iPad Air Gets OLED, Base iPad Gets A19, Pro Gets Vapor Chamber

Shortly after introducing a refreshed iPad mini with an OLED display, Apple is reportedly turning its attention to the rest of its tablet lineup. According to the latest information, the company is expected to announce a new iPad Air, a new base iPad and a new iPad Pro in the first half of next year.

Each of the three models is said to get a different kind of update: the Air's display, the base iPad's processor and AI support, and the Pro's cooling and next-generation chip. Some of the details are not yet settled, and chip and pricing expectations in particular remain speculative.

iPad Air moves to an OLED display

After the iPad mini, the iPad Air is expected to be the next model to switch to an OLED panel. The device will likely use a 60Hz panel and is not expected to move from Touch ID to Face ID. Given that the iPad Air has not received a major redesign since 2020, the OLED screen would be the most notable update the series has seen.

There is no firm information on the chip yet, but a move from the M4 to the M5 looks likely. A price increase is also expected, with the 11-inch base model possibly arriving at somewhere between $799 and $899. These figures are not official and should be treated as expectations only.

Base iPad gets the A19 and 8GB of RAM

The base iPad has not been updated since the start of 2025. According to the reports, the new version will carry the A19 chip and 8GB of RAM. That combination would finally open the door to Apple Intelligence on Apple's cheapest tablet, which would be a significant step for an entry-level iPad.

The device is also expected to add Apple's N1 chip and C1X modem, which are anticipated to improve network performance. No changes to the display or design are expected for now, though new color options may be on the table.

iPad Pro: vapor chamber and a new chip

The headline change for the iPad Pro is the arrival of the vapor chamber cooling system that Apple introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro last year. Beyond that, no major changes are expected; only the chip will be updated, and it is predicted to be the M6, with the M7 a remote possibility.

The iPad Pro currently starts at $1,199 for the 11-inch model and $1,499 for the 13-inch model. By the time the M6 model arrives, roughly three years will have passed since the series' last major overhaul. Whether the new model offers more than a chip and cooling update remains to be seen.