These iPads are no longer supported by iPadOS 18 - and only these ones get AI

The first rumours that Apple would exclude several iPads from the update to iPadOS 18 were already circulating in winter 2024.

Tipster @aaronp613 correctly predicted that the second-generation iPad Pro 12.9-inch and the iPad Pro 10.5-inch would disappear from the compatibility list.

Apple introduced both devices in 2017 and both feature the A10X processor. The A10 processor has long since disappeared from the iOS compatibility list; the iPhone 7 with this chip last received the latest system in autumn 2021 with iOS 15, with iOS 16 being the end of the line.

However, there are still two models in the iPad range that have this chip on the motherboard: the sixth-generation iPad and the seventh-generation iPad. Apple has decided to only stop supporting the iPad 6 with iPadOS 18; the iPad 7 has been saved for now.

The reason for this is probably the fact that the iPad 7 was only launched in 2019, while the iPad 6 was launched a year earlier. However, there is a very high probability that iPadOS 18 will be the last operating system update for the iPad 7.

These iPads are supported by iPadOS 18:

iPad Pro (M4)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and newer)
iPad Pro 11-inch
iPad Air (M2)
iPad Air (3rd generation and newer)
iPad (7th generation and newer)
iPad Mini (5th generation and newer)

These iPads are no longer supported by iPadOS 18

iPad Pro 12.9 inch (2nd generation)
iPad Pro 10.5 inch
iPad of the 6th generation

Currently best price: iPad Air M2

$569

iPadOS is getting some exciting new features, such as a calculator at last. However, the AI called Apple Intelligence, which Apple is integrating into all its platforms, will only be able to run on iPads with an M chip, i.e. so far only the iPad Pro and iPad Air models that Apple has released since 2021.

These iPads support Apple Intelligence in iPadOS 18: