Apple's next entry-level iPad is expected to gain the A18 chip, a change that appears modest on paper but would enable Apple Intelligence on the company's most affordable tablet for the first time.


Apple last refreshed the entry-level ‌iPad‌ in March 2025, adding the A16 chip. ‌Apple Intelligence‌ is supported by devices with the A17 Pro or newer, or Apple's M-series chips, due to the processing, memory bandwidth, and neural engine performance required to run on-device and hybrid AI workloads. The A16 in the current entry-level ‌iPad‌ falls just short of this threshold, leaving the product outside Apple's AI rollout despite its relatively recent update.

Apple introduced ‌Apple Intelligence‌ in 2024 as a set of features spanning its various operating systems. The company described the platform as "personal intelligence for everyday tasks," built around on-device processing combined with Private Cloud Compute for more demanding workloads. Apple said the system is designed to deliver "powerful capabilities while protecting user privacy."

The growing feature set initially included systemwide writing tools capable of rewriting, summarizing, and proofreading text across apps, image generation tools that allow users to create images and custom emoji from text prompts, and more.

By the end of 2026, it will enhance Siri with contextual awareness and deeper integration across apps, enabling the assistant to take actions based on onscreen content and personal data stored on the device. There are even bigger changes rumored for ‌‌Siri‌‌ as part of iOS 27, with Apple aiming to turn the assistant into a true chatbot, along with even deeper integration with the system.

Unlike apps like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, ‌Apple Intelligence‌ operates at the system level, so hardware support determines whether a device can participate in the platform at all. Moving to the A18 therefore brings the entry-level ‌iPad‌ into the same feature set as newer iPhones and iPads rather than merely improving speed or battery efficiency.

This is particularly significant given the role of the entry-level ‌iPad‌ in Apple's lineup. The device is positioned as the most accessible ‌iPad‌ and is widely used in education, families, and large-scale deployments. Expanding ‌Apple Intelligence‌ support to this model will significantly increase the number of devices capable of running Apple's AI features and users exposed to it.

All of the iPhones, Macs, and other ‌iPad‌ models available from Apple today support ‌Apple Intelligence‌, leaving the entry-level ‌iPad‌ as an outlier. Bringing ‌Apple Intelligence‌ support to the device thus completes support of the platform across Apple's major devices, eliminates fragmentation, and ensures better future-proofing.

Moving from the A16 to the A18 will also bring a full two-generation leap in Apple silicon, delivering a newer CPU built on a more advanced process node, a next-generation GPU with hardware ray tracing and mesh shading support, a substantially faster Neural Engine, and a newer media engine with improved hardware acceleration.

The newer chip architecture also features improved memory bandwidth and efficiency. Its efficiency gains should translate into better sustained performance under load and potentially longer battery life in everyday use, making the refresh worthwhile even for many users who do not actively use ‌Apple Intelligence‌.

Apple could announce the 12th-generation ‌iPad‌ as soon as March 4, when it is planning to hold an "experience" for the media in New York, London, and Shanghai. The device's launch is rumored to be imminent.
This article, "Apple Intelligence Rollout Nears Completion With Upcoming iPad 12" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

A major UK consumer lawsuit alleging that Qualcomm inflated iPhone prices through its patent licensing practices will be withdrawn with no payment (via Reuters).


The lawsuit raised on behalf of 29 million UK smartphone buyers will be withdrawn following an agreement with the British consumer association Which?, which had filed the case seeking £480 million in compensation for consumers who purchased Apple or Samsung devices since 2015.

Which? alleged that Qualcomm abused a dominant market position by requiring manufacturers to obtain a license for its standard essential patents before purchasing chipsets. The lawsuit claimed this policy compelled Apple and Samsung to pay royalties even when Qualcomm chips were not used in their devices, thereby increasing the cost of smartphones sold to consumers.

The case had already proceeded to trial last year before the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal, but the tribunal had not yet issued a ruling. Which? said it will now apply to withdraw the case after concluding the tribunal would likely determine that Qualcomm did not coerce Apple or Samsung into licensing agreements or impose unfair terms. The organization also said it believed the tribunal would find Qualcomm's practices did not violate competition law or lead to higher smartphone prices.

The withdrawal represents the latest development in a long-running series of disputes involving Qualcomm's patent licensing model and Apple's reliance on the company's cellular technology. Starting with the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e, Apple is now transitioning away from Qualcomm modems to its own custom cellular chips.
This article, "UK Case Claiming Qualcomm Inflated iPhone Prices to Be Withdrawn" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

iOS 26.4 moves the feature to show how much mobile data connected devices have used via Personal Hotspot to a more prominent and easily accessible location.


Now available in Personal Hotspot settings below the "Maximize Compatibility" toggle, the functionality breaks down data usage by device, with non-Apple devices simply showing up as a group of "Other Devices." Total Personal Hotspot Data usage is also displayed.

Previously, the feature was buried in cellular settings. It may be particularly helpful to those with a data limit on their carrier plan.

iOS 26.4 is now available in beta to developers. A public beta will be released in the near future. Apple plans to release the update in the spring.
This article, "iOS 26.4 Highlights Your Personal Hotspot Data Usage More Prominently" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's iPad Pro is likely to be left for years without a major update, according to a reliable leaker.


The Weibo-based leaker, known as "Instant Digital," says that the ‌iPad Pro‌ will not have a major update for a prolonged period of time. The cost of the OLED panel now used in the device is unlikely to come down in price and the last major redesign apparently did not significantly stimulate sales growth.

While Apple may maintain a regular iteration cycle with the device, it apparently has no intention of pursuing significant upgrades such as ultra-slim borders around the display, the likes of which are available on rival high-end tablets.

In 2024, Apple introduced the first major redesign of the device since 2018. Apple added the M5 chip to it in October 2025, along with some minor connectivity upgrades.

The ‌iPad Pro‌ is likely to gain the M6 chip and iPhone 17 Pro-style vapor chamber cooling at some point toward the end of 2026 or in 2027, but there have been no other rumors about the future of the product line.
This article, "Apple May Leave iPad Pro Without Major Upgrades for Years" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple today announced a "special Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai, taking place on March 4, 2026 at 9:00am ET.



Apple invited select members of the media to the event in three major cities around the world. It is simply described as a "special Apple Experience," and there is no further information about what it may entail. The invitation features a 3D Apple logo design composed of yellow, green, and blue discs.

It is notable that Apple is specifically using the word "experience," rather than "event." Unlike a full live-streamed event from Apple Park, the March 4 event in other cities is likely to be smaller in scale.



The announcement of several new Apple products is believed to be imminent, including the iPhone 17e, MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, eighth-generation, iPad Air, 12th-generation iPad, and more. A refreshed Studio Display and an all-new low-cost MacBook with the A18 chip are also possibilities, along with a new Apple TV and HomePod mini.

This "Apple Experience" could involve Apple's announcement of some of these products and provide an opportunity for the media to get hands-on with the new devices around the world.

The Apple Experience commences at 9:00am ET on March 4, 2026.
This article, "Apple Announces Special Event in New York, London, and Shanghai on March 4" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro Max models "won't be a big update," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.


In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the ‌iPhone 18‌ Pro models will "represent minor tweaks from last year's iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max." He compared the upgrade to Apple's past practice of appending the letter "S" to its more minor generational iPhone releases.

There will still apparently be several important internal changes, such as a new camera system with a variable aperture, the A20 chip, and the custom C2 modem. Nevertheless, the new Pro models likely won't be "the star of Apple's ‌iPhone‌ launch this fall," with the company's first foldable claiming the spotlight instead.


This article, "Gurman: iPhone 18 Pro Could Be Underwhelming" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums

We discuss the upcoming iPhone 17e and iPad models, as well as Apple's apparent issues finalizing the revamped version of Siri, on this week's episode of The MacRumors Show.


The announcement of the ‌iPhone‌ 17e is said to be "imminent," with stock of the iPhone 16e now dwindling. The new device is rumored to come with four main new features, including the A19 chip from the iPhone 17, MagSafe connectivity, the C1X cellular modem, and the N1 chip for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Thread connectivity.

New iPads are also on the horizon for the near future. The eighth-generation iPad Air is expected to move to the M4 chip, while the 12th-generation ‌iPad‌ is expected to jump a chip generation up to the A18, which will also enable Apple Intelligence support for the first time on the device.

This week's biggest story was the news that Apple has again "run into snags" testing the personalized, smarter version of ‌Siri‌ originally planned for iOS 26.4. Due to the issues, the upcoming ‌Siri‌ features will likely be partially delayed and spread across several upcoming iOS releases. Apple could postpone some or all of the new ‌Siri‌ features until iOS 26.5, an update planned for May, and iOS 27, which will launch this September.

Apple announced a significantly upgraded version of ‌Siri‌ powered by ‌Apple Intelligence‌ at its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, and it was originally supposed to be part of iOS 18. The following spring, Apple announced that the new ‌Siri‌ would take longer than expected, with the functionality delayed for a year.

Since then, Apple has ostensibly been targeting iOS 26.4, which the company will begin beta testing later this month, but there have apparently been unforeseen problems: ‌Siri‌ sometimes doesn't properly process queries and can take too long to respond to requests.

Apple engineers have been told to use iOS 26.5 for further internal testing, suggesting the new ‌Siri‌ features will be delayed until that update. Employees that are testing iOS 26.5 say the update includes all of the features Apple promised, including personalization, onscreen awareness, and the ability for ‌Siri‌ to do more in and between apps, but not all of the features are working reliably and there are problems with accuracy.

‌Siri‌ also apparently sometimes falls back on using ChatGPT for information instead of relying on the Gemini-powered technology that Apple has partnered with Google to use, even when the new version of ‌Siri‌ is capable of handling a user's request.

Apple also planned to include features that haven't yet been announced, such as options to generate images with Image Playground or search the web. Image generation and web search were tested as part of iOS 26.4, and it's possible they will still be included in the update, so Apple might still be able to release some of the new ‌Siri‌ functionality. Bloomberg says the situation is "fluid," though, so Apple's plans could change, and executives are reluctant to further delay the ‌Siri‌ functionality beyond spring 2026.

There are still major changes planned for ‌Siri‌ as part of iOS 27, with Apple aiming to add chatbot functionality to better compete with the likes of like Gemini and ChatGPT. This new version of ‌Siri‌ will also reportedly have deeper integration with apps and Apple's operating systems.

The MacRumors Show has its own YouTube channel, so make sure you're subscribed to keep up with new episodes and clips.



You can also listen to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or other podcast apps. You can also copy our RSS feed directly into your player.



If you haven't already listened to the previous episode of The MacRumors Show, catch up to hear our discussion about all of the new Macs Apple is expected to release this year, starting with the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro.

Subscribe to ‌The MacRumors Show‌ for new episodes every week, where we discuss some of the topical news breaking here on MacRumors, often joined by interesting guests such as Kayci Lacob, Kevin Nether, John Gruber, Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Luke Miani, Matthew Cassinelli, Brian Tong, Quinn Nelson, Jared Nelson, Eli Hodapp, Mike Bell, Sara Dietschy, iJustine, Jon Rettinger, Andru Edwards, Arnold Kim, Ben Sullins, Marcus Kane, Christopher Lawley, Frank McShan, David Lewis, Tyler Stalman, Sam Kohl, Federico Viticci, Thomas Frank, Jonathan Morrison, Ross Young, Ian Zelbo, and Rene Ritchie.

‌The MacRumors Show‌ is on X @MacRumorsShow, so be sure to give us a follow to keep up with the podcast. You can also email us at podcast@macrumors.com or head over to The MacRumors Show forum thread. Remember to rate and review the podcast, and let us know what subjects and guests you would like to see in the future.
This article, "The MacRumors Show: Revamped Siri Delayed Again?" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums