MacBook Neo to iPhone 17e: Everything Apple announced in India this week
Apple unveiled a series of new devices this week, including the iPhone 17e, upgraded MacBooks, and a new budget laptop called the MacBook Neo. The announcements reflect Apple’s push toward AI-ready hardware while offering more affordable options for students and everyday users.
Apple’s had a week full of announcements, unveiling a wide range of products in its ecosystem in just a few days. The company introduced new iPhones, refreshed iPads, several MacBook models, upgraded processors, new displays, and even updated accessories. The announcements ranged from high-performance laptops designed for professional workloads to surprisingly affordable MacBooks for students and everyday users. Together, these launches highlight Apple’s effort to expand both the power and reach of its devices across different price segments.
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iPhone 17E
Apple started the week with the introduction of the iPhone 17e, the latest addition to its more affordable iPhone lineup. The device is priced starting at $599 and is scheduled to go on sale starting March 11.
Despite being positioned as a low-cost iPhone, the phone runs on the A19 chip, which is the same processor used in the standard iPhone 17. Apple has also doubled the starting storage compared to the previous generation to 256GB.
The device now supports MagSafe with Qi2 wireless charging, allowing users to charge the phone wirelessly at speeds of up to 15W. Talking about the camera, the phone continues to use a 48-megapixel main camera, as seen in the previous model.
Apple has also introduced its new C1X cellular modem in the device. According to the company, this modem is twice as fast as the previous C1 modem and consumes about 30 percent less power than the modem used in the iPhone 16 Pro. Apple says this can help improve overall battery efficiency. The iPhone 17e will be available in black, white, and a new soft pink color.
ipad air
Apple also refreshed the iPad Air by equipping it with the M4 chip. The company says that the upgrade brings a significant increase in performance compared to the previous models.
Apple claims the new iPad Air is about 30 percent faster than the M3 version and more than twice as fast as the M1-powered iPad Air. Even with the new chip, the price remains unchanged. The 11-inch model starts at $599, while the larger 13-inch version costs $799. Education buyers can receive a $50 discount.
The tablet now has an 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU with 12GB of integrated memory, a considerable increase over the previous generation. Memory bandwidth has also been increased to 120GB/s, which Apple says helps the device handle AI-related tasks more efficiently.
The iPad Air will be available in blue, purple, starlight and space gray colors, with storage options ranging from 128 GB to 1 TB.
Macbook Pro
Apple also introduced new MacBook Pro models powered by its latest M5 Pro and M5 Max processors. These chips are designed to handle demanding tasks such as advanced creative workloads and artificial intelligence applications.
According to Apple, the new MacBook Pro models can process AI workloads up to four times faster than previous generations. The company also says the chips can handle signals for large language models four times faster and generate AI images eight times faster than systems powered by older M1 chips.
The updated MacBook Pro lineup starts at $2,199 for the 14-inch model with the M5 Pro chip. A 16-inch version with the same chip starts at $2,699. The 14-inch variant of the model, powered by the M5 Max chip, starts at $3,599 and the 16-inch model starts at $3,899.
Apple has also increased the base storage. The M5 Pro variants now start at 1TB of storage, while the M5 Max variants start at 2TB. The laptops support Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, feature a six-speaker audio system and can deliver up to 24 hours of battery life, according to Apple.
Macbook Air
The MacBook Air also gets a facelift, with Apple bringing the M5 chip to its thin and light laptop series.
Apple says the updated MacBook Air can deliver up to 18 hours of battery life. The laptop also gets upgrades designed to improve video call and multimedia experiences.
It has a 12-megapixel center stage camera, a three-microphone array, and speakers that support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos. For connectivity, the laptop includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, MagSafe charging, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,099, while the 15-inch model starts at $1,299. Apple has increased the initial storage to 512GB. The laptop will be available in Sky Blue, Midnight, Starlight and Silver finishes.
macbook neo
One of the more unexpected announcements was the MacBook Neo, Apple’s new entry-level laptop designed primarily for students and everyday users.
The device starts at $599 and is aimed at users who primarily need a laptop for basic tasks like browsing the Internet, working on documents, and streaming content.
The MacBook Neo runs on the A18 Pro chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 16 Pro series. The 13-inch laptop starts with 256GB of storage, while the $699 version offers 512GB and adds Touch ID.
Other features include a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, dual microphones, and speakers with spatial audio support. Apple says that the laptop can provide up to 16 hours of battery life. The MacBook Neo will be available in Silver, Blush, Citrus and Indigo colors.
Studio Display and Studio Display XDR
Apple also announced updated external displays for professionals. The standard Studio Display starts at $1,599, while the more advanced Studio Display XDR costs $3,299.
Both displays have a 12-megapixel center stage camera and support Desk View, a feature that can show a top-down view of the user and their desk during a video call.
The standard Studio display includes a 27-inch 5K Retina screen with more than 14 million pixels, 600 nits brightness, and support for P3 wide color.
The Studio Display XDR uses a mini-LED backlight with over 2,000 local dimming zones. It offers up to 1,000 nits of brightness for SDR content and 2,000 nits for HDR content with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio.
Both displays support Thunderbolt 5 connectivity and allow multiple monitors to be linked together in a chain.
M5 chip architecture
Apple also shared more details about the architecture behind its new processors. The M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are built using Apple’s Fusion architecture, which combines the CPU, GPU, neural engine, media engine, and integrated memory into a single system.
Both chips have an 18-core CPU configuration that includes six high-performance “super cores” and 12 performance cores. Apple says this setup can deliver up to 30 percent better performance in professional workloads.
The M5 Pro supports up to 64GB of integrated memory, while the M5 Max supports up to 128GB. Memory bandwidth can reach 614GB/s.
new supporting colors
Apple also introduced new color options for several accessories as part of its spring refresh.
The new iPhone case colors include Bright Guava, Vanilla and Electric Lavender. The Apple Watch band is also getting new shades like Bright Guava, Clementine, Soft Pink, Blue Mist and Cantaloupe. The crossbody strap accessory will also be available in bright guava and soft pink.
Overall, Apple’s announcements this week cover nearly every major category in its hardware lineup. From the entry-level MacBook Neo to the high-end MacBook Pro powered by M5 chips, the launch shows Apple focusing on faster performance, better AI capabilities, longer battery life, and more storage in its devices.