Apple’s Next-Gen iPad 11 Set to Pack Powerful A17 Pro Chip: A Surprising Move

Summary of the Upcoming iPad 11 with A17 Pro Chip According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the next-generation entry-level iPad 11 will feature the A17 Pro chip. This move is surprising given Apple's previous strategy of using older generation chips in lower-end devices. The N3B first-generation 3nm process used in the A17 and M3 series has been costly and had low yields, but it still offers significant performance improvements.

The new iPad 11 will also support Apple Intelligence, requiring at least 8GB of memory. This is a substantial upgrade from the current models, which use the A14 chip and 4GB of memory. The decision to use the A17 Pro in the iPad mini 7th generation, despite it being a lower-volume product, suggests that Apple sees value in deploying this chip across its lineup.

Apple is expected to launch the new iPad 11 alongside other updates, including the iPad Air, iPhone SE, and Magic Keyboards, in the spring.