthought. A base iPad with 8GB of RAM running on-device models is a different proposition from the same class of device a few years ago. The reported vapor chamber in the Pro points to sustained on-device inference, meaning AI models running locally rather than in a data center, as the target workload.
In my view, the detail that will matter most to developers is memory. Apple Intelligence features on a base iPad with 8GB of RAM will have to fit inside a tighter envelope than the same features on an M-series Pro, and the reported chip choices suggest Apple is drawing a clear line between models for on-device inference and models for heavier, sustained work. Whether that line holds in shipping hardware is something the coming months will show.
Apple has not announced these models, and the specifications, names and dates could change before launch. What the reports do establish is a consistent direction: a broader Apple Intelligence footprint across the iPad lineup, a move to OLED in the mid-range Air, and a Pro line tuned for AI workloads under sustained load. For tablet buyers and for the developers building against them, the first half of 2027 is the period to watch.
