The iPad Air is set to get a refresh in 2026, and from the looks of it, it’s going to be a device that will be very hard to ignore.
Apple to Upgrade iPad Air this Year with the Powerful M4 Chip, A12 iPad to Feature A18
Based on price alone, the entry-level iPad is the best deal in tech, and there’s nothing that can ever top it, except an upgrade to itself, which is definitely happening this year with the inclusion of the A18 chip.
However, that’s not the best news of the day. According to Mark Gurman in his PowerOn newsletter, Apple is going to give the iPad Air a small refresh soon as well.
That refresh does not include any design change at all. It’s going to be the same iPad Air we know and love. While it may look boring, it’s the most functional iPad, just like the standard iPad model.
The thing that will make the 2026 iPad Air amazing is the inclusion of the M4 chip. This means users will get last year’s iPad Pro performance at a price of just $599. That’s absolutely ridiculous, and I love it.
The report falls short in revealing any other details regarding the tablet. But if it does include Apple’s N1 chip along with either the C1 or C1X modem, then there’s no reason to get an iPad Pro at all.
Quite frankly, no one needs an iPad Pro unless you’re very picky about certain features, such as an OLED display, thinner design, a LiDAR scanner, etc.
But if you want a computer or an iPad for raw performance alone, then chasing a chip upgrade is the thing you should do. The iPad Air is going to focus solely on raw performance, and that’s what you should care about because it ensures longevity.
To wrap things up, the same report talks about the iPad 12 shipping with the A18 chip, the same chip from the iPhone 17, and that’s the upgrade that will bring Apple Intelligence to the entry-level iPad model.
