Apple’s “big week” product announcements kicked off with a multi-city appearance that included events in New York, London and Shanghai, with Chief Executive Tim Cook presenting a new lineup spanning phones, tablets, laptops and monitors, the Associated Press reported Wednesday. The announcements came as Apple recently posted quarterly earnings that hit a new record tied to strong iPhone sales, the report said, while also noting that Apple has not yet met a 2024 promise to raise the level of intelligence in its assistant Siri using AI.
The centerpiece of the lower-priced push was the iPhone 17e, a new model positioned for buyers with tighter budgets. Apple’s iPhone 17e starts at $599 and is priced $200 less than the iPhone 17 base, the AP report said. Apple said the device would be available for pre-orders starting Wednesday, with further details on what changed versus prior models.
Apple said the iPhone 17e will use the same A19 chip that powers the iPhone 17 base and will include double the standard storage of the prior 16e model, moving to 256GB from 128GB. The report said Apple updated the camera to a 48-megapixel system and described the included C1X modem as promising faster cellular connections. Apple also said the iPhone 17e is slightly more compact than the iPhone 17 base, with a lower refresh rate and a display that may appear a bit less bright to the human eye, while still using the Super Retina display and Ceramic Shield 2 screen protection.
In addition, Apple said it included MagSafe support with compatibility for Qi2, aiming to improve convenience for wireless charging. The iPhone 17e will be offered in black, white and “light pink,” according to the AP report, with the device set to go on pre-order beginning Wednesday.
Apple also updated its iPad Air lineup with an M4 chip, described in the report as a step below the M5 used in the higher-end iPad Pro line. The AP report said the iPad Air M4 remains positioned to handle streaming, web browsing, email and video editing, and for cellular-connected models it includes an updated C1X modem for faster connections. Apple increased the iPad Air’s base RAM from 8GB to 12GB without raising the price, the report said.
Pricing for the updated iPad Air starts at $599 for the 11-inch model and $799 for the 13-inch version, both with 128GB of storage, according to the AP report. The report also said the cellular versions include the updated modem, tying the update to both performance and connectivity.
Beyond phones and tablets, Apple’s laptop updates included changes across both its higher-end and more budget-oriented lines. The AP report said Apple refreshed the MacBook Pro line with new chips, including M5 Pro and M5 Max, adding performance for intensive use and better battery performance, while also raising prices.
For the MacBook Pro, the report said the 14-inch model with an M5 Pro chip comes with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage and costs $2,199, $200 more than the base M4 Pro model from 2024. The report said Apple also offered upgrades up to the M5 Pro with higher configuration options or switching to M5 Max, including the option to raise system RAM up to 48GB. For the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the AP report said Apple includes the top M5 Pro configuration as standard with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, at a starting price of $2,699—also $200 more than the prior model—with options to move to M5 Max and increase RAM.
The AP report said the screen and front-facing camera did not change in those Pro models, but Apple improved connectivity to support Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. As part of the same week’s lower-price strategy, Apple announced the MacBook Neo as a new 13-inch entry-level laptop.
The AP report said the MacBook Neo comes with an A18 Pro chip (also present in the iPhone 16 Pro), 256GB of storage, two USB‑C ports and 8GB of RAM for the base model. The report said the 512GB model adds a TouchID sensor. Apple priced the 256GB version at $599 and the 512GB version at $699, and the report said students and other educators can reserve either model with a $100 discount.
The AP report described the MacBook Neo as part of Apple’s effort to strengthen its position in budget laptop market segments that face competition from Google Chromebooks and lower-cost Microsoft Windows devices. The same week also included a refreshed MacBook Air, described in the report as more budget-oriented, with upgrades including the base M5 chip and doubled base storage to 512GB.
The AP report said the updated MacBook Air keeps 16GB of RAM and adds the same connectivity improvements found in the Pro models. The report listed pricing for the Air at $1,099 for the 13-inch model—$100 more than the prior M4 version—and $1,299 for the 15-inch model. Apple also announced two 5K monitors, including a 27-inch Studio Display and a Studio Display XDR, with both featuring 27-inch 5,120-by-2,880 resolution, built-in Center Stage 12MP cameras, six-speaker audio systems, and two Thunderbolt 5 and two USB‑C ports, according to the AP report.
The report said the Studio Display XDR adds mini‑LED backlighting with improved contrast and dimming zones, along with a higher refresh rate of 120Hz compared with the standard Studio Display’s 60Hz limit. Pricing in the report put the base Studio Display at $1,599 and the XDR variant at about $3,299, with the report also noting that update options were available for both models.