Highlights

• The next-generation iPad 11 will feature the A17 Pro chip with support for Apple Intelligence.
• This chip will replace the current A14 chip.
• The iPad 11 is expected to launch this spring alongside updates to the iPad Air, a new iPhone SE and refreshed Magic Keyboards.

Apple’s upcoming entry-level iPad 11 will be powered by the A17 Pro chip, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This decision confirms that the new iPad will support Apple Intelligence, though it wasn’t clear which chip Apple would use for this lower-end device until now.

The A17 Pro chip built using the first-generation N3B 3nm process hasn’t been smooth sailing for Apple. The process has been criticised for being costly, having low yields and offering only modest performance gains compared to earlier chips.

Many tech experts assumed Apple was ready to move on from the N3B process. Apple’s transition to the M4 chip in May 2024 just six months after introducing the M3 series in late 2023 also made tech enthusiasts think that Apple took the criticism seriously.

Apple also has a track record of placing older chips in entry-level devices. For example, the base iPhone 14 models retained the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13 lineup. However, the iPhone 16 lineup broke this pattern with all models featuring the latest A18 chip suggesting that Apple might have moved on from the A17 entirely.

Apple surprised everyone by using the A17 Pro chip in the iPad mini 7th generation, a lower-volume product. Now Gurman suggests Apple plans to extend the use of the first-generation N3B process to its high-volume entry-level iPad 11 as well.

In his recent newsletter, Gurman wrote, “The new entry-level iPads — J481 and J482 — will get faster processors and Apple Intelligence. The current models have the A14 chip and 4 gigabytes of memory. Look for the new versions to have the A17 Pro chip, matching the iPad mini, and a bump to 8 gigabytes of memory. That’s the minimum needed to support the new AI platform.”

iPad mini 7 binned version of the A17 Pro with a 5-core GPU likely as a cost-saving measure. A similar strategy may be used for the iPad 11 making it a practical choice for balancing performance and production costs.

Apple is expected to launch the iPad 11 this spring along with upgrades to the iPad Air, a new iPhone SE and refreshed Magic Keyboards.

FAQs

Q1. What chip will power the next-generation iPad 11?

Answer. The next-generation iPad 11 will be powered by the A17 Pro chip confirming support for Apple Intelligence.

Q2. How does the A17 Pro chip compare to previous chips?

Answer. The A17 Pro chip, despite being built using a costly and low-yield N3B 3nm process, will replace the current A14 chip in the iPad 11. This follows Apple’s decision to use the A17 Pro chip in the iPad mini 7th generation.

Q3. When is the iPad 11 expected to launch?

Answer. The iPad 11 is expected to launch this spring alongside updates to the iPad Air, a new iPhone SE and refreshed Magic Keyboards.

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