As we just entered spring (in the Northern Hemisphere), Apple has also announced a plethora of new products to kick off the new season. To recap, here’s everything that Apple announced.
iPhone 17e
Starting off the list, Apple announced the iPhone 17e, which is a solid spec bump overall as it features the A19 chip (albeit one less GPU core than on the iPhone 17), the second-generation C1X modem, and double the starting storage at 256GB. But the biggest feature is that the iPhone 17e finally adopts MagSafe, the biggest omission on the previous iPhone 16e.
iPad Air (M4)
Apple also announced the iPad Air with the M4 chip, which is also a minimal spec bump. This iPad also features the N1 networking chip and for cellular models, the C1X modem. Unexpectedly, this iPad now has 12GB of unified memory. However, Apple didn’t bump the starting storage as it still starts at 128GB for the same starting price of $599.
MacBook Air (M5)
Apple updated both the 13-inch and the 15-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip. While the upgraded Air did receive the N1 chip, both the 13-inch and the 15-inch now start with 512GB of storage (up from 256GB from the previous M4 models). So both models now start at $100 more than they were before.
MacBook Pro (M5 Pro and M5 Max)
Apple updated both the 14-inch and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. These updated pro laptops also receive the N1 chip, but the biggest feature is that both of these chips are built using Apple’s Fusion Architecture for the first time, so both chips now feature super cores and performance cores. We also see double the starting storage across the board; the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro now starts with 1TB while the one with M5 Max now starts with 2TB. The base M5 chip that was introduced last October also now starts with 1TB, so you’d see higher starting prices across the board.
Studio Display and Studio Display XDR
Apple brought the first major hardware update to the Studio Display since its original introduction in 2022, bringing Thunderbolt 5 support for the first time. Apple also introduced an all-new Studio Display XDR, bringing unparalleled levels of brightness levels, contrast ratios, and color accuracy thanks to using mini-LED technology. With 120Hz adaptive refresh rates and 2000 nits peak HDR brightness, this could be the best pro display that customers have been waiting for.
MacBook Neo
Of course, the star of the show from all of those announcements has to be the MacBook Neo – the newest addition to the Mac lineup. The MacBook Neo comes in several vibrant colors, but what’s remarkable is the price. Starting at just $599 (or $499 for students), the MacBook Neo still brings unparalleled performance compared to several Windows laptops or Chromebooks in that price range, so the Neo becomes the best-value Mac for everyday users and a great entry-point for PC switchers.
AirPods Max (2nd generation)
Something that we least expected to be announced this month, after several years since its original introduction back in December 2020, the AirPods Max was finally upgraded with actual improvements. Thanks to the H2 chip with the Bluetooth 5.3 standard, the updated AirPods Max now supports many of the latest software-related features that other AirPods models have supported. This includes Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and Live Translation. Still starting at just $549, this hardware upgrade could be what AirPods Max users truly deserve.
Conclusion
As you can tell, Apple has had a huge month, especially ahead of its 50th anniversary on April 1. With the launch of the MacBook Neo, it’s more than certain that Apple will dominate the PC market further as the MacBook Neo continues to sell like hotcakes, and Apple just can’t keep up with the demand. We can’t wait to see what Apple has in store for its upcoming milestone as well as for the rest of this year.
