In an age where Apple is all about its AI powered Apple Intelligence, it seems odd that it hasn’t crammed it into the base model iPad (2025) . Why that is may have now become clearer.
On the surface there’s the obvious hardware issue of the base iPad simply not packing enough punch to keep up with the AI. But Apple would have known this in advance, so it presumably chose to leave this model of iPad a little behind in terms of AI upgrades.
Now, according to 9to5mac and based on a sales chart from CRIP , the sales of the base model iPad have been increasing year on year. As such, it’s being suggested that Apple is choosing to perhaps make the base iPad less appealing.
The suggestion here is that by lowering sales of the base iPad that will stop it from eating into sales of the more premium models. The end result being that it will sell more iPad Pro and iPad Air units, making more profits overall.
A presumption based on iPad buyers choosing the base model, not being forced by what they can afford.
Apple is offering accessible options
The other way of viewing this is that Apple is simply trying to keep a basic iPad model in the mix so that more people can afford to buy a version of the popular tablet.
As Digital Trends’ own Nadeem Sarwar points out: “ The $349 price just doesn’t make sense to offer hardware that can support generative AI.”
So Apple, perhaps, simply wants to segment its hardware as well as its software – offering more advanced features at the top end. While also allowing those that can’t stretch to that – or don’t wish to – to get all the other Apple features that work just fine on the base iPad.
This year the iPad (2025) has actually seen more support from Apple in the form of a bump to 6GB of RAM, from a previous 4GB -making it better value for money in terms of future proofing. Presuming you don’t want Apple Intelligence.
