Sophia Windsor
[ Gearbest Technology News]Apple is about to usher in its first major product release in 2026. Cook previously hinted at a “big week” on social media, using the hashtag “Apple Releases.” Gearbestlearned that Apple has scheduled media events in New York, Shanghai and London on March 4. It is expected to launch the high-profile low-cost MacBook and iPhone 17e this time, as well as make minor updates to the Mac and iPad product lines.
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New low-cost MacBook: a strong contender in the education market
This new MacBook is considered a key product for Apple to respond to the education market and compete with Chromebooks. It's designed like a MacBook Air, has an aluminum casing, and comes in a variety of bright colors, such as yellow, silver, blue, and pink. Screen size is expected to be 12.9 or 13 inches.
Its core highlight is that it is expected to be equipped with an A18 Pro chip instead of the traditional M series chip. This chip uses the second-generation 3nm process, and its performance is sufficient to meet the needs of daily web browsing, document processing and light media editing, but there is still a gap between multi-core performance and M-series chips. In order to control costs, this MacBook may have trade-offs in terms of maximum screen brightness, True Tone, backlit keyboard, SSD speed, etc., and may only support USB-C (10Gb/s) instead of the higher-speed Thunderbolt interface.
The price is expected to be significantly lower than the MacBook Air, which starts at $999, and may range from $599 to $799, which is similar to the starting price of the iPad Air, making it a cost-effective choice for students.
iPhone 17e: A small but useful upgrade
As the successor of iPhone 16e, iPhone 17e will have some practical upgrades. The appearance is expected to not change much, it will still have a 6.1-inch screen and a single rear camera. The biggest upgrades may include replacing the old bangs design with smart islands and supporting 15W for the first time.MagSafe wireless charging.
In terms of performance, it will be equipped with the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17 (possibly a down-clocked version), and is expected to use Apple's self-developed C1X modem with higher energy efficiency. However, in order to distinguish it from high-end models, it may still maintain a 60Hz refresh rate screen and not be equipped with smart island and always-on display functions. The starting price is expected to remain unchanged at US$599 (4,499 yuan in China).
Regular updates to iPad and Mac product lines
iPad Air: will receive a chip upgrade, jumping from the M2 chip to the M4 chip, resulting in significant CPU and GPU performance improvements. Other aspects such as design, screen, etc. are expected to remain unchanged. At the same time, it is likely to be equipped with Apple’s self-developed N1 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chip and may support faster charging. Prices are expected to remain unchanged ($599 for the 11-inch, $799 for the 13-inch).
iPad (12th generation): will receive a more important update and is expected to be equipped with an A18 or A19 chip. This will be the first time the series supports Apple Intelligence functionality. At the same time, the storage is expected to be upgraded from 6GB to 8GB to meet demand. The design remains unchanged, and the starting price is still expected to be $349.
MacBook Pro (high-end model): After the entry-level 14-inch model is already equipped with the M5 chip, the high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro are expected to be updated to the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, bringing further improvements in performance and energy efficiency. However, some analysts pointed out that it may be a wiser choice to wait for the next generation model, which is expected to be equipped with an OLED touch screen and an M6 chip.
MacBook Air: It is expected to be regularly upgraded to the M5 chip to improve performance and energy efficiency. The design will remain unchanged and 13-inch and 15-inch models will continue to be available, with prices expected to start at $1,099.
Other products that may appear
Apple’s “Special Experience” event may focus mainly on the above-mentioned mid- to low-end devices. New versions of HomePod mini and Apple TV have been rumored for a long time, but they may be deeply tied to the new version of Siri that Apple is developing. Since the release of the new version of Siri has been delayed due to reliability issues, the update time for these two home devices has also become uncertain.
Apple did not hold a traditional press conference this time. New products are expected to be announced through press releases from March 2 to 4. GearbestTechnology will bring first-hand experience reports.
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