Apple has not included AI capabilities in the base model iPad, reportedly to make it less appealing and not eat into sales of premium models.
The decision to offer a less advanced iPad may also be driven by Apple's desire to keep an affordable option in the market.
The base iPad has seen improvements, such as increased RAM, but lacks support for Apple Intelligence.
Apple's strategy seems to segment hardware and software offerings, providing more advanced features in premium models and basic features in the base iPad.