Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed on Thursday what had previously been rumored: the company will launch new products starting Monday, April 2.
And the graphic he posted hints at the new MacBooks that are expected to among the announcements. Beyond notebooks, the iPhone 17e, revamped iPads and possibly more could all be unveiled in just a few days.
Apple March event lasts all next week
Fresh iPhone models always get announced in big, glitzy events each September, but other products often launch with a simple press release. Apple is apparently going to combine these strategies with its products coming in March. Rather than a single launch event, the announcements will be spread out over several days, and there’ll be a “special Apple Experience” on Wednesday.
“A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #AppleLaunch” Tim Cook posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday morning.
A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/PQ9gM2Gl2r
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 26, 2026
The announcements will culminate with in-person events in New York, London and Shanghai that are described as “a special Apple Experience.”
New MacBook Pro, MacBook and budget MacBook could launch in March
The short video Cook included in his teasing social media post seems to show someone adding an Apple logo to a MacBook. That fits with the leaks pointing to no less than three new macOS notebooks coming next week.
At the top of the list is the MacBook Pro upgraded with M5 Pro and M5 Max processors, giving the top-of-the-line models a significant jump in performance.
And the MacBook Air is reportedly about to get the base M5 chip, bringing a performance increase to this model, too.
But what’s really expected to make headlines is the first budget MacBook. Leaks and industry reports say this will have a smaller screen than a MacBook Air, run macOS on an Apple A-series processor, and it might cost as little as $599.
iPhone 17e plus updated iPads
Speaking of budget-priced devices, the iPhone 17e could also be on Apple’s slate of announcements coming the first week of March. This upgraded version of the 16e might get just a processor upgrade to the A19, but some sources point to more substantive changes, including the addition of the dynamic island, and full support for MagSafe.
See also: 3 big upgrades might make iPhone 17e a below-budget badass
Continuing with the theme of budget models, the iPad 12 could be right around the corner, too. Leaks indicate the upcoming entry-level tablet will run on an A18 or A19 chip and include 8GB of RAM, a notable boost aimed at supporting Apple Intelligence features and improving overall performance.
Apple could also use the first week of March to introduce a refreshed iPad Air, with reports pointing to a straightforward spec-bump update centered on the addition of an M4 processor, up from the current M3. But this will be a simple “chip and ship” upgrade.
Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra
Among the announcements that might happen next week is the debut of the Mac Studio upgraded with M5 Max and M5 Ultra processors. These will bring notable gains in processing power and graphics performance, reinforcing the Mac Studio’s appeal to professionals working in video production, 3D animation, software development and other demanding creative fields.
More possibilities: Apple Studio Display 2 plus new Apple TV and/or HomePod mini?
And these are only the highlights. More new hardware could be on the way from Apple in March. There have been rumors of updated Apple TV hardware, HomePod mini 2 as well as an Apple Studio Display 2.
The rumored “HomePad” — a new smart home hub — is unlikely to be revealed because the smarter Siri is probably not going to be out by early March.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
