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Tim Cook promises ‘big week’ of product launches — what to expect
Get ready for new Apple products in early March — next week! Expect three new MacBooks, iPhone 17e and more.
(via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)
Tim Cook promises ‘big week’ of product launches — what to expect
By Ed Hardy • 7:24 am, February 26, 2026
[Colorful budget MacBook concepts: Apple might launch it in March]
The colorful budget MacBook could be the star of Apple's March product announcements.
AI image: Gemini/Cult of Mac
Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed Thursday what had previously been rumored: The company will launch new products starting Monday, March 2.
The graphic he posted on X hints at the new MacBooks that are expected to be among the announcements. Beyond notebooks, the iPhone 17e, revamped iPads and possibly more could all be unveiled in just a few days.
Apple March event lasts all next week
Fresh iPhone models always get announced in big, glitzy events each September, but other products often launch with a simple press release. Apple is apparently going to combine these strategies with its new products coming in March. Rather than a single launch event, the announcements will be spread out over several days, and there’ll be a “special Apple Experience” on Wednesday.
“A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #AppleLaunch” Tim Cook posted on X on Thursday morning.
A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/PQ9gM2Gl2r
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 26, 2026
The announcements will culminate with in-person events in New York, London and Shanghai that are described as “a special Apple Experience.”
New MacBook Pro, MacBook and budget MacBook could launch in March
The short video Cook included in his teasing social media post seems to show someone adding an Apple logo to a MacBook. That fits with the leaks pointing to no fewer than three new macOS notebooks coming next week.
At the top of the list is the MacBook Pro upgraded with M5 Pro and M5 Max processors, giving the top-of-the-line models a significant jump in performance.
And the MacBook Air is reportedly about to get the base M5 chip, bringing a performance increase to this model, too.
But what’s really expected to make headlines is the first budget MacBook. Leaks and industry reports say this will have a smaller screen than a MacBook Air and run macOS on an Apple A-series processor. It might cost as little as $599.
iPhone 17e plus updated iPads
Speaking of budget-priced devices, the iPhone 17e could also be on Apple’s slate of announcements coming in the first week of March. This upgraded version of the iPhone 16e might get just a processor upgrade to the A19. However, some sources point to more substantive changes, including the addition of the Dynamic Island and full support for MagSafe.
See also: 3 big upgrades might make iPhone 17e a below-budget badass
Continuing with the theme of budget models, the iPad 12 could be right around the corner, too. Leaks indicate the upcoming entry-level tablet will run on an A18 or A19 chip and include 8GB of RAM, a notable boost aimed at supporting Apple Intelligence features and improving overall performance.
Apple could also use the first week of March to introduce a refreshed iPad Air, with reports pointing to a straightforward spec-bump update centered on the addition of an M4 processor, up from the current M3. This will be a simple “chip and ship” upgrade.
Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra
Among the announcements that might happen next week is the debut of a Mac Studio upgraded with M5 Max and M5 Ultra processors. These will bring notable gains in processing power and graphics performance, reinforcing the Mac Studio’s appeal to professionals working in video production, 3D animation, software development and other demanding creative fields.
More possibilities: Apple Studio Display 2 plus new Apple TV and/or HomePod mini?
And these are only the highlights. More new hardware could be on the way from Apple in March. There have been rumors of an updated Apple TV set-top box, HomePod mini 2 and an Apple Studio Display 2.
The rumored “HomePad” — a new smart home hub — is unlikely to be revealed because the smarter Siri it depends on is probably not going to arrive by early March.
Ed Hardy has been writing full-time about tech for 25 years, and using it for much longer than that. His intro to Apple was a Macintosh Classic II (which he still has), but now he uses a 13-inch iPad Pro as his primary computer. He’s written for NotebookReview, TabletPCReview, and Brighthand, as well as other sites.
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