This month's Apple product launch event did not include an update to the base model iPad. According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the product is still on track for its upcoming release. Apple originally planned to release the new entry-level iPad in the first half of 2026, coinciding with the launch of iOS 26.4, possibly by May. Given that iOS 26.4 entered the release candidate stage last week, the new iPad is highly likely to be released in April, though a delay until May cannot be ruled out. The most significant change in the new iPad is the chip upgrade, from A16 to A18, offering faster performance and support for Apple Intelligence. Additionally, Apple may, for the first time, incorporate its self-developed C1 baseband and N1 network chips into the new iPad, although this information has not been definitively confirmed. Overall, the new iPad represents essentially a chip upgrade.