Apple Announces iPhone 17e With A19 Chip, MagSafe, and More
Apple today announced the iPhone 17e, featuring the A19 chip, MagSafe connectivity, and more. The ‌iPhone‌ 17e contains the A19 chip from the iPhone 17. It also contains Apple's latest-generation C1X modem from the iPhone Air, delivery up to 2x faster cellular performance than the iPhone 16e. Battery life remains at 26 hours. The front of the device now features Ceramic Shield 2, offering 3x better scratch resistance than the previous generation along with reduced glare. With ‌MagSafe‌, the ‌iPhone‌ 17e supports wireless charging up to 15W with 20W adapter or higher. The ‌iPhone‌ 17e only supported 7.5W wireless charging. The rear camera now features next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control. The ‌iPhone‌ 17e starts with 256GB of storage, but with the same $599 price as the 128GB ‌iPhone 16e‌. It is available in black, white, and soft pink. Pre-orders start on Wednesday, March 4, with availability starting a week later on Wednesday, March 11. More to follow... This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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AirPods 4 ANC Hit $119 Low Price on Amazon
Amazon today has the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation for $119.00, down from $179.00. This is a solid second-best price on the AirPods 4 with ANC, and the best price we've tracked so far in 2026. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Amazon currently provides a March 7 delivery date for free shipping on the AirPods 4, and Prime members should see faster estimates with same-day delivery in many locations. As of writing, we're only tracking this deal at Amazon. $60 OFFAirPods 4 (ANC) for $119.00 Amazon also has the AirPods 4 base model for $99.00, down from $129.00, which is another second-best price. Keep up with all of this week's best discounts on Apple products and related accessories in our dedicated Apple Deals roundup. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple's Next Launch Starts Today
Following a new AirTag in January, Apple is set to unveil its next new products of 2026 starting today. Apple CEO Tim Cook teased that the company will have a "big week ahead," with announcements set to begin this Monday, March 2. Apple is reportedly planning a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4, with at least five new products expected to be unveiled, including a lower-cost MacBook, an iPhone 17e, and more. Other possible products include an iPad Air with an M4 chip, an iPad 12 with an A18 chip and Apple Intelligence support, a MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. We are also waiting for long-awaited Apple TV and HomePod mini updates, but it is unclear if those are coming this week. Related Reading: What to Expect From Apple's Big Week Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. During these in-person gatherings, attendees will likely receive hands-on time with the new products that Apple unveils from today through Wednesday this week. MacRumors will be attending the "Apple Experience" in New York, so stay tuned to our coverage. A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/PQ9gM2Gl2r— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 26, 2026 This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Upcoming Budget MacBook Seen Within Apple as 'Incredible Value'
Internally at Apple, the rumored low-end MacBook is being described as "incredible value," so much so that the company believes its imminent launch is going to drive a serious number of switchers from Windows machines and Chromebooks, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his Power On newsletter over the weekend, Gurman says that Apple believes the device "could even compel iPhone users without computers to buy their first Mac." We don't yet have an official price for the machine, but the MacBook Air starts at $999, so the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be significantly cheaper. Apple is unlikely to price it so low that it overlaps too closely with the iPad lineup, though. The entry-level iPad with the A16 chip starts at $349, while the iPad Air with the M2 chip begins at $599. A price in the $599 to $799 range would position the new MacBook above the iPad Air, but below the MacBook Air and iPad Pro, maintaining clear separation across product lines. At $599, the device would compete directly with many popular Chromebooks commonly purchased for education, while pricing at $699 or $799 would place it in a similar segment, but with a more premium positioning. Apple is expected to make several hardware compromises to reach the lower price point. According to one leaker, the new MacBook's display may be dimmer than the MacBook Air's 500 nits and lack True Tone support. Storage options are also likely be limited to 256GB and 512GB, with a possible 128GB configuration for education customers, and there will be no 1TB or 2TB tiers. The base model may also use a slower SSD, potentially due to a single NAND chip. Additional cuts could include no fast charging, no backlit keyboard, and no support for high-impedance headphones. Meanwhile on the connectivity side, it reportedly will not include Apple's custom N1 wireless chip, instead relying on a MediaTek solution. We shouldn't have to wait too long to learn how accurate those leaks are. Rumors suggest that the low-cost MacBook will be introduced at or just before Apple's March 4 Special Experience that's taking place in New York, London, and Shanghai. However, Apple could announce the MacBook in a press release ahead of the experience – and even as soon as today. Apple is said to have tested a range of playful color options for the device, including light yellow, light green, blue, pink, classic silver, and dark gray, although Gurman says it's unlikely all of them will ship. Tag: Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Touchscreen MacBook Pro to Be 'Touch-Friendly, Not Touch-First'
Apple's rumored touchscreen MacBook Pro will be a "touch-friendly device, rather than one that's touch-first," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in Power On, Gurman said users will be able to easily move between touch-based and point-and-click inputs, thanks to changes coming in macOS 27 – set up in part by last year's Liquid Glass redesign. However, Apple is said to be taking a conservative approach to touch-based input, offering it more as a "bonus" than a prominent feature. "Before anyone gets too excited, the touch-based MacBook Pro will not feel like an iPad," said Gurman. "This is the MacBook Pro you've known for the past two decades – with touch offered as a bonus."Users will be able to tap or click on-screen elements, and controls will change based on input method. If a user taps on a menu bar item, for example, it will display a larger set of controls optimized for touch. Touch-based options will be integrated throughout macOS, and it will support iPad features like pinch gestures for zooming in or out and fast scrolling. Anyone looking for more of a hybrid iPad/Mac experience will have to wait until 2029, when Apple's foldable iPad could arrive – although even this is said to be "designed through and through as an iPad." The touchscreen MacBook Pro is expected to be released as soon as later this year, equipped with the M6 chip and an OLED display. The redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are also expected to have a hole-punch camera at the top of the display. Expect an iPhone-style Dynamic Island to house it, rather than the notch we've become accustomed to. Tag: Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple's Foldable iPad Still In the Works, Could Arrive by 2029
Apple is still developing a large foldable iPad, despite hitting several technical hurdles along the way, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his Power On newsletter, Gurman says the "gigantic" foldable iPad will challenge Apple's long-running tradition of keeping the Mac and iPad as separate devices. Some have referred to it as a foldable iPad, while others have called it an all-display MacBook, but concerns remain about its practicality when it comes to typing. A report in July last year claimed Apple had decided to pause work on a larger-screened foldable iPad because of development issues, but it now sounds as if that overstated things. Apple wanted to launch the device in 2028, according to Gurman's previous reporting, but problems with weight and display technology are likely to cause it to be pushed back until 2029. The device is believed to have a Samsung-made 18-inch display, with Apple focusing on minimizing the display crease. The company already has expertise in this area, having ordered suppliers to begin production of its foldable iPhone, due for launch later this year. However, a large foldable OLED display will be a lot more expensive – the foldable device could be up to three times as expensive as the 13-inch iPad Pro. Apple charges $1,299 for the 13-inch ‌iPad Pro‌, so if prices don't come down for components over the next few years, the foldable ‌iPad‌ could cost as much as $3,900. When closed, the iPad resembles a MacBook, with an aluminum exterior and no outer display. When opened, it unfolds to roughly the size of a 13-inch MacBook Air, but without a physical keyboard. Due to its large display and aluminum chassis, current prototypes weigh about 3.5 pounds, making them considerably heavier than existing iPad Pro models. Tags: Foldable MacBook, Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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OLED MacBook Air Expected in 2028
Apple will update the MacBook Air with an OLED display for its 2028 model, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman says that he expects the MacBook Air's transition from LCD to OLED to occur with the product's 2028 update, as part of a larger migration to OLED across the company's flagship iPad and MacBook models that includes the iPad mini, MacBook Pro, iPad Air, and MacBook Air – and likely in that order. Apple already uses OLED displays in the iPad Pro. There are apparently no plans to add OLED to the low-cost iPad. The ‌MacBook Pro‌ will be updated with an OLED display when it is next redesigned, perhaps as soon as later this year, and it will include touch screen functionality, according to Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Apple is expected to update the MacBook Air with M5 chips imminently, but that model will continue to feature an LCD display. If Apple follows an annual upgrade cycle, the first OLED MacBook Air will likely feature M7 chips. Gurman previously reported that Apple has already started early work on an OLED ‌MacBook Air‌. When the MacBook Air moves from LCD to OLED display technology, it will gain several advantages – brighter screens, deeper blacks with higher contrast, improved power efficiency that can extend battery life, and other enhancements. Related Roundup: MacBook AirTags: Mark Gurman, OLEDBuyer's Guide: 15" MacBook Air (Don't Buy), 13" MacBook Air (Don't Buy)Related Forum: MacBook AirThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Next Year's iPad Pro Likely to Feature Vapor Chamber Cooling System
Apple will add a vapor chamber cooling system to the iPad Pro as soon as next year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says an iPhone 17 Pro-style vapor chamber is something Apple has been working to bring to the ultra-thin iPad Pro, and it could debut in the next model, which is expected to arrive in spring of 2027. Apple overhauled the thermal design of the iPhone 17 Pro models to include a vapor chamber cooling system, where a small amount of deionized water moves heat away from the A19 Pro chip and distributes it throughout the iPhone's aluminum unibody frame. Apple says the design allows for 40 percent better sustained performance for demanding tasks. The next generation iPad Pro model will likely feature Apple's M6 chip made with TSMC's 2-nanometer process. The liquid cooling system would help mitigate throttling, especially as the ‌iPad Pro‌ becomes more capable at handling intense workflows. Related Roundup: iPad ProTag: Mark GurmanBuyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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New Sonos Play Portable Speaker Leaks on Best Buy
Say hello to the Sonos Play – a new unannounced portable speaker that appears to have been accidentally leaked on the Canadian Best Buy site. Priced at CAD $399.99, the speaker looks a lot like a smaller version of the Sonos Move 2, and features Wi-Fi for multi-room setups of up to 32 speakers, AirPlay 2 support, and Bluetooth 5.3. There's also an aux-in for connecting record players and other equipment. Courtesy of the Redditor who spotted the listing, here's the blurb: Take quality sound wherever you go with the Sonos Play Bluetooth wireless speaker. Its compact design fits easily in your hand, while automatic Trueplay tuning optimizes audio for any environment. Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth let you stream high‑quality audio from different devices and sources. Up to 24 hours of battery life avoids the need for frequent recharging.The speaker listing has since been pulled from the Best Buy site, but it shouldn't be long before it's officially announced, given the release date was stated as March 31, 2026.Tag: SonosThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Get $100 Off iPad Mini 7 on Amazon, Starting at $399
Amazon today has brought back a few $100 discounts on the iPad mini 7, starting at $399.00 for the 128GB Wi-Fi tablet, down from $499.00. It's been nearly a month since we last tracked prices this low on the iPad mini 7. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Additionally, you can get the 256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.99 and the 512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.00, both $100 discounts and available in multiple colors. These sales are all solid second-best prices on the iPad mini 7. $100 OFF128GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $399.00 $99 OFF256GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $499.99 $100 OFF512GB Wi-Fi iPad mini 7 for $699.00 Additionally, you can pair a new iPad mini with the Apple Pencil Pro for $94.99 on sale right now on Amazon, down from $129.00. $34 OFFApple Pencil Pro for $94.99 If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Reportedly Expects 'Major Rush' of Customers This Week
Apple has advised its retail store employees to expect a "major rush" of customers this week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple teased "a big week ahead," with announcements starting Monday. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman said some employees believe Apple's preparations for new products this week are "on par with what happens before the debut of new iPhones in the fall," suggesting that at least one of the devices set to be unveiled between Monday and Wednesday will have "major mainstream appeal." The new product likely to receive the most interest is the rumored lower-cost MacBook, which is described as an "incredible value" within Apple, according to the newsletter. Apple believes that a more affordable MacBook will help to "drive a serious number of switchers from Windows machines and Chromebooks," wrote Gurman. While there have been no concrete rumors about the lower-cost MacBook's starting price, estimates range from $599 to $799 in the United States. In any case, qualifying college students and educators should receive $100 off the regular price. The lower-cost MacBook is expected to be powered by the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, rather than an M-series chip, and it will reportedly have a smaller 12.9-inch display. Based on A18 Pro specs, this MacBook will likely have 8GB of RAM, and the laptop will likely have regular USB-C ports instead of faster Thunderbolt ports. Like the iBook from the early 2000s, it has been rumored that this MacBook will come in fun color options, like yellow, green, blue, and/or pink. Beyond the lower-cost MacBook, most if not all of the other new products coming this week are expected to feature upgraded chips and little else. Possibilities include an iPhone 17e with an A19 chip, an iPad Air with an M4 chip, an iPad 12 with an A18 chip, a MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Tags: Apple Store, Mark GurmanThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple's Next Launch Starts Tomorrow
Following a new AirTag in January, Apple is set to unveil its next new products of 2026 this week. Apple CEO Tim Cook teased that the company will have a "big week ahead," with announcements set to begin this Monday, March 2. Apple is reportedly planning a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2 through Wednesday, March 4, with at least five new products expected to be unveiled, including a lower-cost MacBook, an iPhone 17e, and more. Other possible products include an iPad Air with an M4 chip, an iPad 12 with an A18 chip and Apple Intelligence support, a MacBook Air with the M5 chip, and MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. We are also waiting for long-awaited Apple TV and HomePod mini updates, but it is unclear if those are coming this week. Related Reading: What to Expect From Apple's Big Week Apple invited selected journalists and content creators to an "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. During these in-person gatherings, attendees will likely receive hands-on time with the new products that Apple unveils between Monday and Wednesday this week. MacRumors will be attending the "Apple Experience" in New York, so stay tuned to our coverage. A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #AppleLaunch pic.twitter.com/PQ9gM2Gl2r— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) February 26, 2026 This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Stores Temporarily Closed in the United Arab Emirates
Apple has temporarily closed all five of its retail stores in the United Arab Emirates, including three locations in Abu Dhabi and two in Dubai. Apple Store at the Dubai Mall All five of the stores will remain closed through at least Tuesday, March 3, according to Apple's website. This aligns with the Emirati government recommending that companies in the private sector take measures to avoid the presence of workers in open areas, if and where possible, from Sunday, March 1 until Tuesday, March 3. One of Apple's shuttered stores is at the Dubai Mall, near the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper. A sign says the store will remain closed "until further notice." Internally, Apple says the stores are closed due to a "safety situation," according to a source familiar with the matter. The closures come amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. Apple did not respond to our request for comment.Tag: Apple StoreThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Launched iPhone 16e One Year Ago Today
One year ago today, Apple launched the iPhone 16e, a new entry-level model that brought Apple Intelligence support and a modern design to the company's most affordable iPhone. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple announced the ‌iPhone 16e‌ on February 19, 2025 in a press release, positioning the device as a new member of the iPhone 16 lineup rather than as a continuation of the ‌iPhone‌ SE branding that had previously represented Apple's lowest-cost ‌iPhone‌. Pre-orders opened shortly after the announcement and the device launched the following week. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ adopted the same general design of the ‌iPhone‌ 13, but with a single rear camera, frosted back glass, and a USB-C port. It features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display with HDR, True Tone, and wide color. The display features a "notch" for the TrueDepth camera system rather than the Dynamic Island found on the other ‌iPhone 16‌ models. Apple offers the ‌iPhone 16e‌ in black and white finishes only. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ is powered by the A18 chip with a six-core CPU, a four-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Apple highlighted that the A18 made the ‌iPhone 16e‌ capable of supporting ‌Apple Intelligence‌. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ includes a 48-megapixel Fusion camera, which allows what Apple describes as optical-quality 2x zoom through sensor cropping. The front-facing TrueDepth camera is 12 megapixels and supports Face ID for authentication. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ was also significant for being the first device to include an Apple-designed modem in the form of the C1 chip. Battery life was another focus at launch. Apple said the ‌iPhone 16e‌ can deliver up to 26 hours of video playback. The device also notably lacks MagSafe connectivity. Apple is expected to announce its successor, ‌iPhone‌ 17e, next week at or around its special "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai. The device is rumored to feature the A19 chip, C1X modem, ‌MagSafe‌ connectivity, and the N1 wireless chip, for the same $599 starting price. Related Roundup: iPhone 16eBuyer's Guide: iPhone 16e (Don't Buy)Related Forum: iPhoneThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Top Stories: Apple's 'Big Week' Ahead, iPhone Colors, and More
Get ready for an onslaught of Apple news! Ahead of a "special Apple experience" for the media on Wednesday, there will be several days of announcements coming from the company with Tim Cook confirming that things will kick off on Monday. We're expecting a number of product announcements next week, but we're also continuing to look ahead at what we can expect with iPhone and Mac updates later this year. Software development is also continuing with iOS 26.4 proceeding through beta testing, so read on below for all the details! Top Stories Apple Teases 'A Big Week Ahead' With Announcements Starting Monday Apple CEO Tim Cook has teased "a big week ahead," with announcements starting Monday. His post on X this week included an #AppleLaunch hashtag with a colorful Apple logo, along with a short video that ultimately reveals an Apple logo on the lid of a Mac. Apple is reportedly planning a three-day stretch of product announcements from Monday, March 2, through Wednesday, March 4, with up to five new products expected to be unveiled, including a lower-cost MacBook, new high-end MacBook Pro models, an iPhone 17e, and more. Apple's Low-Cost Colorful MacBook: All the Rumors With the new, more affordable version of the MacBook rumored to be launching next week representing a new product offering for Apple, we recently rounded up everything we know about the device ahead of its launch. Even since that roundup, additional details have continued to surface, including rumors about mass production and pricing as well as a number of expected limitations that will help maintain differentiation between this new MacBook and the MacBook Air. Apple is Testing These iPhone 18 Pro and Foldable iPhone Colors The special new color that Apple is considering for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this year is a "deep red," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The first foldable iPhone that we're expecting to see debut in the same September time frame will, however, reportedly "stay away from fun colors" and be offered in more traditional space gray/black and silver/white finishes. The iPhone 18 Pro is said to have entered trial production, and it is expected to feature a smaller Dynamic Island and a variable aperture for the main camera. Touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro Coming in 2026 With Dynamic Island and Redesigned macOS Controls Looking beyond the M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pro models we're expecting as soon as next week, Apple appears to have a much bigger update in store with the following generation coming before the end of the year. The redesigned M6 Pro and M6 Max models will reportedly feature OLED touchscreens with macOS optimizations for touch input, a hole-punch camera and Dynamic Island to replace the current camera notch, and more. iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone this year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that Apple will release its first foldable device in 2026, and it will feature industry-leading performance for the tricky foldable screen. We've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Apple will allegedly call the device the "‌iPhone‌ Fold," which is the name the media has already adopted when sharing rumors about the product. iOS 26.3.1 Update for iPhones Coming Soon as 'Apple Experience' Nears Apple's software engineers are testing iOS 26.3.1, according to the MacRumors visitor logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 26.3.1 should be a minor update that fixes bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, and it will likely be released within the next two weeks. We did already receive a visionOS 26.3.1 bug fix update on Thursday, but we are also seeing signs of iOS 26.3.1 for iPhone in our logs. This week also saw the release of the second round of developer betas of iOS 26.4 and related updates, and they include a number of tweaks and new features compared to the first betas. MacRumors Newsletter Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view. So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!Tag: Top StoriesThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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What to Expect From Apple's Big Week: iPhone 17e, Low-Cost MacBook, New iPads, and More
Starting on Monday, we're going to get our first major product announcements of 2026. Apple CEO Tim Cook teased a "big week ahead" with an "Apple Launch" hashtag, plus Apple has media events scheduled in New York, Shanghai, and London on Wednesday, March 4. We're expecting the iPhone 17e, an all-new low-cost MacBook, and minor refreshes to the Mac and iPad lines. Low-Cost MacBook Rumors about the MacBook's design make it sound a lot like the MacBook Air. It will have an aluminum chassis in a range of colors, and a 12.9-inch or 13-inch display, depending on the rumor. It's possible the low-cost MacBook will have a thin and light design because it's going to use a lower power A-series chip that doesn't require a lot of heat dissipation, but that's not yet confirmed. Apple used to have a 12-inch MacBook with a thin design and a low-power Core M chip, and it's been suggested that this new MacBook could be something of a revival of that machine. Thinner and lighter typically means more expensive with Apple products, so a super slim design might not be what Apple is optimizing for. Making the low-cost MacBook thinner than the ‌MacBook Air‌ could just confuse the MacBook lineup. With the low-cost ‌iPad‌, Apple keeps the price down by using older display technology that's not as thin, so we could see that same strategy with the low-cost MacBook. A thicker chassis and a super efficient chip could mean a long battery life, which would be ideal for an educational environment. The low-cost MacBook is expected to have lower max display brightness, no True Tone support, no backlit keyboard, slower SSD speeds, and no N1 chip. Colors The MacBook is going to come in a selection of fun colors, and Apple has tested light yellow, light green, blue, pink, silver, and dark gray, according to Bloomberg. Not all of those colors are likely to ship, but it sounds like we'll get at least four of them. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks the MacBook will come in yellow, silver, blue, and pink, which would be the same colors that Apple offers for the ‌iPad‌. A18 Pro Chip The most consistent rumor we've heard about the MacBook is its planned chip. Rather than an M-series Mac chip, Apple is planning to use an A-series chip. The low-cost MacBook is expected to use the A18 Pro chip, which Apple first debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro. The A18 Pro uses a second-generation 3-nanometer process. It has a 6-core CPU with four performance cores and two efficiency cores, along with a 6-core GPU and a 16-core Neural Engine for AI-based tasks. In Geekbench benchmarks, the A18 Pro has an average single-core score of 3451, and a multi-core score of 8572. For comparison, the M4 iPad Pro earns a single-core score of 3694 and a multi-core score of 13732 (Apple's next ‌MacBook Air‌ is going to use the M4 chip). The A18 Pro outperforms the M1, which is the chip that Apple kept around in a lower-cost version of the ‌MacBook Air‌ for several years. An A18 MacBook wouldn't be too far off from the M4 Mac/‌iPad‌ chips in terms of single-core performance, but there would be a difference in multi-core performance. A MacBook with the A18 chip would be more than powerful enough for day-to-day use like web browsing, document creation, watching videos, and even light photo and video editing. It won't be ideal for system-intensive games or tasks like 4K video editing and 3D rendering, but it will do almost everything an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ can do. Apple is developing the low-cost MacBook with students in mind, and it sounds like it will be the Apple equivalent of the affordable Chromebook PCs that are often used by students. RAM Macs start with 16GB RAM, but the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro has 8GB RAM, the minimum for Apple Intelligence. We can expect an A18 Pro MacBook to have at least 8GB RAM so it can support ‌Apple Intelligence‌, but it's possible Apple will give it the 16GB that all Macs have. Storage The ‌MacBook Air‌ starts with 256GB of storage, but Apple could possibly launch the low-cost MacBook with 128GB. Ports The A18 Pro chip in the ‌iPhone 16‌ Pro models doesn't support Thunderbolt, so the MacBook will be limited to USB-C (10GB/s) and won't offer Thunderbolt speeds. That will limit display connectivity, so it's likely the A18 Pro MacBook will only support a single external display. Price Pricing on the ‌MacBook Air‌ starts at $999, and the low-cost MacBook is expected to be priced much lower. Apple probably won't want to undercut its ‌iPad‌ pricing by too much. The low-cost ‌iPad‌ with A16 chip starts at $349, and the iPad Air with M2 chip starts at $599. A price between $599 and $799 could make the most sense because it wouldn't be as expensive as the ‌MacBook Air‌ or ‌iPad Pro‌, but would come in at or just over the ‌iPad Air‌'s cost. $599 would be on par with some of the highly rated Chromebook options that people often purchase for school use, while a $699 or $799 price would be in the same general pricing area, but a little more of a premium price tag. $599 is also the cost of the iPhone 16e, Apple's most affordable ‌iPhone‌ that uses a slightly less powerful A18 chip. iPhone 17e The ‌iPhone 16e‌ that came out in February 2025 is due for a refresh. The ‌iPhone‌ 17e is getting some useful upgrades over the ‌iPhone 16e‌ that will make it even more worth the purchase price. Design The ‌iPhone‌ 17e will look a lot like the ‌iPhone 16e‌, featuring the same 6.1-inch display size, single-lens rear camera, and black and white color options. Display The ‌iPhone‌ 17e is expected to feature the same display panel as the ‌iPhone 16e‌, which means it will be limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. Apple brought 120Hz ProMotion refresh rates to the standard iPhone 17 in 2025, but the same technology is not expected for the more affordable ‌iPhone‌ 17e. The ‌iPhone‌ 17e will continue to be Apple's only new release ‌iPhone‌ without 120Hz support. 120Hz refresh rates provide video improvements and smoother scrolling when viewing webpages. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ does not have always-on display technology, and that's not likely to change with the ‌iPhone‌ 17e. To support always-on, the ‌iPhone‌ 17e would need an OLED display with 1-nit minimum brightness, which is limited to Apple's more expensive iPhones. HDR and brightness are also lacking compared to Apple's flagship lineup. Dynamic Island The ‌iPhone 16e‌ uses the notch that Apple has eliminated in its newer flagship iPhones, but the ‌iPhone‌ 17e could eliminate it. Some rumors suggest that the ‌iPhone‌ 17e will have a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, giving it an updated look. The ‌Dynamic Island‌ is a pill-shaped cutout on the ‌iPhone‌'s display that houses the TrueDepth camera system and the front-facing camera. It takes up less display area than the notch, and it is better integrated into the ‌iPhone‌. While some rumors indicate we could get a ‌Dynamic Island‌, other rumors suggest the ‌iPhone‌ 17e will continue to use a notch, so the ‌Dynamic Island‌ upgrade isn't a guarantee. A19 Chip The ‌iPhone‌ 17e will use Apple's A19 chip, which is the same chip that's in the ‌iPhone 17‌. The A19 chip is built on an upgraded N3P 3-nanometer process, offering a 5 to 10 percent performance improvement over the A18 chip. Apple could be planning to use a downclocked version of the A19 chip in the ‌iPhone‌ 17e, and if that's the case, its performance won't quite match the ‌iPhone 17‌'s performance. The A18 chip that Apple used in the ‌iPhone 16e‌ had a 4-core GPU instead of a 5-core GPU like the version from the ‌iPhone 16‌, so the ‌iPhone‌ 17e could get a similar GPU downgrade. Aside from the improved CPU and GPU, the A19 has an updated display engine, image signal processor, and Neural Engine for improved AI performance. Every GPU core features a Neural Accelerator to boost the performance of local AI models. We are expecting the ‌iPhone‌ 17e to continue to include 8GB RAM like the ‌iPhone 16e‌. Apple's other models have 12GB. MagSafe Compatibility The ‌iPhone 16e‌ does not have a magnetic ring for MagSafe charging, but the ‌iPhone‌ 17e is expected to get a ‌MagSafe‌ upgrade. Apple's iPhones have used ‌MagSafe‌ since the ‌iPhone‌ 12, so there are a wide array of ‌MagSafe‌ cases and accessories. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ is not compatible with these accessories, which is a major limitation. Since it doesn't have ‌MagSafe‌, the ‌iPhone 16e‌ is limited to 7.5W wireless charging speeds. ‌MagSafe‌ would upgrade that to at least 15W. The current ‌iPhone 17‌ models can charge at 25W over ‌MagSafe‌, though the iPhone Air is limited to 20W. Camera The ‌iPhone‌ 17e is expected to have a single 48-megapixel Wide Angle camera at the back, with no upgrade rumored. The ‌iPhone 16e‌ doesn't have a Camera Control button, and there's no sign that Apple plans to bring it to the ‌iPhone‌ 17e, either. The ‌iPhone 17‌ models got an upgraded 18-megapixel Center Stage front-facing camera, but rumors suggest the ‌iPhone‌ 17e will continue to use the same 12-megapixel front-facing camera as the ‌iPhone 16e‌. C1X Modem and N1 Chip The ‌iPhone‌ 17e will adopt Apple's C1X modem, the modem chip that Apple first debuted in the ‌iPhone Air‌. The C1X modem is faster and more efficient than the C1 modem that Apple used in the ‌iPhone 16e‌. Apple says the C1X modem is up to 2x faster than the C1, and it is far more energy efficient than Qualcomm modems. Apple could also update the ‌iPhone 17‌ models with Apple's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth "N1" networking chip, bringing speed and efficiency improvements, plus Thread support. Leaked Apple code suggests the chip will not be included in the ‌iPhone‌ 17e in order to keep costs down, but recent rumors indicate Apple plans to include it. Pricing The ‌iPhone 16e‌ is priced starting at $599, and no price changes are expected for the ‌iPhone‌ 17e. iPad Air The ‌iPad Air‌ will get a small refresh with a chip update, adopting the M4 chip. Design and Display There are no design changes rumored for the ‌iPad Air‌, so we can expect the same 11-inch and 13-inch size options. The ‌iPad Air‌ is thicker and heavier than the ‌iPad Pro‌, and it uses a standard LED display instead of OLED technology. The ‌iPad Air‌ will eventually be upgraded to OLED, but for now, the higher-end display technology will remain limited to the ‌iPad Pro‌. The ‌iPad Air‌ also doesn't support ProMotion, and there's no sign that Apple is planning to add it. The ‌iPad Air‌ will continue to feature USB-C, a Touch ID top button, and the same front and rear cameras. It's possible there will be a new color option, but it's not guaranteed with a minor refresh. No new accessories are rumored, and it will continue to work with the Magic Keyboard and the Apple Pencil Pro. M4 Chip Apple has been updating the ‌iPad Air‌ with an M-series chip that's a generation behind the chip in the ‌iPad Pro‌. Since the ‌iPad Pro‌ was updated in October 2025 with the M5, the ‌iPad Air‌ is set to get the M4 chip. The M3 in the current ‌iPad Air‌ and the M4 chip are both built on a 3-nanometer process, but the M4 has an updated process that brings speed and efficiency improvements. There are up to 10 CPU cores instead of 8, the Neural Engine is faster, and there's more memory bandwidth. The GPU is also more power efficient for potential battery gains. The M4 CPU is up to 30 percent faster than the M3 CPU, while the GPU is up to 21 percent faster. The ‌iPad Air‌ already supports ‌Apple Intelligence‌, and the next-generation model will continue to do so. Apple increased the RAM in ‌iPad Pro‌ models with higher storage tiers, but there's no word on whether that same change will come to the ‌iPad Air‌. Current models feature 8GB RAM, the minimum for ‌Apple Intelligence‌. Charging The ‌iPad Pro‌ gained faster charging with the M5 update, and that's something that could trickle down to the ‌iPad Air‌. N1 Chip The ‌iPad Air‌ is likely to adopt the N1 networking chip that Apple first introduced in the ‌iPhone 17‌ models. The N1 chip is an Apple-designed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip that offers connectivity and efficiency improvements compared to the third-party chips that Apple has used in previous devices. The N1 supports the latest Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 technology. The current ‌iPad Air‌ offers Wi-Fi 6E support, so the next-generation model could see faster Wi-Fi speeds on compatible networks with Wi-Fi 7. Apple Modem Apple used the C1X in the M5 ‌iPad Pro‌, and the cellular versions of the ‌iPad Air‌ will get that same modem chip. The C1X is an upgraded variant of the C1, Apple's first in-house modem chip. It offers performance on par with Qualcomm chips, though 5G connectivity is limited to sub-6GHz with no support for mmWave 5G. That's not an issue on the ‌iPad‌, because the current version of the ‌iPad Air‌ doesn't support mmWave. Apple's modem chips are more power efficient than Qualcomm modem chips, and are able to better integrate with other ‌iPad‌ components. Pricing There are no rumors of a price increase, so the 11-inch model is expected to continue to start at $599, while the 13-inch model will start at $799. Low-Cost iPad Like the ‌iPad Air‌, the low-cost ‌iPad‌ is going to get a refresh with an updated chip. The update is a bigger deal because the ‌iPad‌ is expected to support ‌Apple Intelligence‌ for the first time. Design The 12th-generation ‌iPad‌ will have the same 11-inch edge-to-edge display with ‌Touch ID‌ Side Button and thick bezels as the current model. The low-cost ‌iPad‌ is only available in a single screen size, and it is Apple's thickest tablet at 7mm. It features a Retina LCD display with no ProMotion support, no P3 wide color, and no lamination (display technology that cuts down on glare, provides a more responsive feel, and allows for a thinner size) compared to Apple's other tablets. Apple makes the low-cost ‌iPad‌ in several fun colors, and we could see some new shades in 2026. Current colors include blue, pink, silver, and yellow. No changes are expected for the rear camera, front camera, USB-C port, or compatibility with accessories like the ‌Apple Pencil‌. A-Series Chip The low-cost ‌iPad‌ will be equipped with Apple's A18 or A19 chip, both of which are built on a 3-nanometer process. The upgraded chip will offer speed and efficiency improvements over the A16 chip that's in the current model. The A16 chip that Apple used in 2025 does not support ‌Apple Intelligence‌, but the A18 and A19 do, so that will mark a major update for Apple's affordable tablet. The 2026 model will be able to support ‌Apple Intelligence‌ features that are unavailable with the 2025 model. The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ has 6GB RAM, but Apple will need to bump that up to 8GB for ‌Apple Intelligence‌. N1 Chip Apple is expanding its N1 networking chip to many of its new devices. The N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread networking technology for smart home devices. The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is limited to Wi-Fi 6, so if the 12th-generation version gets Wi-Fi 7, it will be able to connect to faster 6GHz networks for the first time. Bluetooth 6 would also be an improvement over Bluetooth 5.3. There is a chance that Apple is reserving the N1 chip for its more premium devices, based on leaked internal code. If that's the case, the ‌iPad‌ won't include the N1 chip. Apple Modem Apple has designed C1 and C1X modem chips that it has used in iPhones and iPads in 2025, and the next-generation version of the ‌iPad‌ could also get an Apple-designed modem chip for cellular models. Pricing The 11th-generation ‌iPad‌ is priced starting at $349 for 128GB of storage, and there are so far no indications that pricing is going to change for the 12th-generation model. MacBook Pro Apple already refreshed the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 chip, but now it's time for the higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch models to get an update. Design There are no rumors of design changes, and we are expecting the upcoming M5 ‌MacBook Pro‌ models to look just like the M4 versions. Apple will continue to offer 14-inch and 16-inch size options, both of which should come in M5 Pro and M5 Max varieties. M5 Max and M5 Pro We already got base model 14-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with the new M5 chip in October, so what we're expecting are upgraded 14-inch and 16-inch models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. The M5 family is built on a more advanced 3-nanometer process from TSMC, and it offers speed and efficiency improvements. The M5 chip is up to 20 percent faster in multi-core CPU performance than the M4 chip, and we could see similar improvements for the M5 Pro and M5 Max chip options. GPU performance is up to 30 percent faster. With the M5, Apple added a Neural Accelerator to each GPU core, improving the speeds of GPU-based AI workloads. The chip also supports third-generation ray-tracing, second-generation dynamic caching, and enhanced shader cores. The 16-core Neural Engine is more energy efficient than before, and unified memory bandwidth has improved. These are all features that we're likely to see with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips as well. Why You Shouldn't Buy an M5 Pro/Max MacBook Pro If you're not in serious need of a new ‌MacBook Pro‌ right away, early 2026 is a bad time to upgrade. The next-generation ‌MacBook Pro‌ after the early 2026 models is expected to feature an OLED display and touchscreen capabilities, both of which will mark a major upgrade in display quality. It's expected to include a ‌Dynamic Island‌ instead of a notch, and macOS will be optimized for touch interactions. Most people shelling out extra money for a ‌MacBook Pro‌ with a higher-end M5 Pro or M5 Max chip need the extra performance or display quality, so it is worth waiting for the huge update that's coming. The transition to OLED will also likely bring a design update along with M6 Pro and M6 Max chip technology, which is another reason to wait. Of course, the new features could be limited to higher-end ‌MacBook Pro‌ models or could be significantly more expensive. If you're on a budget, need a Mac now, or don't care about OLED, the M5 Pro and Max models could still be worth considering. MacBook Air Along with the low-cost MacBook and M5 Pro/Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models, Apple could introduce a refreshed version of the ‌MacBook Air‌ next week. M5 Chip The next-generation ‌MacBook Air‌ will adopt the M5 chip, which Apple already introduced in the ‌iPad Pro‌ and ‌MacBook Pro‌ models that came out last year. Apple's M5 chip uses third-generation 3-nanometer technology, and it features up to a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU with 3.5x faster performance than the M4 chip. The M5's multithreaded CPU performance is up to 15 percent faster than the M4, and it offers 30 percent faster GPU performance. Apple added a Neural Accelerator to each GPU core to improve the speeds of GPU-based AI workloads. Unified memory bandwidth is 153GB/s, which is close to a 30 percent improvement over the M4's memory bandwidth. Unified memory architecture lets the chip use a single memory pool for running AI models on device, boosting GPU performance, and improving multithreaded performance in apps, so an upgrade there is meaningful. RAM will continue to start at 16GB, with 24GB and 32GB available as upgrade options. Third-generation ray-tracing, second-generation dynamic caching, and upgraded shader cores bring improvements to gaming and other system-intensive tasks. An updated 16-core Neural Engine is more energy efficient than before, so we could see battery life improvements. Storage tiers are likely to stay the same, starting at 256GB with 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB available as upgrade options. Design The ‌MacBook Air‌ got a design overhaul in 2022, and there are no signs that Apple is planning for an updated chassis in 2026. Apple often uses the same design for several years before updating, and design refreshes are usually tied to major new features. We're expecting Apple to release the same 13-inch and 15-inch size options in 2026. Both will feature the same aluminum unibody design and fanless thermal system, along with a Retina LCD display. The ‌MacBook Air‌ is likely to continue to offer two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, and the same speaker, microphone, and camera setup. Pricing ‌MacBook Air‌ pricing is not expected to change, and it should continue to start at $1,099. There is a possibility that memory upgrades will be more expensive due to DRAM shortages that have driven prices up. Other Possibilities Apple's Special Experience seems like it's going to focus primarily on lower-end devices, with the exception of the M5 Pro and M5 Max ‌MacBook Pro‌ models. We are waiting on other devices that rumors have suggested will be refreshed in early 2026, but it's likely we'll be waiting a bit longer for them. HomePod mini A new version of the HomePod mini is apparently ready to go, but Apple may hold it back for a more home-focused refresh that will also include the rumored home hub. The home hub and the ‌HomePod mini‌ are likely tied to the new version of Siri. Apple was aiming to introduce the more capable ‌Siri‌ in iOS 26.4, but pushed back Siri's debut because of ongoing reliability issues. It's not clear when the new ‌Siri‌ is coming now, and so the timing of the next ‌HomePod mini‌ is also unknown. The ‌HomePod mini‌ is expected to get a new chip and new colors, but not much else. The design will stay the same. Apple TV As with the ‌HomePod mini‌, the next Apple TV is a device we've been hearing rumors about since late last year. It was supposed to come in late 2025 or early 2026, but it too is likely tied to the ‌Siri‌ refresh. There are no design changes expected for the ‌Apple TV‌, and it will get an updated chip. MacRumors Coverage Apple isn't holding an event for the new announcements, so there won't be a video to watch. We're expecting to see new products unveiled via press release on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, so stay tuned to MacRumors for details on everything Apple unveils. Apple is holding a Special Experience for members of the media on March 4, 2026, where we're expecting Apple to show off the new products. MacRumors will be in attendance, so we'll be able to share a hands-on look at whatever Apple has to offer. The Special Experience will take place at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Could Apple's OLED iPad Mini Finally Be a Kindle Killer?
With a similar screen size and easy, one-handed grip, the iPad mini has always been the Apple device that overlaps most with dedicated e-readers. Now, amid rumors pointing to an OLED display for the next generation, could the ‌iPad mini‌ finally replace devices such as the Kindle and Kobo? The shift from LCD to OLED could make the ‌iPad mini‌ far more appealing as a reading device. OLED panels allow each pixel to turn off individually, producing true blacks and extremely high contrast. Text can appear sharper and more defined against a dark background, particularly in dark mode. Night reading is also typically more comfortable because the display can emit less light overall. Color reproduction and viewing angles also improve with OLED, which could make a big difference for comics, magazines, and illustrated books. Another benefit is power efficiency. OLED displays can consume less energy when displaying dark content. That could modestly extend battery life during reading sessions. All current iPad models have no official water resistance rating. By contrast, devices like the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite and Kobo Libra Color are typically rated to withstand immersion, allowing users to read in the bath, by the pool, or at the beach without concern. Rumors suggest Apple is exploring a more sealed design for the next ‌iPad mini‌, potentially using vibration-based speakers and fewer ingress points to add water resistance. This could remove one of the everyday practical advantages that e-readers currently hold over the ‌iPad mini‌. However, dedicated e-readers would still retain some major advantages over the ‌iPad mini‌. Kindle and Kobo devices use e-ink screens that reflect ambient light rather than emitting light directly toward the eyes, behaving much more like paper. Many readers find that e-ink screens cause less fatigue during long reading sessions. Outdoor readability is another area where e-ink remains superior, since they become easier to read as ambient light increases. Battery life is also dramatically different. Most e-readers last weeks on a single charge because the screen only uses power when the page changes. The ‌iPad mini‌ typically lasts for around a day or two of mixed use at most. E-readers are also intentionally limited devices that focus on reading, while tablets encourage multitasking, which can make focused reading more difficult for some users. Even if OLED improves the reading experience, the ‌iPad mini‌ would still compete in a different price category. The current ‌iPad mini‌ starts at $499, and rumors suggest the OLED version could cost up to $100 more. By contrast, many Kindle and Kobo models are much more accessible and cost between $110 and $300 depending on features. OLED would still make the ‌iPad mini‌ a significantly better reading device than it already is, but the physics of e-ink displays provide advantages that OLED cannot replicate, especially for reading. What OLED could do is shift the balance slightly; for casual readers, an OLED ‌iPad mini‌ may become good enough that buying a separate e-reader no longer feels necessary. The OLED ‌iPad mini‌ is expected to launch with an A19 Pro chip in the second half of 2026.This article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Apple Music Coming to Chocolate Bars
Apple is working with German confectionary brand Ritter Sport to offer a unique Apple Music promotion. The collaboration, branded as "Limited Edition Ritter Sport x ‌Apple Music‌," involves promoting iconic albums on Ritter Sport's iconic 100g square chocolate bars (via Macerkopf). There will be a QR code on the back of each bar that links directly to the album on ‌Apple Music‌ and provides a free trial subscription to the service. Ritter Sport and ‌Apple Music‌ have selected five albums that have shaped German music history across different genres, including Cro's "RAOP," Marteria's "Happy for the Future II," Scorpions' "Crazy World," Sarah Connor's "Mother Tongue," and Helene Fischer's "Farbenspiel," for the series. They are each available on ‌Apple Music‌ in Dolby Atmos. The promotion begins on Monday, March 2 in Germany, when the chocolate bars will begin to appear in stores across the country. Each bar costs €1.99 and they will be available for a limited time only. Tags: Apple Music, Germany, MacerkopfThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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MacRumors Giveaway: Win an iPhone 17 and an Anti-Reflective Fresh Coat Screen Protector From Astropad
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Astropad to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win an iPhone 17 and an anti-reflective Fresh Coat screen protector from Astropad to go along with it. Fresh Coat is a screen protector that Astropad created with an optical-grade anti-reflective coating to reduce glare and provide a better iPhone viewing experience. The technology cuts reflections by 75 percent, while improving contrast and keeping colors vibrant. Unlike other anti-reflective screen protectors on the market, Fresh Coat adds no haze or distortion to the ‌iPhone‌'s display. Priced at $30, Fresh Coat is made from a scratch-proof tempered glass that provides protection for the ‌iPhone‌'s display in addition to cutting down on glare and reflections. It's slim and doesn't add bulk to the ‌iPhone‌ even though there are five layers of protective technology at work. From the top down, there's an anti-reflective coating, an oleophobic and hydrophobic coating, a layer of tempered glass, a dust barrier, and an impact-resistant "airbag" bonding. If you have an ‌iPhone 17‌, it comes with an anti-reflective coating added by Apple. What you might not know is that you can't use just any screen protector with the ‌iPhone 17‌. If you put a regular screen protector without an anti-reflective coating on, it nullifies the anti-reflective properties of that added coating. Since Fresh Coat has its own anti-reflective coating, it improves on Apple's included anti-reflective layer, reducing glare even further. With Fresh Coat, the ‌iPhone‌'s screen is easy to see in any lighting conditions, there's less eye strain, and if you use Dark Mode, it looks even darker. If you don't have an ‌iPhone 17‌, Fresh Coat can provide an ‌iPhone‌ 17-style display upgrade, mirroring Apple's own reflection-reducing display coating. Fresh Coat is available for all ‌iPhone 17‌ models, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, and the ‌iPhone‌ 15 Pro and Pro Max. Astropad designed an installation process that's impossible to mess up, so you get perfect alignment on your ‌iPhone‌ without the hassle that comes with most screen protectors. We have an ‌iPhone 17‌ in white and a Fresh Coat screen protector for one lucky MacRumors reader. To enter to win, use the widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner(s) and send the prize(s). You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, following us on Threads, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected. Astropad Giveaway The contest will run from today (February 27) at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on March 6. The winner will be chosen randomly on or shortly after March 6 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.Tag: GiveawayThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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Best Apple Deals of the Week: Get $100 Off Apple Watch Series 11, Plus Save on iPhone 17 TechWoven Cases and More
This week we tracked quite a few deals across numerous Apple products, including low prices on Apple Watch Series 11, AirPods Max, and iPhone 17 TechWoven cases, all of which are still available today. You'll also find great discounts on portable power stations and Samsung's new Galaxy S26 smartphones below. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Apple Watch Series 11 What's the deal? Take $100 off Apple Watch Series 11 Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm GPS) for $299.00 $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (46mm GPS) for $329.00 $100 OFFApple Watch Series 11 (42mm Cell) for $399.00 Amazon this week has all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 11, with $100 discounts across select models of the smartwatch. This time around, deals are more sparse and we're only tracking these discounts on three models of the smartwatch. iPhone Cases What's the deal? Take up to 30% off Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here UP TO 30% OFFiPhone 17 Cases at Amazon Amazon this week has big discounts across Apple's Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air lineup. Items on sale include Clear, Silicone, and TechWoven Cases for the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. We're also tracking a few discounts on other accessories like the FineWoven Wallet with MagSafe and Beats cases. AirPods What's the deal? Take $30 off AirPods 4 and $100 off AirPods Max Where can I get it? Amazon Where can I find the original deal? Right here $100 OFFAirPods Max (USB-C) for $449.00 $30 OFFAirPods 4 for $99.00 Amazon this week is back with a notable discount on the USB-C AirPods Max, available for $449.00 in all five colors, down from $549.00. This is one of the first times in a few weeks that we've tracked every color of the AirPods Max on sale at $99 off. Samsung What's the deal? Save on Samsung's newest Galaxy S26 smartphones Where can I get it? Samsung Where can I find the original deal? Right here UP TO $900 CREDITSamsung Galaxy Pre-Orders $600 OFF65-inch The Frame for $1,199.99 $1,200 OFF75-inch The Frame Pro for $1,999.99 Samsung this week debuted pre-orders for its newest line of Galaxy products, including the S26 smartphones and Galaxy Buds4. You can find a few early launch discounts on some of these products, plus discounts on Samsung's most popular monitors and TVs, with notable markdowns on products like The Frame TVs. Portable Power Stations What's the deal? Take up to 56% off Where can I get it? Amazon and Jackery Where can I find the original deal? Right here UP TO 56% OFFAnker SOLIX Sale UP TO 54% OFFJackery Backup Power Sale Anker and Jackery have introduced big discounts across their most popular portable power stations this week, including up to 56 percent off select models from each company. We're tracking Anker's best deals over at Amazon, while Jackery's discounts can be found on the retailer's own website. If you're on the hunt for more discounts, be sure to visit our Apple Deals roundup where we recap the best Apple-related bargains of the past week. Deals Newsletter Interested in hearing more about the best deals you can find in 2026? Sign up for our Deals Newsletter and we'll keep you updated so you don't miss the biggest deals of the season! Related Roundup: Apple DealsThis article, "" first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums

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United States SMS and MMS Carrier Partner Maintenance
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 29, 20:00 - 22:00 PDTMar 9, 07:07 PDTScheduled - Our SMS and MMS carrier partner in the United States is conducting a planned maintenance from 29 March 2026 at 20:00 PDT until 29 March 2026 at 22:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent delays delivering SMS and MMS to and from United States handsets via United States short codes.

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PDX (Portland) on 2026-03-23
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 23, 14:00 - 23:45 UTCMar 9, 13:40 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in PDX (Portland) datacenter on 2026-03-23 between 14:00 and 23:45 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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PDX (Portland) on 2026-04-02
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Apr 2, 13:00 - 22:59 UTCMar 9, 13:32 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in PDX (Portland) datacenter on 2026-04-02 between 13:00 and 22:59 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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Germany Account Security Carrier Partner Maintenance – T-Mobile
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 11, 23:00 PDT  -  Mar 12, 01:00 PDTMar 9, 06:27 PDTScheduled - Our carrier partner T-Mobile Germany is conducting a planned maintenance from 11 March 2026 at 23:00 PDT until 12 March 2026 at 01:00 PDT. During the maintenance window, there could be intermittent API request failures for T-Mobile Germany customers.Impacted Products: Verify Silent Network Auth, Lookup Identity Match, Lookup SIM Swap, Legacy Identity MatchAndAttributes

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LAX (Los Angeles) on 2026-03-12
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 12, 09:00 - 13:00 UTCMar 9, 11:44 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in LAX (Los Angeles) datacenter on 2026-03-12 between 09:00 and 13:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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FRA (Frankfurt) on 2026-03-10
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 10, 09:00 - 11:00 UTCMar 9, 11:42 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in FRA (Frankfurt) datacenter on 2026-03-10 between 09:00 and 11:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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LAX (Los Angeles) on 2026-03-11
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 11, 07:00 - 15:00 UTCMar 9, 10:28 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in LAX (Los Angeles) datacenter on 2026-03-11 between 07:00 and 15:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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LAX (Los Angeles) on 2026-03-10
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 10, 07:00 - 15:00 UTCMar 9, 10:28 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in LAX (Los Angeles) datacenter on 2026-03-10 between 07:00 and 15:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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FRA (Frankfurt) on 2026-03-16
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 16, 00:00 - 06:00 UTCMar 9, 09:20 UTCUpdate - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in FRA (Frankfurt) datacenter on 2026-03-16 between 00:00 and 06:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.Mar 9, 09:14 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in FRA (Frankfurt) datacenter on 2026-03-16 between 00:00 and 04:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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ZRH (Zurich) on 2026-03-11
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 11, 01:00 - 08:00 UTCMar 9, 04:16 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in ZRH (Zurich) datacenter on 2026-03-11 between 01:00 and 08:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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IST (Istanbul) on 2026-03-09
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 9, 23:00 UTC  -  Mar 10, 05:30 UTCMar 9, 04:16 UTCUpdate - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in IST (Istanbul) datacenter between 2026-03-09 23:00 and 2026-03-10 05:30 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.Mar 9, 04:14 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in IST (Istanbul) datacenter between 2026-03-09 22:00 and 2026-03-10 05:30 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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Emerging Issue – Cloud Manager
Mar 9, 04:04 UTCInvestigating - Our team is investigating an emerging issue where some customers are receiving delayed event notification or notification emails for activities performed on Cloud Manager. We will share additional updates as we have more information.

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LHR (London) on 2026-03-09
THIS IS A SCHEDULED EVENT Mar 9, 23:00 UTC  -  Mar 10, 07:00 UTCMar 8, 22:50 UTCScheduled - We will be performing scheduled maintenance in LHR (London) datacenter between 2026-03-09 23:00 and 2026-03-10 07:00 UTC.Traffic might be re-routed from this location, hence there is a possibility of a slight increase in latency during this maintenance window for end-users in the affected region. For PNI / CNI customers connecting with us in this location, please make sure you are expecting this traffic to fail over elsewhere during this maintenance window as network interfaces in this datacentre may become temporarily unavailable.You can now subscribe to these notifications via Cloudflare dashboard and receive these updates directly via email, PagerDuty and webhooks (based on your plan): https://developers.cloudflare.com/notifications/notification-available/#cloudflare-status.

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Service Issue – Object Storage Osaka
Mar 7, 12:02 UTCInvestigating - Our team is investigating an issue affecting the Object Storage service in Osaka, JP. During this time, users may experience connection timeouts and errors with this service. We will share additional updates as we have more information.

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Access Configuration Updates Delayed
Mar 6, 19:30 UTCInvestigating - Access configuration changes are experiencing delays propagating to the edge. Existing configurations and logins are not impacted.

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