New MacBook Airs and iPads, iOS 17.4, and More Expected Next Month

[MacRumors]

Now that Apple has launched its Vision Pro headset, we can shift our attention towards what is next on the company's agenda for the year.

As usual, March should be a busy time for Apple, as it is expected to release new MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and iPad Air models during the month. In a recent press release, Apple also confirmed that iOS 17.4 will be released in March.

Below, we recap what to expect from Apple next month.

New Macs and iPads

Apple will likely launch new MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and iPad Air models "around the end of March," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air are expected to be updated with the M3 chip simultaneously, with key benefits over the M2 chip including faster performance and hardware-accelerated ray tracing for improved graphics rendering in games.

No major design changes are expected for the MacBook Air this year, but the laptop will likely gain support for Wi-Fi 6E like other Macs.

Apple already updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip in October 2023.

The next iPad Pro models are widely expected to be the first iPads equipped with more vivid OLED displays. Other rumored or likely features for the iPad Pro include the M3 chip, MagSafe wireless charging, a redesigned Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and an aluminum top casing, and a landscape-oriented front camera.

A larger 12.9-inch iPad Air is expected alongside an updated 10.9-inch model. Other rumored or likely features for the iPad Air include the M2 chip, a redesigned rear camera bump, Wi-Fi 6E support, and Bluetooth 5.3.

iOS 17.4

In its press release announcing major App Store changes in the EU, Apple confirmed that iOS 17.4 will be released in March:

Developers can learn about these changes on the Apple Developer Support page and can begin testing new capabilities today in the iOS 17.4 beta. The new capabilities will become available to users in the 27 EU countries beginning in March 2024.

In addition to the changes in the EU, key new features in iOS 17.4 include Apple Podcasts transcripts, SharePlay for the HomePod, new emoji, and the ability to use the Apple Cash card on more websites by generating a virtual card number. The update also includes preparations for the launch of next-generation CarPlay later this year.

Other software updates expected to be released in March include iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, watchOS 10.4, tvOS 17.4, and visionOS 1.1.

New iPhone Color?

Apple often introduces new iPhone colors around March or April, midway through the smartphone's annual release cycle.

• March 2023: Apple made the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus available in Yellow.
• March 2022: Apple introduced a new Green color for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini, and a new Alpine Green color for the iPhone 13 Pro models.
• April 2021: Apple made the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini available in Purple.

Will the new color this year be (PRODUCT)RED?

Article Link: New MacBook Airs and iPads, iOS 17.4, and More Expected Next Month

 

[Stenik]

I want iPad mini

 

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

iPhone SE 3.

 

[azentropy]

Posted elsewhere, but my hunch is that they are going to release updated MBA's in an earlier press release and then have an iPad/iPhone event in March.

 

[CalMin]

Ooh-ooh- Shiny new, shiny new!

I'm interested in iPads since I am still rocking 2018 era iPad Pros. That said, I don't know what Apple could do to make me want more than my 2018 iPad Pro (1TB). It's still powerful enough for everything I do with it. It lives its life as a digital notebook (GoodNotes/Notability) a Podcast Editing Machine (Ferrite Pro) and a travel companion (YouTube, Netflix etc.). It's buttery smooth for all of those uses and M1/M2 weren't even slightly tempting as upgrades, so I'm not sure what M3 would offer either. Still - it might be time, so let's see!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Would love to give a loaded Air a try... but NOT at 3X-5X market rates for RAM & SSD storage. I'd already own M2 Air if not for the same...

And that's upgrades purchased in massive quantities vs. retail quantity one (and NOT cheapest retail options, but simply comparable options. Focus a little harder on price and $252 drops below $200).

I'm clinging to an aging Intel MBpro that is begging to be retired... but not at Apple RAM & SSD exploitive pricing. If they opt to BEND on that though (AKA throw a bone to customers vs. shareholders for a change), I'll be first in line. Else, the march towards buying a PC laptop as my next one continues gaining steam. I'd rather not, but not bad enough to farrrrrrrr overpay for RAM & SSD.

 

[vistokid]

My guess is the M3 MBA base will come with 12GB Ram (2X6).

 

[Junipr]

A surprise 11”or 12” MBA M3 would be an instant buy for both me and my wife, this form factor was the best!

 

[GMShadow]

I want iPad mini

I expect that in September or October. It'll have the A18.

My guess is the M3 MBA base will come with 12GB Ram (2X6).

The iMac stuck with 8GB, the Air will as well.

 

[spamabyss]

My guess is the M3 MBA base will come with 12GB Ram (2X6).

Not going to happen as long as the base m3 Macbook Pro comes with 8GB.

 

[erikkfi]

I'm getting rather desperate for a new iPad. Apple, let's get a move on already.

 

[jonnysods]

Releasing a new processor but not upgrading the entire line must surely slow down sales as people would hold off until the model they want is updated. I know a few people waiting for the M3 MBA.

 

[trip1ex]

i have to say the ipad on the face lets you turn down your house temps to 64 during winter.

 

[spamabyss]

I don't really care if the base models Macbooks keep their 8GB. As someone's written somewhere else before, it's an incentive to keep developing efficient software, as long as they are producing computers with 8GB of ram. But here in Germany the prices to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB are 230€ which is about 250$. That's beyond absurd and probably a 1000% markup on the price or about 10 times as much as the actual costs for 8GB DDR5 ram these days. That's just too greedy. It would still be greedy if it was 150€ but that I could live with. The 200$ in the US are already a lot but 250$ is just crazy.

 

[SegNerd]

Regardless of how you feel about sideloading, it is time to open the App Store up to web browsers with non-Safari rendering, worldwide. C’mon Apple, is this really such a big deal?

 

[wordsworth]

As for new MacBook Airs, if Apple were to update the current M1 Air while retaining the same form factor, I'd definitely have one.

 

[klasma]

iPhone mini 15, for sure.

 

[Wildsau]

Are we not expecting the Mini to be updated to M3 and M3 Pro?

Mostly unrelated but I was sort of waiting for these, waffling between waiting for the M3s, or just getting the M2 Pro or laying out the extra for a Studio. But due to sudden working at home needs, I just bought an M2 Pro Mini (16GB, 1 TB SSD) last week and it is ridiculously fast. I love it so much! Glad I didn't wait.

 

[Isengardtom]

Posted elsewhere, but my hunch is that they are going to release updated MBA's in an earlier press release and then have an iPad/iPhone event in March.

Could very well be.

2024 is definitely not going to be an exciting year for the Mac.

 

[k1121j]

Would love to give a loaded Air a try... but NOT at 3X-5X market rates for RAM & SSD storage. I'd already own M2 Air if not for the same.

Clinging to an aging Intel MBpro that is begging to be retired... but not at Apple RAM & SSD exploitive pricing. If they opt to BEND on that though (AKA throw a bone to customers vs. shareholders for a change), I'll be first in line. Else, the march towards buying a PC laptop as my next one continues gaining steam. I'd rather not, but not bad enough to farrrrrrrr overpay for RAM & SSD.

You and me 100%. Don’t worry when 16/512 is not enough it will be the new base model but not before.

 

[ThomasJL]

Apple often introduces new iPhone colors around March or April, midway through the smartphone's annual release cycle.

"Can't innovate anymore, my a**!"

How about introducing a new iPhone SE instead of using the same design from the six year old iPhone 8 (2017), which uses practically the same design as the 10 year old iPhone 6 (2013)?

 

[Antoniosmalakia]

As for new MacBook Airs, if Apple were to update the current M1 Air while retaining the same form factor, I'd definitely have one.

That's obviously the last product with that old design language? It must nearly be time for it to go and the new design fall to the $999 price point...

 

[b17777]

Time to retire my iPad 5th generation. Slow and doesn't hold a charge very long.

 

[nsklaus]

and don't forget:
- on ipad you can use the pencil, to puncture holes in your battery charge just by writing notes. also enjoying convoluted mess to copy your own data back and forth from your mac to ipad.
- on mac you can enjoy "gaming paradise" with broken controller support, broken steam, no vulkan, outdated and slow opengl and half cooked x86_64<->arm64 translation layer. there is also the marvellous macos desktop so full of restrictions you can't even change the color of theme, or even choose the font and font style you want to use. come now, come !

what are you waiting for ?
apple will also vow to not fixing bugs for years and years as they accumulate more and more..

as for me i'll wait in fear the army of thumbs down.. oh no please not the thumbs down.. please..

 

[turbineseaplane]

Regardless of how you feel about sidelining, it is time to open the App Store up to web browsers with non-Safari rendering, worldwide. C’mon Apple, is this really such a big deal?

Totally agree
I'm all Firefox now on macOS and Windows (so much better with extensions and cross platform syncing of everything)

Would really love "real" Firefox on iOS/iPadOS