The availability of Apple Intelligence on iPad 11 is still in question
The purported specifications of the iPad 11, iPhone SE 4, and 2025 iPad Air models have appeared online, and contradictions include the iPad 11 not getting Apple Intelligence support.
On Wednesday, an anonymous social media account with a verifiable track record published detailed information on multiple unreleased Apple products. Earlier in the day, the leaker claimed that the fourth-generation iPhone SE, the iPad 11, and the 2025 iPad Air models would all ship with iOS 18.3 preinstalled.
The leaker has since returned with even more information on these devices, but some of their recent claims raise more questions than answers.
The iPad 11 may not feature Apple Intelligence after all
Specifically, the account claims that the iPad 11 will feature Apple’s A16 Bionic, a system-on-chip first used in the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro, and later re-used for the standard iPhone 15.
If it turns out to be the case, it means that the entry-level iPad 11 might not support Apple Intelligence features after all. Previous rumors have suggested that the iPad 11 will, instead, use Apple’s A17 Pro or newer chip, as a way of bringing Apple Intelligence to the budget-friendly iPad model.
Apple Intelligence is a suite of generative AI features, available on select Apple platforms — namely devices with an M1 or newer Apple Silicon chip, or iPhone and iPad models with the A17 Pro or newer. Apple Intelligence makes it possible to create AI-generated Genmoji, among other things, and is a key selling point of the iPhone 16 range.
iPad mini 7 got Apple Intelligence thanks to the A17 Pro chip
While Apple could, in theory, opt to use the A16 Bionic chip for the new-and-improved iPad 11, the iPhone maker would end up using three-year-old technology for a product that lacks Apple Intelligence support. Even the humble iPad mini was updated with Apple’s A17 Pro chip in 2024, despite TSMC continuing production of the A16 Bionic.
Even though the account behind Wednesday’s spec leaks has an established track record, having shared the build number of Apple’s iOS 18.2.1 update, an iPad 11 with the A16 Bionic seems questionable.
The purported specifications also don’t mesh with Apple’s plans for the fourth-generation iPhone SE, which is expected to receive Apple Intelligence support despite its low price tag.
The iPhone SE 4 to feature the A18 chip
The account behind the supposed iPad 11 specification leak also published information concerning the as-of-yet unannounced iPhone SE 4. The leaker claims that this device will receive Apple’s A18 chip, bringing Apple’s AI features to the budget-friendly iPhone model.
The iPhone SE 4 is expected to use Apple’s A18 chip, which supports Apple Intelligence.
This is in line with previous claims and rumors, all of which have suggested that the fourth-generation iPhone SE will ship with Apple’s A18 chip. The device is expected to feature a modified iPhone 14 chassis, with the Dynamic Island and a single 48 MP rear camera.
The third-generation of the iPhone SE was released back in 2022. The third-gen model is effectively identical to the iPhone 8, with thick bezels and a Home Button on the front. The iPhone SE 4 should thus be a considerable update, given everything we’ve heard about the phone.
2025 iPad Air could use M3 instead
Wednesday’s specification leak suggests that Apple is working on two new iPad Air models for 2025. The new 11-inch iPad Air and 13-inch iPad Air models are rumored to feature the M3 chip, previously used in the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and 24-inch iMac.
Apple’s 2025 iPad Air lineup is expected to use the M3 chip, according to multiple sources.
This is not the first time the claim has been made, making the move to M3 a reasonable possibility for the iPad Air. There is no outright consensus on this, however, with other reliable sources saying the 2025 iPad Air will feature the M4 chip instead of the M3.
Apple seems to be trying to get away from the M3 generation since it was built on an undesirable 3nm process, however, available surplus M3 chips may be available for the mid-tier iPad. The M4 rumor is also questionable, considering Apple already updated iPad Air to M2 in May 2024 and iPad Pro is still sporting M4. However, the arrival of an M4 iPad Air in the spring could signal an incoming M5 iPad Pro in the fall.
The new-and-improved iPad Air could also gain a display with a 90Hz refresh rate, while new Magic Keyboard accessories are expected to make their debut as well.
It’s worth emphasizing that the information on the 2025 iPad Air lineup, as well as the newly released details on the iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11, come from an account known for accurate insights. All of these devices are expected to debut in April 2025, which is when Apple is set to release iOS 18.4 with significant improvements to Siri.
