Here's what to expect at Apple's product launch event on March 4

Source: Engadget

Apple has scheduled a product launch event, dubbed an “Apple Experience,” for March 4 at 9 AM ET. The company is reportedly holding the event in NYC, London, and Shanghai.

Everyone loves shiny new products, so what can we expect to see at Apple’s first launch event of 2026? While nothing is confirmed, industry reports and analyst speculation provide several educated guesses.

Budget‑Friendly MacBook

Rumors suggest Apple may launch a cheaper alternative to the MacBook Air. Bloomberg reported in November that the new laptop could be powered by an iPhone‑class processor, the A18 Pro, to keep costs down. The event invitation shows three colors—light green, blue, and yellow—that match the hues Apple has reportedly tested for this low‑cost model.

• Expected specs: 8 GB RAM (contrasting Apple’s recent push for at least 16 GB in Macs) and an A18 Pro chip.
• Potential price: $699–$799.
• Projected initial shipments: up to 8 million units (TechRadar).

“It’s also been suggested that this laptop will only include 8 GB of RAM, which kind of flies against the company’s recent stance to outfit all Macs with at least 16 GB of RAM. However, that would certainly help with the cost.” – Mark Gurman, @markgurman, Feb 16 2026
Source: https://t.co/1FFVkfw9JZ

MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and Max chips

Apple is likely to introduce more powerful MacBook Pro models this year. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has hinted at a March launch, aligning with the March 4 event.

• The current MacBook Pro already features an M5 chip; the upcoming M5 Pro and M5 Max are expected to arrive with redesigned chiplets for better heat dissipation and higher core counts.
• The Max variant should have more CPU/GPU cores than the Pro.
• Delays in M4 Max orders suggest a transition to the new chips is imminent.

New iPads

Rumors indicate updates to both the base iPad and iPad Air:

• 12th‑gen iPad (standard model): Expected to upgrade from the A16 to the A18 chip, enabling Apple Intelligence features.
• iPad Air: Likely to receive the M4 chip (up from M3), making it one of the lightest tablets with that performance level.

iPhone 17e

A year after the iPhone 16e, Apple may refresh its budget‑friendly line:

• Anticipated specs: A19 chip and possible MagSafe support.
• Expected price: $599, maintaining the current price point.

Other Possibilities

Less likely but still possible announcements include:

• A revamped Studio Display and Mac Studio desktop, slated for the first half of the year.
• An upgrade to the MacBook Air with the M5 chip (though this may not appear at the March event).

Software updates such as a long‑awaited Siri refresh are unlikely at this hardware‑focused event and may be deferred to WWDC later in the summer.

This article originally appeared on Engadget: https://www.engadget.com/computing/heres-what-to-expect-at-apples-product-launch-event-on-march-4-173612772.html?src=rss