As Apple events expand beyond the company’s September extravaganza for the latest iPhone release, the company is starting to take different approaches to its product launches. A new “special Apple Experience” is scheduled for March 4 at 9 a.m. ET, but the company will likely make several product announcements throughout next week.
Apple’s invites often contain clues about what might be revealed at the event. Last September’s Awe-Dropping event invite teased the new vapor chamber cooling system for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max models and a new pumpkin color.
The March 4 event invite features a three-dimensional shape composed of thinly sliced yellow, green and blue glass. A popular theory says the image is a nod toward the retro rainbow Apple logo from previous Mac branding, meaning new colorful MacBooks could be a part of the show.
While many events are hardware reveals, the “Apple Experience” will reportedly be a chance for members of the media to get hands-on time with the new Apple products. A bevy of new Apple products could be unveiled in the days leading up to this event.
We expect to see a new iPhone and iPad early in the week, followed by new MacBooks before Apple’s March 4 event. It doesn’t seem like the most radical rumored new product in the MacBook lineup will make its debut during this event. Apple is likely saving some of its big, exciting redesigns for the annual September event.
Here’s everything that we’re expecting from Apple’s March 4 event.
It’s spring refresh season, which means the MacBook Pro is likely to get performance upgrades in the form of M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.
MacBook chipset refreshes (and maybe something entirely different)
We’re expecting a whole host of new MacBook computers throughout 2026, but it’s unclear whether they’ll all be showcased during Apple’s next event — especially since several of the rumored products appear slated for release in the second half of the year. You should expect chip refreshes for the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, as well as a few surprises.
The bread and butter of this spring product update will likely be the MacBook Pros. The 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro is already available, which means it’s just about time for higher-powered MacBook Pros with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips to make their debut. We expect to see chipset upgrades for the standard 14- and 16-inch models on Tuesday, March 3 or Wednesday, March 4.
The MacBook Air is also rumored to get an M5 chip upgrade during the first half of 2026. While it may not hit store shelves as early as the new MacBook Pros, we might see Apple announce it next week, too.
We might finally see the long-rumored budget MacBook or the first OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro. Signs point toward the budget MacBook making its debut on March 3 alongside the Pro and Air updates. The OLED touchscreen MacBook Pro is a much bigger deal, and it’s rumored to be debuting much later in the year, so it’s doubtful that it will be a part of the March event. However, Tim Cook posted a teaser video to X on Feb. 26 with a finger manipulating an Apple logo, indicating that the touchscreen Mac might be introduced on the Monday before the event.
A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/PQ9gM2Gl2r
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 26, 2026
A familiar addition could round out the iPhone 17 lineup
The follow-up to the iPhone 16E could offer performance upgrades at the same price.
Apple’s annual iPhone unveiling happens in September, so we’ve had nearly half a year to get acquainted with the iPhone 17 lineup (including the new iPhone Air). But the company’s budget-friendly iPhone offering is expected during this spring refresh cycle, once the initial hype starts to die off. The iPhone 16E was revealed this time last year, and rumors indicate the iPhone 17E will almost certainly be an upgrade over that device.
The iPhone 17E would replace the iPhone 16E while potentially maintaining the same $599 price. It’s been reported that the new iPhone could ship with an A19 processor, MagSafe technology and a Dynamic Island design, which debuted in 2022 with the iPhone 14 Pro. We expect to see the iPhone 17E revealed early next week, in the days leading up to the March 4 event.
The 11th-gen iPad was a simple upgrade over its predecessor, featuring more storage and a faster chip. We expect much the same of the 12th-gen iPad.
A new generation of iPads could integrate familiar technology
It’s been a year since the 11th-gen iPads were released with their A16 processors. We expect Apple to give these devices a solid performance overhaul for the March event, introducing a new generation of iPads with more powerful chipsets. The iPad Air is also due to be updated with a new processor soon, and it’s extremely possible that we’ll see that come to fruition during Apple’s March event.
The 12th-generation iPads are rumored to feature A18 processors, making them the first in Apple’s tablet lineup to support Apple Intelligence features. It’s likely that the new iPads are revealed alongside the iPhone 17E early next week, before the March 4 hands-on press event.
The iPad Air is rumored to skip an M3 chipset upgrade. Instead, we expect to see an M4 processor in the spring refresh of this product, and there’s a very strong chance it’s showcased alongside the 12th-gen iPads during the March 4 event.
Be sure to check back with CNET on March 4 for full coverage of everything Apple announces at the event.
