With the technology world primarily focused on Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Apple decided to add to the fun by unveiling several new products. Let’s take a look at what those products are and when you can get your hands on one.
iPhone 17e
Apple kicked off the week by announcing the iPhone 17e, the successor to last year’s maligned iPhone 16e.
It starts at $599, making it the most affordable new iPhone that Apple currently sells. That price gets you the base configuration with 256GB of storage, double the amount of the iPhone 16e for the same price.
Apple also rights some sins it committed with the iPhone 16e, such as MagSafe. Apple thought it wise to remove the feature from the phone last year. Thankfully, smarter heads prevailed, with MagSafe making a return on the iPhone 17e.
Then there are the color choices. The iPhone 16e only had two color options: white and black. When compared to the colors of its more expensive siblings, the iPhone 16e felt muted by comparison.
With the iPhone 17e, Apple brings back a bit of color by introducing Soft Pink. Based on pictures, the color brings back memories of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, and in a good way. White and Black are still here, if you don’t want the phone to stand out as much.
The iPhone 17e also comes with the latest A19 processor and C1X modem, though it still only comes with one rear camera. Still, for $599, at least this is a much better value proposition than its predecessor.
M4 iPad Air
Apple also announced the 11- and 13-inch M4 iPad Air. As the names not-so-subtly implies, they replace the M3 versions of the tablets.
According to Apple, the move to M4 and to 12GB of RAM instead of 8GB on the M3 iPad Air should lead to faster and more sustained performance. It’s not as good as it could be, since this is what is called a “binned” version of the M4. Still, it will be more than enough for most people.
The 11-inch M4 iPad Air starts at $599 with 128GB of storage, with the 13-inch version starting at $799 with the same storage amount.
M5 MacBook Air and M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro
Apple refreshed some of its laptops, namely the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
To start, the MacBook Air now comes with the M5 processor. It also starts with 512GB of storage standard, a welcome departure from the 256GB base configuration of the M4 MacBook Air.
That said, it now starts at $100 more. That means the 13-inch MacBook Air now starts at $1,099, while the 15-inch version starts at $1,299.
As for the MacBook Pro, it now boasts the M5 Pro and M5 Max processors. Storage now starts at 1TB, with the base version now supporting up to 64GB of RAM.
Similarly, these improvements come with a price increase of $200. That means the 14-inch MacBook Pro now starts at $2,199, while the 16-inch behemoth starts at $2,699.
Studio Display and Studio Display XDR
Last up from Apple’s announcements so far are the upgraded Studio Display and Studio Display XDR.
Starting at $1,599, the Studio Display features a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera, support for the faster Thunderbolt 5, and an upgraded six-speaker sound system.
Meanwhile, the Studio Display XDR replaces the outgoing Pro Display XDR and boasts a 5K display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also comes with local dimming zones and a similarly-upgraded sound system.
The Studio Display XDR starts at $3,299.
We might get more
Apple still has its media “experience” tomorrow, which is rumored to feature a MacBook powered by an iPhone processor. It has been rumored to feature a lower price tag and a smaller physical footprint.
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