iPad 12th Gen A18 Release Date & Price LEAKED!

Tech/product focus: iPad “12th gen” (A18) leak summary

What’s coming

• A new standard iPad (11-inch class, “regular iPad”) using an A18 chip.

Expected release window

• ~1.5 months from the time of the video, with broader expectation of sometime during 2026.
• Possible timing scenarios discussed:
  • Sept 8–9 Apple iPhone/Watch event: mentioned as a possibility, but considered unlikely because it’s expected to be a “premium” event rather than budget iPad news.
  • Most likely outcome: a soft release in early-to-mid October, appearing via Apple’s website/press release.
  • Alternative: end of October / early November alongside other Apple announcements (e.g., MacBook Pro with M6), potentially released via press release rather than a full event.

Design/UI changes

• No major design refresh expected:
  • Same overall design as the current regular iPad
  • No OLED, no mini-LED
  • No ProMotion (120Hz)
  • No larger size (still 11-inch standard)
  • No laminated display (reserved for iPad Air)

Key hardware upgrades

• Chip: A16 → A18
• RAM: 6 GB → 8 GB
• A18 is described as likely similar to iPhone 16e silicon:
  • 6-core CPU / 4-core GPU
• Not expected to be A18 Pro (explicitly “standard A18”).

Software/AI capability implications

• With 8 GB RAM, the speaker suggests more iPad models could get “Apple Intelligence” features.
• Likely not all advanced features (e.g., parts of Siri) will work fully without sufficient resources, but some Apple Intelligence capability is expected on the regular iPad for the first time due to the RAM jump.

Price context + pricing expectations

Current baseline pricing

• Current regular iPad price (Apple website, baseline 128GB): $449
  • After a recent price increase, attributed to AI-related supply-chain pressures such as RAM/storage pricing and AI data center demand.

Discounts vs Apple pricing

• Third-party retailers (e.g., Amazon) may sell it under $400, while Apple’s own store remains at $449.

Expected price for the new A18 iPad

• Likely stays around ~$449 on Apple’s website.
• No expected price drop back to the earlier lower pricing.

Comparison to earlier models (context provided)

• 2022: regular iPad redesigned in an “iPad Air-like” direction; shipped with A14
  • Price mentioned dropping to ~$330 at the time
• ~9–10 months later: updated to an A16 model (now current iPad noted as A16 + 6GB RAM)
• Recent change: price increases across many Apple products due to AI/RAM/storage cost pressures

Main speakers/sources

• Primary speaker: the YouTube channel host (unnamed in subtitles), discussing iPad leaks/rumors.
• Implied sources: general “leaks and rumors” (no specific publication identified), plus contextual references to Apple events and iPhone 16e specs.