Apple‘s upcoming iPad 11 will reportedly feature the A17 Pro chip, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The iPad 11 is expected to be the next entry-level tablet from Apple, and this chip will power the new device, aligning with previous speculation about the inclusion of Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI features.
iPad 11: Challenges with the N3B 3nm Process
The A17 Pro chip is built on the first-generation N3B 3nm process, which has faced challenges due to high costs and limited performance improvements over earlier models. Although there were concerns about this chip’s viability, Apple’s recent product releases, such as the M4 chip in the iPad Pro, suggested the company might move away from the first-generation 3nm process quickly.
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Apple has historically used older chips in its budget devices, as seen in the iPhone 14 series, where the base model used the A15 Bionic chip. However, Apple deviated from this trend with the iPhone 16 series, using the A18 chip across all models, signalling the end of the A17 chip’s lifecycle.
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iPad Mini Strategy Reflects New Approach
Despite this, the iPad Mini 7th generation surprised many by incorporating the A17 Pro chip instead of the newer A18. This decision made sense for the iPad Mini’s target audience and production scale. Now, Apple plans to adopt a similar strategy for the iPad 11, with entry-level models, internally referred to as J481 and J482, expected to feature the A17 Pro chip. The new models will likely include 8GB of memory, doubling the current 4GB in the entry-level iPad, to support the new AI features.
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Apple is also expected to use a binned version of the A17 Pro chip, similar to the iPad Mini, which could help control costs while maintaining adequate performance. The iPad 11, along with updated iPad Air models, a new iPhone SE, and refreshed Magic Keyboards, is expected to launch in the spring.
