Apple Skips Update for Base iPad, Citing Technical Integration

Last week, Apple unveiled the latest iPad mini featuring the A17 Pro chip and supporting Apple Intelligence capabilities. Surprisingly, however, Apple did not release an update for the standard iPad. Although this was anticipated, it still caused some confusion, considering the current entry-level iPad has been on the market for over two years.

Looking back at the standard iPad's history, the series was introduced to the market in 2017 as an entry-level product. Although it has now progressed to the tenth generation, its budget-friendly origins began with the fifth iteration. With the release of the iPad Air in 2013, the iPad 4 was gradually discontinued, allowing significant room for updates within the "iPad" lineup.

Since the fifth generation, the standard iPad has been dedicated to addressing mass consumer needs, particularly in the education sector. It trims non-essential features, focusing on core specifications such as omitting the latest chips, utilizing non-laminated displays, and offering Apple Pencil support, while maintaining limited storage capacity at just 32GB. Nonetheless, its price point of $329 ensures exceptional value for money in the market.

Subsequently, Apple has updated the series annually, including the sixth generation which added Apple Pencil support and upgraded the chipset, the seventh generation with larger displays, the eighth generation featuring new processors and fast charging capabilities, and the ninth generation which enhanced storage capacity, incorporated faster chips, and added a Center Stage camera.

With the tenth generation, the standard iPad received its most significant update to date, adopting the modern iPad design language, introducing vibrant color options, and switching to a USB-C port. Nevertheless, it continues to adhere to its original philosophy by utilizing older chipsets, non-laminated displays, and lacking support for Apple Pencil 2, requiring the use of special adapters for Apple Pencil 1.

Regarding the absence of an update, analysts suggest it may be related to the integration of Apple Intelligence features. The current standard iPad is equipped with the A14 chip, which was already outdated at the time of its release. Typically, Apple outfits the entry-level iPad with chips that are approximately two years old with each update. Following this pattern, the new iPad should have featured the A16 chip, which unfortunately is incompatible with Apple Intelligence functionalities.

Moreover, due to cost considerations, Apple may find it challenging to incorporate a more advanced chipset than the A16 into the standard iPad while maintaining its current price of $349. Additionally, the iPad mini 7 adopts the A17 Pro chip instead of the A18, suggesting that Apple may be encountering production constraints with the second-generation 3nm process technology and is reluctant to utilize the latest chips in its most affordable product.

Considering all these factors, Apple likely deemed it impractical to simultaneously update the standard iPad and support Apple Intelligence features this year, opting instead to forgo the update.

As for the release date of the new standard iPad, there is currently no definitive information. Analysts predict that Apple may launch an update in the fall of 2025, by which time the iPhone 17 will have been released. This would allow Apple to utilize the A18 chip from the iPhone 16 in its best-selling product to enable Apple Intelligence functionalities. However, this could result in the standard iPad’s chipset outperforming that of the iPad mini, potentially prompting Apple to update the iPad mini again in the following autumn.

Overall, Apple's decision not to update the standard iPad may be driven by considerations of technological integration and market strategy. Although this means the product will continue to feature older hardware configurations for some time, Apple is likely to address consumer demand for Apple Intelligence capabilities through alternative avenues, such as promoting sales of the iPad Air.

Market reactions to Apple's full investment in Apple Intelligence features have been varied. Going forward, it will be interesting to observe how Apple balances technological innovation with market demand.