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Apple's Budget MacBook & iPad Refresh

Ars Technica •
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Apple is breaking from its traditional presentation format with a "special experience" on March 4. CEO Tim Cook has confirmed "a big week ahead" starting Monday, suggesting multiple product launches announced via press release rather than a single event. This strategy aims to generate sustained interest across several days rather than dropping everything at once.

The most anticipated release is Apple's long-awaited "budget" MacBook, expected to feature an A18 Pro chip with 8GB RAM in a 13-inch form factor. Priced well below the current MacBook Air, this laptop could retail for $600-$700 and come in multiple colors, similar to Apple's approach with the base iPad and iPhone SE models.

Apple is also planning a refresh of its $349 base-model iPad, likely upgrading to an A18 or A19 processor with 8GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence features. Combined with possible updates to the iPhone 17 series, M5 Vision Pro, and Apple Watch, Apple aims to address various price points while maintaining its premium positioning across product categories.