Apple released iPadOS 27 this fall, bringing a revamped Siri, a Liquid Glass UI slider and up to 30% faster app launches. The update promises smoother animations and a software‑based CPU scheduler that improves performance even on older hardware. Compatibility spans the 11‑inch iPad Pro 2nd‑gen through the iPad mini 6th‑gen, provided they meet the listed processor thresholds this year.

Devices missing a M4 chip or at least 12 GB of RAM cannot run the new Apple Intelligence features; only iPad Pro models with M4 or newer will access on‑device AI. Apple also dropped support for several legacy units, including the 1st‑gen 11‑inch iPad Pro, 3rd‑gen 12.9‑inch Pro, 3rd‑gen iPad Air, 5th‑gen iPad mini and 8th‑gen iPad. Those older models will receive security patches but no full OS upgrade.

The decision mirrors Apple’s broader strategy of pushing newer hardware while maintaining a baseline of security for older devices. Consumers with unsupported iPads will need to upgrade to run the full suite of AI tools, potentially driving sales of the latest iPad Pro or Air models ahead of the September launch of iPhone 18 Pro. The cutoff underscores how quickly performance thresholds evolve in Apple’s ecosystem.