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According to reports, Apple will launch more than 20 products in 2026. With the launch of the second-generation AirTag, it looks like the company will continue to focus on affordable devices in the first half of the year while working to address its growth capabilities in emerging markets. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman teased in his Power On newsletter that by this spring, Apple will release not only the iPhone 17e, but also a new low-cost MacBook equipped with iPhone chips, a base model iPad, a new generation iPad Air and an M5 MacBook Air.
These aren’t the only products expected to launch in the first half of this year: there are rumors of an M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro coming soon, as well as a new Mac Studio with a second-generation Studio Display. Still, it’s interesting to note that as Apple continues to grow in other regions, its new focus is on expanding its margins beyond its more mature markets. Here’s everything we know about these products, which are reportedly launching soon.
Read more: How to control your iPad with your iPhone
iPhone 17e: New features bring benefits
Notches on iPhone 16e – Christian de Looper/BGR
After a somewhat lackluster launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple appears to have a clearer vision for what to do with the $599 iPhone. While big changes won’t happen from one generation to the next, Gurman mentioned some small but still important tweaks. For example, the device will be equipped with Apple’s A19 chip, which is used in the iPhone 17 series. While the company may remove GPU cores (as it did with the iPhone 16e), this won’t have much of an impact on day-to-day performance.
Another feature of the iPhone 17e is the addition of MagSafe charging. Not only will this bring a range of MagSafe accessories to the device, but it will also enable faster charging than currently available on the iPhone 16e. Apple, which was widely criticized for not providing MagSafe support for the iPhone 16e, has finally included MagSafe in the new model.
Last but not least, the company will add new C1X and N1 chips, responsible for 5G capabilities as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. This way, Apple will offer the best connectivity features for the affordable iPhone, which will reportedly remain priced the same as the current generation.
Base model iPad could get biggest upgrade in years
Apple’s iPad 10 comes in many different colors – Apple Inc.
Bloomberg isn’t exactly enthusiastic about entry-level iPad models. However, with the 12th generation, Apple finally added Apple Intelligence support, finally bringing its AI platform to the entire iPad lineup. While the device is not expected to receive design changes or other major tweaks, support for Apple Intelligence means Apple will upgrade the iPad’s internal RAM to 8GB, making it more capable of running more tasks simultaneously.
Beyond that, with a new Siri experience coming soon, the base model iPad will become a powerful machine for students and others who don’t want to spend more on the Air or Pro iterations. It’s worth noting, though, that Bloomberg reports that Apple will use an A18 chip in the tablet, while Macworld’s Filipe Espósito says that leaked code shows an A19 processor. Although the chips are somewhat close to each other, the newer chips ensure more significant upgrades in graphics performance, CPU performance, and AI tasks compared to the previous A16 option.
Macworld also believes Apple will add an N1 wireless chip to the tablet, bringing better Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Thread connectivity. It’s unclear whether Apple could add the C1 or C1X to the cellular version of this iPad, but installing its own 5G modem would bring additional features, such as the ability to hide your location from carriers.
Low-cost MacBook with iPhone chip could be Chromebook killer
A corner of MacBook Pro highlights the macOS Tahoe docking station – José Adorno/BGR
Apple’s MacBook models are more affordable than ever: With third-party sellers offering M1 and M2 options for nearly half the original $999 price, there’s never been a better time to buy a MacBook. M-Series chips are powerful, fast, reliable, and have long battery life. Bloomberg says that this low-cost MacBook is designed to compete with “cheaper” Windows laptops and Chromebooks, and if Apple can make it as thin as the previous 12-inch MacBook but more reliable and responsive, then this could become a killer laptop for most people.
While Gurman didn’t say whether Apple will add an A18 or A19 processor to this MacBook, other rumors support that it could be Apple’s latest A19 Pro chip. It is also reported that the laptop will have a 12.9-inch display, but the number of ports, whether it will have 5G capabilities or a decent FaceTime webcam are not yet known. Apple typically makes the lower-cost versions of its products more colorful, so we could see Apple bring back some of the attractive colors that Macs have had in the past. Perhaps, this low-cost MacBook could even match the colors of the current iMac lineup.
Another iPad Air is in the works
iPad Air M3 in different colors in Apple promotional images – Apple Inc
At this rate, I’m just impressed by the rumors that a new iPad Air is in the works. Apple has released M1, M2, and M3 versions of the tablet, and with the company launching the M5 iPad Pro last year, that means Apple may be ready to refresh the iPad Air.
Bloomberg expects another incremental upgrade, as rumors about an iPad redesign suggest it won’t happen anytime soon. Still, the company will add one of its most powerful processors to the iPad Air lineup, making it a better choice than the most expensive iPad Pro.
The M4 chip isn’t responsible for unlocking any new features in Apple’s best tablet, so users shouldn’t expect a lot of new features in that department. If we follow rumors about internal upgrades, Apple may use this launch as an opportunity to add its own Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G chips to the tablet, improving privacy, connectivity, and making the overall experience more integrated. It’s unclear whether the company will offer improved cameras, price changes, or even new colors. However, there are no rumors that Apple will abandon its strategy of providing users with 11-inch and 13-inch options. That is, more customers will be able to get a very high-end machine at a cheaper price than the Pro version.
M5 MacBook Air is about to be launched at full speed
The newly designed MacBook Air laptop will be showcased during WWDC22 on June 6, 2022, at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. – Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Gurman also didn’t talk much about the M5 MacBook Air, although he said it will launch “soon” alongside the new M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro. However, unlike the upcoming more powerful MacBook (which most people should skip), the same cannot be said for the MacBook Air. After all, more significant upgrades aren’t expected until 2028.
According to the M5 MacBook Pro benchmark, the M5 MacBook Air should be just as powerful as the M1 Ultra option, which shows that budget laptops can be very powerful. For the past few years, Apple has released the MacBook Air between March and June, so we probably won’t have to wait much longer for this laptop’s release.
At the moment, it’s unclear if Apple plans to improve the laptop’s FaceTime camera, if it could be offered in a new color, especially after the sky blue version became popular, or if there will be a price increase due to rising RAM prices everywhere. Luckily, we’ll find out Apple’s plans soon, as all of these products appear to be launching in the near future.
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