What to expect from Apple's special event scheduled for March 4?

The first Apple event in 2026 has been formally announced with an invitation to a Special Apple Experience on March 4 in New York City, London, and Shanghai. 

Although the company is traditionally tight-lipped, here's what to expect from the special event: 

M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro

The most expected launch is the much-awaited refresh of Apple's professional laptop. The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros will introduce the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, which will be the first performance-level silicon refresh since the entry-level M5 came out in October 2025. 

Long-awaited meaningful upgrade path. Users waiting to upgrade their machines based on M4 will possibly have their way now. MacBook Air and an unnamed "Budget" MacBook. 

The current MacBook Air, which underwent its M4 update in March 2025, may get an early upgrade to M5, which would fit within an annual upgrade cycle. 

Of greater interest are ongoing speculations of a whole new entry-level MacBook with a new price of up to 699 to 750 dollars, where it is said to use an A18 Pro iPhone chip instead of one of the M-series. 

It is reported that this gadget would come in a variety of colors and this would expose the Apple ecosystem to a new breed of consumers with low spending capacity.

iPad Lineup Refreshes

Tablet enthusiasts will be able to get updates at various levels. It is expected that the iPad Air will increase its level beyond M3 to M4, and the entry-level iPad might become an A17 instead of an A16 chip. 

Last revised in October 2024 is the iPad mini, which is a wildcard; some rumours indicate it might outdo expectations by switching to the A20 Pro chip and OLED displays.

The iPhone 17e Question

The next low-budget smartphone strategy that Apple might pursue is the iPhone 17e that is expected to be released soon. 

The features anticipated are a 60Hz always-on OLED display with a size of 6.1 inches and an upgrade of Dynamic Island, which will eventually eliminate the notch on the cheapest Apple device.

What Probably Won't Appear

Desktop announcements are not coming any time soon. Mac Studio and Mac Pro are expected to get updated later in the first half of 2026. 

Unlike the usual Apple keynotes, the company has not verified there will be a live stream, indicating that it might be a smaller, more personal event to showcase to invited guests and not a worldwide broadcast event.

However, whatever Apple announces, it is becoming a huge day in terms of the Apple hardware portfolio.