Today in Apple history: Here comes the Macintosh II
On March 2, 1987, three years after releasing the original Macintosh 128K, Apple launches its direct sequel, the almighty Macintosh II. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple iPad Air M4 (2026) Complete Guide: Release date, price, specs & what’s new
Macworld Apple introduced the M4 powered iPad Air via a press release on March 2, 2026. The M4 iPad Air refresh mainly updates performance, memory, and wireless connectivity, while many elements – including design, screen tech, accessory support, storage entry point, and price – closely match the previous M3 iPad Air. Read on for all the details you need about availability, price, specs and how the new M4 iPad Air compares to the M3 model. M4 iPad Air Release date and availability Pre-orders will begin on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, with availability from Wednesday, March 11, 2026. Pre-Order an iPad Air M4 at Apple Once the iPad Air is on sale it will be available to purchase from Apple as well as third-party stockists including Amazon and Best Buy. Retailer Price $599 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket M4 iPad Air Price Despite the upgrades, the iPad Air’s starting price remains unchanged from the M3 model. This is excellent news for consumers who get faster and more capable hardware without paying more. Unlike the new iPhone 17e, which doubles the storage at the entry-level to 256GB for the same price, the iPad Air still starts with 128GB of storage. A cellular model costs an additional $150/£150 over the standard Wi-Fi version – before factoring in the price of a monthly data plan. The premium reflects the extra hardware required for mobile connectivity, including a cellular modem and GPS support, allowing for accurate location tracking and internet access on the go. Unless you specifically need always-on connectivity, it may be more cost-effective to use your iPhone as a personal hotspot and share its data connection instead of paying extra for a cellular iPad. WiFiCellularEducation11-inch iPad Air M4, 128GB$599 / £599$749 / £749$549 / £54911-inch iPad Air M4, 256GB$699 / £699$849 / £849$649 / £64911-inch iPad Air M4, 512GB$899 / £899$1,049 / £1,049$849 / £84911-inch iPad Air M4, 1TB$1,099 / £1,099 $1,249 / £1,249$1,049 / £1,04913-inch iPad Air M4, 128GB$799 / £799$949 / £949$749 / £74913-inch iPad Air M4, 256GB$899 / £899$1,049 / £1,049$849 / £84913-inch iPad Air M4, 512GB$1,099 / £1,099$1,249 / £1,249$1,049 / £1,04913-inch iPad Air M4, 1TB$1,299 / £1,299$1,449 / £1,449$1,249 / £1,249 M4 iPad Air Processor: Will the 2026 iPad Air be faster? Apple-designed M4 chip with 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU. Up to 30% faster overall performance vs the M3 version. 16-core Neural Engine and 50% more unified memory (12GB). Apple We are already familiar with the M4 chip, which featured in the 2024 iPad Pro. Unlike the iPad Pro, which came with a 9-core or 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU. The M4 iPad Air features an 8-core CPU and a 9-core GPU. The M4 is notably faster than prior Apple chips. For users that will mean snappier multitasking, quicker app launches, and smoother operation even under heavy load, compared to the previous generation. The M4 GPU is much improved on its predecessors, meaning even better graphics and rendering for games and creative apps. In addition, the 16-core Neural Engine in the M4 will benefit machine leaning tasks such as photo editing and enhancements and AI-driven features. The M4 is also designed to be more power-efficient than earlier chips, which should translate to better battery life. The 2025 iPad Air had 8GB of RAM, the minimum required to run Apple Intelligence. The new iPad Air has 12GB of RAM as standard, with memory bandwidth increases to 120GB/s, which will benefit AI processes. M4 iPad Air Performance: How much faster is the M4 iPad Air compared to the M3 iPad Air? The M4 delivers up to ~30% faster performance than the M3. Unified memory increased (12 GB vs typically 8 GB on the M3 model). Faster Neural Engine and GPU, enhancing graphics and AI tasks. Apple Apple’s claims “blazing performance” for the M4 iPad Air, but the M3 iPad Air was by no means slow. In our tests of the M4 chip we found it to be around 25-30 percent faster than the M3 and the GPU to be around 20% faster. In practice this should mean multitasking is smoother and graphics intensive apps should be more responsive, which will be good for gaming. M4 iPad Air Connectivity: How the N1 and C1X will benefit the iPad Air N1 wireless chip (Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6). C1X cellular modem in cellular models with faster data. 5G support and enhanced wireless performance. With the iPhone 17, Apple included a new Apple-made wireless networking chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Thread networking technology (used to control smart-home devices). This N1 chip is included in the iPad Air bringing support for Wi-Fi 7 and its higher peak speeds, lower latency, and quicker downloads and uploads. The N1 also adds support for Bluetooth 6, with benefits including more reliable connections in crowded locations, lower latency, and more efficient power use. Another benefit of the N1 is that AirDrop and Personal Hotspot reliability should also be improved. The iPhone Air’s C1X 5G modem is also being used in the cellular models of the iPad Air. The benefits there revolve around cellular connectivity, including: faster 5G performance, better power efficiency (Apple says it uses 30% less energy), and improved battery life. What is the same compared to the M3 iPad Air Same advanced cameras (12MP rear camera, 12MP Center Stage front camera). Same all-day battery life. Same support for Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard. Available in 11- and 13-inch sizes, multiple finishes, and storage options (128GB – 1TB). Same slim aluminium body, same color options: Space Gray, Blue, Purple and Starlight. Same 11-inch of 13-inch LCD Liquid Retina display. Base-level storage is the same at 128GB. The new iPad Air has the same design and screen options as previously. The same four colors are used as has been the case for the past two generations: Blue, Purple, Starlight, Space Gray. The iPad Air has used the same LED backlit Liquid Retina display for several generations, and this continues with the M4 update. Apple’s more expensive iPad Pro uses tandem OLED panels and there are rumors that OLED may be coming to other iPads, possibly the iPad mini first. The storage options are the same, starting at 128GB. The iPad Air has had the same two cameras since the M1: a 12MP front camera with Center Stage and a 12MP rear wide-angle camera. The hardware hasn’t changed unfortunately. Below you can read the rumors from before the launch. We are currently updating this and the other hubs relating to new product launches. 2026 iPad Air: What else is coming… Apple has scheduled “Special Experiences” for March 4 – inviting journalists to venues in New York, London and Shanghai for some sort of hands-on briefing, rather than a live-streamed event. There are a number of new products expected to launch during the week leading up to the event. So far the iPad Air and the iPhone 17e have launched. We also expect to see other iPads and we may see the M5 MacBook Air upgraded with the M5 chip and the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. There are also claims that Apple may be soon to launch a low-cost MacBook. See our March Event Live Blog for the latest news.

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Starlink announces V2 satellites: 5G speeds from space with 100x data density
SpaceX's Starlink has unveiled its next-generation V2 satellites for mobile service, promising to deliver true 5G speeds directly from orbit… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Here’s everything new Apple TV has coming in March
March will be a big month for Apple TV. Not only will the streamer air ongoing episodes of major series like Monarch and Shrinking, but it also has the kickoff of the Formula 1 season, a highly anticipated new psychological thriller series, the return of its longest-running sci-fi show, and a lot more. Here’s everything new coming to Apple TV in March. more…

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Apple either over- or under-invested in server hardware, depending on how you read this report
Years of under-investment in data centers may mean that Apple will increase its reliance on Google when the revamped Siri launches. Or it may not, it's hard to tell from the inconsistent report.The improved Siri will use Google servers to meet demandEven back in 2021, Apple was Google's largest corporate cloud customer , as the company preferred leasing data centers rather than build up its own network of servers. That's reportedly worked well, even now when Apple Intelligence requires more servers.According to The Information, what servers Apple does own are proving to be vastly underused. Citing unspecified former Apple employees, the report claims that on average, only 10% of Apple's Private Cloud Compute capacity is in use. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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The new iPad Air is basically the old iPad Air
Macworld Kicking off a week of product announcements, the new iPad Air has arrived, but if you go see it at the Apple Store, you’d be hard-pressed to know if Apple actually switched out the old models. They have the same dimensions, same colors, and same displays, have the same prices, and the same tagline on Apple’s website. What’s actually new is the CPU (M4 vs M3), modem (C1X), networking chip (N1), and RAM (12GB vs 8GB). Those are all fine upgrades, especially for the same prices, but if you own last year’s model or even 2024’s version, there’s probably no need to upgrade.  Apple’s press release highlights “blazing performance” and “game-changing iPadOS 26 features,” but it’s not like the iPad Air didn’t have that before. Quite frankly, an M1 iPad Air from 2022 will run iPadOS 26 perfectly fine. Not that any of this is a bad thing. Apple has absolutely won the tablet war, and its hardware has no competitor. And now that iPadOS 26 has finally upgraded the interface to be more like the Mac, there’s not much to criticize. But some new colors would have been nice. You can preorder the new iPad Air beginning Wednesday, March 4, at 9:15 a.m. ET. @macworld.com No competition #ipad ♬ original sound – Macworld – Macworld Apple iPad Air 11-inch (M4, 2026) Price When Reviewed: $599 Best Prices Today: $599 at Apple Apple iPad Air 13-inch (M4, 2026) Price When Reviewed: $799 (138GB) Best Prices Today: $799 at Apple

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4 key upgrades make new M4 iPad Air a beast
The new M4 iPad Air features a faster processor, more RAM, new Apple wireless chips and other enhancements to Apple's mid-range tablet. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iPhone 17e vs iPhone 17: What’s actually different?
Apple has just launched iPhone 17e, the latest member of the iPhone 17 family. Here’s what’s the same and different between iPhone 17e and iPhone 17. more…

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Apple’s iPhone 17e gets MagSafe and A19, but it’s not all good news
Macworld Apple today announced the iPhone 17e, a follow-up to last year’s iPhone 16e with a number of useful improvements, to kick off its ongoing “big week” of product announcements. As expected, the 17e has been upgraded to support Apple’s MagSafe charging technology, rectifying the 16e’s most painful shortcoming. This means that, provided you have a compatible charger, your phone will be securely held in the charging sweet spot by a ring of magnets. MagSafe would normally mean significantly faster wireless charging speeds too: the 16e is capped at 7.5W, whereas recent iPhones can wirelessly charge using MagSafe at up to 22W or even 25W. Unfortunately the iPhone 17e has not been given access to the full extent of MagSafe’s powers in this regard, and has a limit of 15W. That’s the same as MagSafe on the iPhones 12 through 15, and remains an improvement on the 16e, but is still disappointing. Here’s a summary of the various wireless charging speeds of recent iPhones, compiled helpfully by Macworld contributor and charging expert Simon Jary: iPhone 8-11: (Qi) 7.5W iPhone 12-15: (MagSafe and Qi2) 15W iPhone 16 series (except 16e): (MagSafe and Qi2.2) 22W iPhone 17 series (except 17e): (MagSafe and Qi2.2) 25W iPhone Air: (MagSafe and Qi2.2) 20W iPhone 16e: (Qi) 7.5W iPhone 17e: (MagSafe and Qi2) 15W It was also expected that the 17e would get a new processor, as this is a standard upgrade for almost every refresh of almost every Apple product. The iPhone 16e came with an A18 chip; the 17 has an A19, which, according to Apple, “delivers exceptional performance for everything users do.” Of course that depends on the user and their needs, and it’s important to point out that, just like last year, Apple has chosen to use “binned” units of the chip in order to save money. Binned chips have failed manufacturing tests in some minor way and don’t have the full complement of cores. Whereas the A19 in the iPhone 17 has a 5-core GPU, the 17e’s A19 has just a 4-core GPU, so performance won’t be quite as good. It’s unlikely to be all that noticeable for most people, however. Welcome upgrades Moving away from these predicted upgrades, Apple has thrown in a couple of bonus enhancements. One is twice the starting storage for the same price. The entry-level iPhone 16e cost $599 and came with 128GB of storage,. This year’s baseline 17e also costs $599 but comes with 256GB, essentially a $100 price cut. (Storage still tops out at a maximum of 512GB, so there are only two pricing tiers this year, rather than three.) Apple also says scratch resistance is 3x better than on the 16e thanks to Ceramic Shield 2 on the 6.1-inch, although that’s difficult to assess without in-depth testing. And although the cameras are still disappointingly few in number—one on the front and one on the back—the wording for the portrait mode has been updated from “Portrait mode with Depth Control” (the same as on the iPhone 12) to “Next-generation portraits with Focus and Depth Control” (same as on the iPhone 17). This appears to highlight the fact that you can change the focus point. Finally, the iPhone 17 gets a new color finish. Whereas the 16 came in a sadly limited choice of white or black, the 17e is also available in a delicate shade Apple calls Soft Pink. The iPhone 17e starts at $599 and takes the place of the 16e, which has been discontinued. It will become available to pre-order on Wednesday March 4 at 6:15 a.m. PT, and goes on sale on March 11.

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Your Wi-Fi router's guest network may not be as secure as you think
Researchers have found that the extra wireless network you set up for visitors may not isolate devices the way router makers advertise, potentially allowing attackers on the same network to intercept traffic.Asus RT-AX57 routerWi-Fi security researchers have found new vulnerabilities that let attackers on the same network intercept and mess with traffic. These issues exist even when WPA2 or WPA3 encryption and client isolation are turned on.The techniques, known as AirSnitch, were shared on February 25 at a security symposium in San Diego. Researchers from the University of California, Riverside, and KU Leuven presented their findings. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple debuts its 2026 spring accessory collection for iPhone and Apple Watch
The M4 iPad Air and new iPhone 17e aren’t the only Apple product announcements happening today. Apple also just refreshed its Apple Watch band and iPhone case lineup with a variety of spring colors. more…

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The iPhone 17e is a solid upgrade but looks dated on day one
As expected, Apple has today announced the new iPhone 17e with some worthwhile upgrades over its predecessor. The new model gets full support for MagSafe wireless charging and storage has been doubled to 256GB for the same price. There is, however, one very surprising thing about the upgrade … more…

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$599 M4 iPad Air is a lot like the old one, but with a substantial RAM boost
Unexpected RAM upgrade is the highlight of an otherwise straightforward refresh.

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An existing iPhone 16e case will still fit the iPhone 17e
Apple's new iPhone 17e has a few new tricks up its sleeve, but the exterior design remains familiar enough to raise a practical question about case compatibility.Left to right: iPhone 16e case, iPhone 17e caseWhen a new iPhone releases, the most common question we get asked has nothing to do with the tech specs. It's "will my old case fit."On Monday, Apple announced the iPhone 17e, the next generation of Apple Intelligence ready, budget friendlier phones. But we (and some of you) are curious: does the bump in specs also necessitate a whole new phone case? Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple introduces A19-powered iPhone 17e with MagSafe and double the starting storage at 256GB
Apple today announced iPhone 17e, a powerful and more affordable addition to the iPhone 17 lineup. At the heart of iPhone 17e is the latest… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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iPhone 17e doubles built-in storage, increases performance
The iPhone 17e includes improvements — including double the starting storage capacity — that make it a great value. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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There's not much in the new M4 iPad Air update other than speed
Apple has started its week of launches by debuting a new iPad Air, which is mostly just an upgrade to M4.Front of the iPad AirThis week will be a busy one for Apple as it brings out a bunch of new products ahead of the March 4 Apple Experience. Its opening salvo includes one of the lesser-speculated product line updates, with the introduction of a new iPad Air.Monday's update is not a massive one for Apple's mid-tier iPads. The headline change is the chip, with the M3 switched out for an M4, which was previously used on the iPad Pro before the fall 2025 upgrade to M5. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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There's not much in the new M4 iPad Air update other than speed
Apple has started its week of launches by debuting a new iPad Air, which is mostly just an upgrade to M4.Front of the iPad AirThis week will be a busy one for Apple as it brings out a bunch of new products ahead of the March 4 Apple Experience. Its opening salvo includes one of the lesser-speculated product line updates, with the introduction of a new iPad Air.Monday's update is not a massive one for Apple's mid-tier iPads. The headline change is the chip, with the M3 switched out for an M4, which was previously used on the iPad Pro before the fall 2025 upgrade to M5. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple's new iPhone 17e has an A19 chip, MagSafe, and 256GB of storage for $599
New just-the-basics phone replaces the year-old iPhone 16e at the same price.

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Some Apple AI servers are reportedly sitting unused on warehouse shelves, due to low Apple Intelligence usage
Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that Apple was looking to host the much-delayed new Siri models on Google servers, rather than Apple’s Private Cloud Compute. The Information is reporting a similar story this morning, saying that Google has been tasked with running Siri servers inside its data centers, while adhering to Apple’s privacy standards. The Information goes on to detail how Private Cloud Compute is not up to task. As well as being underpowered, it is also reportedly underutilized in its current state, with the company only using about 10% of its capacity on average, leading to some already-manufactured Apple servers to be sitting dormant on warehouse shelves. more…

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