Apple’s March event: 5 big products to expect (and 2 you won’t)
I won’t be buying anything from Apple right now, as a range of new products will be on the way during Apple’s announcements in March. In fact, instead of the usual one-day live event, this year looks different, as we are preparing a bunch of announcements over three days.
Starting on Monday, March 2, and continuing with the big event on Wednesday, March 4, Apple is expected to drop several announcements about its cheaper MacBook, iPhone 17e and more. This comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, with the last day of the “Apple Experience” held for hands-on testing.
Expect: A low-cost MacBook with the A18 Pro
This is expected to be a highlight of the show, as it is Apple’s first MacBook without the “Air” or “Pro” moniker in years. It wants to be the cheapest MacBook to take on the budget range of laptops – like Chromebooks and cheap Windows notebooks.
We’ve heard that the budget MacBook will arrive in March, which is expected to be equipped with an A18 Pro chip (the same one found in the iPhone 16 Pro), a smaller display than the standard 13 inches found in Air models and a price “under $1,000,” according to Gurman.
Multiple reports indicate that the price could be between $599 and $799, which is reasonable, considering that the MacBook Air M4 is priced at $999. While this is usually cheaper, it’s down to $749. So, we might be looking at a cheaper MacBook around $599 to $699.
Apart from that, we can also expect a lot of interesting colors like Apple’s iMac range. Currently, expected colors include light yellow, green, blue, pink, standard silver and dark gray. Accordingly, the Apple logo for the March event comes in these colors (besides pink, and the usual silver and dark gray).
As Gurman notes, Apple’s invitation is an “experience” to allow creators of news and content to accompany the new product. And since this will be a new laptop compared to other expected products, there is enough reason to believe that this will be a big announcement for Cupertino tech.
Expect: iPhone 17e
Despite what looks like Apple’s MacBook and iPad event, Gurman notes that the iPhone 17e is likely to be announced, and leaks say it will arrive early next week.
With the launch of the iPhone 16e in mid-February last year, all signs point to another low-cost iPhone. In this case, the A19 chip is played as in the iPhone 17, Wi-Fi 7 support with the improved C1X modem and the Dynamic Island cut. Otherwise, this won’t be a huge improvement over its predecessor.
We may also see MagSafe charging make an appearance, which could be a big plus for the 16e. However, the 17e looks to be an upgraded model of Apple’s budget phone, offering potential buyers a more affordable way to enter the Apple ecosystem.
Since Apple is looking to stretch its usual event over three days, it makes sense that it has one day dedicated to the iPhone, while the rest are more closely related to MacBook and iPad announcements. We’re talking about…
Expect: MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max
We’ve already seen the MacBook Pro M5 debut last year, and we’ve been expecting M5 Pro and M5 Max chips to follow since then. The new 14- and 16-inch models were expected to arrive in early 2026, but have now been delayed.
Don’t expect a big fix here; MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max should be a simple chip upgrade, keeping the same design and other internal features. For the chips themselves, we should see up to a 14-core CPU for the M5 Pro and 16-core for the M5 Max, and a GPU up to 20-core for the M5 Pro and 40-core for the M5 Max.
Interestingly, the M5 Max and M5 Ultra chips are available in the iOS beta, which could mean two things: Apple is releasing the MacBook Pro M5 Max and M5 Ultra models, or A Mac Studio with an M5 Ultra is on the way.
They’ve been a long time coming, but there’s another MacBook that should be on everyone’s radar.
Expect: MacBook Air M5
Apple loves routine, and a MacBook Air M5 should be on the cards. Since the MacBook Air M4 was launched in March, all signs point to a refresh, this time with an improved M5 chip – but not much else.
We have previously reported that the MacBook Air M5 models will be launched in the spring of 2026, both 13 and 15 inches, and the stars are aligned for the big event in March. Gurman is also betting that we’ll see a new MacBook Air, so it’s worth putting this on your bingo card.
With the M5 chip, we will see new architectural changes in the GPU cores with a neural accelerator and a higher memory bandwidth than the M4, and if we consider the powerful performance offered by the MacBook Pro with the M5, the next MacBook Air is already looking to be the best laptop for many.
Expect: iPad Air M4 (and iPad 12?)
Like the MacBook Air, the iPad Air should also be upgraded. The iPad Air M4 is likely to be a candidate during the March announcements, with significant improvements in performance over the iPad Air M3.
The latest iPad Air was also launched in March of last year, so it makes sense for Apple to continue its renewal cycle, considering that it is not expected to be a major renewal in the design and development of the chip. But that’s not the only iPad released in March.
Gurman also predicts that we will see a next-generation entry-level iPad, as the iPad 11 was released alongside the iPad Air in 2026 (although this was a press release, rather than a keynote event). There is a strong possibility that we will see this, and it is interesting that the iPad 12 is expected to boast an A18 chip. That said, some rumors believe it will sport an A19 chip.
In any case, while we expect the same design, the boost from the A18/A19 chip should see the basic iPad finally come with Apple Intelligence. Another reported upgrade is the iPad 12 moving to 8GB of RAM, compared to the standard 6GB.
They are a lot of potential launches on Apple’s plate, hence the three-day series of announcements. If so, there are certain products that can be left aside (for now).
Don’t expect: Mac Studio and the Studio display
Since we’ve seen hints of the M5 Ultra chip, there’s a strong possibility that there will be a new Mac Studio with an M5 Ultra in the near future, and there’s been word of mouth. New Studio Display monitors are coming in 2026. However, with the number of products already lined up to be unveiled, this may be pushed to a later date.
According to Gurman, while Apple’s next Studio Displays are ready to ship, the new Mac Studios are a little behind. Therefore, the Cupertino company may wait to release these later in the first half of 2026, perhaps during the Apple WWDC event.
There have also been rumors of an iMac and Mac mini refresh, and if so, it’s possible that Apple will combine these announcements later, as they are part of the same family of Mac devices.
But who knows; Apple is likely to roll out the red carpet for a variety of devices in March, with Mac Studio and Display likely to be chosen. However, there is one device that I can almost guarantee we won’t see, despite the rumors swirling around.
Don’t expect: Apple AI glasses
Lately, Apple’s AI push has been in the spotlight, with Gurman saying we should see AI wearables coming to the company’s product line. One of them is Apple AI Glasses, which is expected to arrive in early 2026. However, until at the end of the year.
While Apple is looking to get the likes of Meta’s Ray-Ban and Google’s Android XR, this will be the company’s biggest new launch, so we’re looking to see the entire event dedicated to these indicators. Also notable are Apple’s smart AR glasses, although these aren’t expected to arrive until at least 2028.
Expect smart glasses (and wearables like its AI Pendant and AirPods with speakers) later. Right now, we have new MacBooks, iPads and a low-cost iPhone to look forward to in March.
Follow up Tom’s Guide to Google News again add us as a favorite resource to get our latest news, analysis, and reviews in your feed.
