New iPad 12 Missing From Major Product Launch Despite AI Upgrade Rumours—Is It Coming Soon?

Apple's eagerly awaited iPad 12 failed to materialise during its major product announcements from March 2 to 4, 2026, leaving fans wondering if the entry-level tablet with rumoured Apple Intelligence upgrades is just around the corner.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman had tipped off readers in his weekend newsletter that the three-day flurry culminating in hands-on 'Apple Experience' events in New York, London and Shanghai would bring an updated entry-level iPad alongside other kit. Instead, Apple rolled out seven products: the iPhone 17e with A19 chip and MagSafe, M4 iPad Air, M5 MacBook Air, M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro, the bargain £479 MacBook Neo powered by A18 Pro, and revamped Studio Display plus a pro-grade XDR version. The iPad 12, the sole no-show from Gurman's list, now hangs in limbo as Apple signals no more reveals this week.

iPad 12 Rumours Heat Up Amid Launch Snub

Punters hoping for a budget iPad refresh got a rude awakening. The current 11th-gen model, launched in March 2025 with an A16 chip and starting at $349 in the US (around £279 here), chugs along fine for basics but lacks the muscle for Apple Intelligence—the firm's AI suite that already graces iPad Air, Pro and mini. Leaks peg the iPad 12 for an A18 chip at minimum, promising snappier performance and on-device AI smarts like smarter Siri and image generation tools. One whisper even floated Apple's freshest A19 silicon, borrowed from the iPhone 17, though that'd buck the bean-counters' habit of recycling last-gen chips for cost iPads.

Don't hold your breath for a radical redesign, mind. Spyshots and supply-chain chatter point to the same 10.9-inch chassis, USB-C port and button layout as its predecessor—reliable but hardly revolutionary. Apple Intelligence demands at least an A17 Pro or M1; the A16 falls short, so this upgrade feels overdue for students, families and casual users who balk at Pro prices. Gurman himself mused the low-cost MacBook—now the Neo—stole the spotlight, but that doesn't explain sidelining the iPad when stocks of older models dwindle.​

Why Skip the iPad 12—And What's Next?

Apple's scattershot launch style irks as much as it intrigues. No keynote, just press releases and pop-up demos; it's efficient but leaves gaps. The MacBook Neo, at £479 with iPhone-grade A18 Pro, pitches as a Chromebook killer up to 50% faster than Intel rivals for AI tasks, though stuck with 8GB unupgradable RAM and one external display limit. Critics snipe it's cobbled from iPhone scraps, yet it flew off pre-order shelves alongside the £599 iPhone 17e and beefed-up Displays.

So where does that leave the iPad 12? Tim Cook's wrap-up post hinted at March 11 shipping for the week's haul, but zilch on the missing tablet. Supply chain murmurs suggest production ramps soon, possibly for a summer debut to align with back-to-school sales. If A19 lands, it'd leapfrog the iPad 11 dramatically; A18 would suffice for AI parity without breaking the bank. Apple's cagey—no official word beyond 'no more this week,' but history says stragglers like this surface quietly.

Sceptics might call it vapourware, yet Gurman's track record spotting the Neo early lends credence. For now, those eyeing an affordable slate with AI tricks must nurse the iPad 11 or splurge on Air. Apple's playing a long game, betting the wait builds hype. Will the iPad 12 crash the party soon, or languish till autumn? Punters, brace for more tea-leaves from leakers.