It looks like Apple is ready to kick off the new year by announcing several budget-oriented products across multiple categories, with the most notable addition being the long-rumored low-cost MacBook. This should come as no surprise since Apple usually announces lower-end products around the first quarter of the year. This year saw the launch of the iPhone 16e in February and the launch of the iPad (A16) in March. According to Jeff Pu of GF Securities, he expects Apple to launch the iPhone 17e, the twelfth-generation base iPad, and the lower-end MacBook sometime in Q1 2026.
For the iPhone 17e, we should expect that smartphone to feature a binned A19 chip since the current iPhone 16e uses a binned A18 chip. Additionally, the iPhone 17e will not only likely retain the first-generation Apple C1 cellular model, but it will also feature the much-improved 18-megapixel Center Stage camera that was introduced in this fall’s flagship iPhone models, including the base iPhone 17. The iPhone 17e could also see a slight redesign that’s based on the iPhone 15, with slightly rounder edges and the Dynamic Island.
For the updated base iPad, this tablet may feature the newer (most likely binned) A18 chip, which would be a noticeable upgrade since that silicon will allow the base iPad to support Apple Intelligence for the very first time, which would standardize the entire iPad lineup to support Apple’s suite of AI features.
For the highly anticipated MacBook, Apple’s budget-oriented laptop is expected to feature a smaller 12.9-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, as well as several vibrant colors that are more akin to those of the base iPad, possibly silver, blue, pink, and yellow. Since this laptop is expected to be priced between $699 and $899, expect some compromises to be made, such as the absence of Thunderbolt connectivity, as Apple usually reuses older components to reduce R&D costs overall, similar to what Apple has done with other lower-end products.
The budget MacBook is going to be the most exciting product to see early next year, as Apple hasn’t offered a sub-$1,000 laptop in the past, other than the $899 11-inch MacBook Air.
