For the first time in more than two years, a new basic iPad model has appeared on the market. Apple has just announced the 11th generation iPad in a press release, but unlike the new products Apple has released recently, this iPad does not feature Apple Intelligence.
Instead, the new iPad features an updated A16 chip and “twice the storage capacity” of 128 GB. It will start at $349 and will be available on March 12 in a variety of colors, including blue, pink, yellow, and silver.
With its launch, the 11th generation iPad will be the only new iPad without Apple Intelligence. The new iPad Air, which Apple also announced on Tuesday, supports AI features, as do the iPad Mini and iPad Pro, both released last year.
The 10th generation iPad, the predecessor to this new device, has been a somewhat confusing entrant in Apple’s tablet lineup. Apple released the device in 2022 with a more modern design, faster chip, and larger screen than the 9th generation iPad, but it also cost $449 instead of the long-standing base price of $329. (To complicate matters, Apple continued to sell the 9th generation model for $329 – so it’s hard to tell which was the base iPad.) Since then, we’ve gotten a new iPad Pro, a new Air, and a new Mini, making only the base model feel outdated. All Apple has done is lower the price to $349.
The iPad lineup has been confusing for a while, but as always, the good news is that there are no bad iPads. And with a minor upgrade or not, the base iPad is still likely the right iPad for most people.
