Apple’s cryptic March 4 “special experience” event may not be so mysterious after all.
According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is gearing up for a busy early-2026 hardware cycle, with a product launch potentially slated for the week of March 2. As Mashable reported, invites have gone out for in-person events in New York, London, and Shanghai, scheduled for 9 a.m. ET on March 4.
Here are the five products that seem most likely take the stage.
iPhone 17e
Gurman reports that Apple is preparing to launch the iPhone 17e, which would replace last year’s 16e and keep its $599 price point while adding the A19 chip and MagSafe.
Macworld, however, suggests the A19 inside may be a “binned” version — meaning slightly fewer GPU cores than the flagship iPhone 17 — alongside 8GB of RAM and potentially upgraded storage.
Bottom line: Expect an iteration, not a revolution.
Entry-level iPad (12th gen)
The base iPad is reportedly moving to the A18 chip, enabling Apple Intelligence features on Apple’s cheapest tablet. Design changes appear unlikely.
iPad Air (8th gen)
Gurman says the iPad Air will get the M4 chip, narrowing the performance gap between Air and Pro and continuing Apple’s push to standardize its silicon lineup.
MacBook Pro (M5)
Updated 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros with M5-class chips are also imminent. Gurman notes the supply of current models has tightened — often a signal that refreshes are near.
Low-cost Macbook
The most intriguing potential launch? A new sub-$1,000 MacBook powered by an iPhone-class chip instead of an M-series processor. Gurman reports it will feature an aluminum chassis — not plastic — thanks to a new manufacturing process that lowers production costs.
The display will be slightly under 13 inches, and Apple is said to be testing color options aimed at students and enterprise buyers.
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Even if a couple of these products don’t arrive, March 4 could still be Apple’s most hardware-heavy early-year event in recent years.
