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Apple’s 2026 iPad lineup is beginning to take shape, and early details suggest the company is preparing one of its biggest upgrades for entry-level tablets in years. A new report indicates that Apple is testing an A19-powered iPad and an M4-based iPad Air for release early next year.
MacWorld reportedly accessed an internal Apple code document tied to a pre-release build of iOS 26. The document outlines several upcoming iPad models and confirms hardware changes that Apple has not announced yet.
According to the leak, Apple is working on a base iPad with the codenames J581 and J582. This model is expected to run on the A19 chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 17 lineup. If accurate, this would mark a major jump from the current 11th-generation iPad, which relies on the older A16 chip from the iPhone 14.
The entry-level iPad is also listed with Apple’s new N1 wireless chip. Apple first introduced the N1 with the iPhone 17, so its inclusion hints at stronger wireless performance. Other features are expected to stay close to the existing iPad 11.
The document also highlights a new iPad Air that uses the M4 chip and the same N1 wireless system. This tablet appears under the codenames J707, J708, J737, and J738. Apple does not seem to be planning big design or display changes, and the device should look similar to the 2025 iPad Air.
The report claims Apple may launch both the A19-powered iPad 12 and the M4-based iPad Air early next year. However, the exact timeline remains unclear and could shift as development continues.
