Apple’s Entry-Level iPad Remains Stagnant as Pro Models Get All the Love

In a move that has left many budget-conscious consumers scratching their heads, Apple continues to ignore its most popular iPad model while lavishing attention—and cutting-edge technology—on its premium offerings. The entry-level iPad, which many consider the best value in Apple’s tablet lineup, has been left behind in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.

The standard iPad, which starts at $349, still runs on the A16 Bionic chip—a processor that Apple first introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro back in 2022. That makes it the only current Apple device incapable of running Apple Intelligence, the company’s much-hyped but underwhelming AI initiative. This technological dead-end is particularly frustrating given that Apple has just announced a partnership with Google to integrate Gemini AI into Siri, promising significant improvements to the company’s AI capabilities.

Meanwhile, Apple has been busy upgrading its more expensive models. The iPad Pro M5, released last fall, received a substantial performance boost that pushes its starting price to $999—roughly equivalent to a MacBook Air. The new iPad Air, which starts at $599, now features the M4 chip and improved wireless capabilities, effectively positioning it as a “mitigated-cost pro iPad” with a few features removed, such as the OLED display found in the Pro models.

This strategy raises questions about Apple’s intentions. Is the company subtly encouraging consumers to spend more by making the base model increasingly outdated? The entry-level iPad’s A16 chip, while adequate for basic tasks like streaming and casual gaming, represents a two-and-a-half-year-old technology in a market where chip advancements occur annually. With only 128GB of base storage, the device feels increasingly constrained for modern usage patterns.

The timing is particularly unfortunate given current economic pressures. As inflation and economic uncertainty make consumers more price-sensitive than ever, Apple appears to be pushing its customer base toward higher-priced options. This approach seems especially tone-deaf when you consider that many potential buyers view the iPad as a secondary device rather than a primary computing solution.

The situation is further complicated by Apple’s apparent reluctance to position iPads as true Mac alternatives, despite incremental improvements to iPadOS. The company seems caught in a contradiction: making the iPad more capable while simultaneously preventing it from replacing MacBooks in many workflows. This has led many consumers to conclude that spending less on an iPad makes more sense, since it’s not positioned as a complete computing replacement.

For families and educational institutions that have traditionally relied on the entry-level iPad as an affordable solution, this stagnation represents a significant missed opportunity. The device’s inability to access upcoming AI features, combined with its aging hardware, makes it a progressively worse value proposition.

As we look ahead, the question remains: when will Apple address this growing disparity in its iPad lineup? The company’s current approach suggests it views the iPad Air as the new “basic” model, leaving the traditional entry-level iPad to wither on the vine. For consumers waiting for a genuinely updated budget-friendly option, the wait continues—and with each passing month, the case for choosing Apple’s entry-level tablet becomes harder to make.

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