Apple is planning an ambitious pipeline of new products for release during the first half of 2026, including a new low-end iPhone, multiple iPads and upgraded Macs.
The line-up — due by spring of next year — includes updates to Apple’s entry-level tablet and iPad Air, as well as an external Mac monitor, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The budget smartphone, dubbed the iPhone 17e, will be a follow-up to a US$599 model, the 16e, that Apple launched earlier this year.
The company is also working on upgraded MacBook Pros and Airs, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. Though those computers were originally slated for a 2025 release, Apple is considering pushing them back to 2026, they said.
The new products are part of a push to get back to more consistent revenue growth following this spring’s iPhone launch. After a pandemic-fuelled sales surge in the early part of the decade, Apple has suffered from spottier demand the past two years. A slower roll-out of new models — including iPads — contributed to the slump.
The flurry of early 2026 products is poised to follow the company’s typical spring upgrade cycle this year. That wave will include an all-new, slimmed-down iPhone 17, as well as redesigned Pro models. There will be new entry-level and high-end Apple Watches, upgraded iPad Pros and a faster version of the Vision Pro headset.
The upcoming entry-level iPads — codenamed J581 and J582 — and iPad Air models — codenamed J707, J708, J737 and J738 — will be released relatively quickly after the current editions went on sale last March.
Apple is aiming to launch the replacement for today’s $349, low-end iPad around March or April. The new model will look like the current version but include a faster chip. Today’s offering has an A16 processor that was first released in 2022.
New iPads
The new iPad Air models will be upgraded from the M3 chip to the M4 but otherwise have only limited changes. Though they’re further ahead in the development process, the devices are on track to launch around the same time as the new low-end models.
The iPad Air, the company’s mid-tier tablet offering, has been a strong seller for Apple since a 13-inch version debuted in 2024. The combination of an iPad Pro-sized screen and a relatively affordable $800 price tag has made it a hot seller.
The iPad Pro, which is slated to get the M5 chip as early as October as part of upgrades codenamed J817, J818, J820 and J821, currently starts at $999. It hasn’t been updated since May last year.
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The iPhone 17e will look similar to the 16e model but include the A19 processor to match this year’s iPhone 17 line. Today’s version has the A18 chip. The new device, codenamed V159, is on track for release early next year. The current model was introduced in February.
The quick transition from the 16e to 17e indicates Apple is moving to an annual update cadence for its entry-level iPhone, a shift from its prior strategy. The company’s preceding iPhone SE line was only updated twice after debuting in 2016.
The company had been planning to release new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros — codenamed J714 and J716 — later this year with M5 chips. But Apple is now internally targeting a launch early next year, meaning that the current MacBook Pro release cycle may last a little longer than usual.
The timing remains fluid, and Apple previously launched the M1, M3 and M4 MacBook Pros in either October or November. The lone exception during the era of in-house Apple chips was the M2 MacBook Pro, which debuted in January 2023.
When they do roll out, the M5 MacBook Pro line will be the last with the current design, which was introduced in 2021. The follow-up models will include new cases and a move to OLED, or organic light-emitting diode, screens. That’s the same, higher-contrast display technology that Apple adopted with the iPhone in 2017 and the iPad Pro in 2024.
New MacBook Airs — codenamed J813 and J815 — are also coming in the first half of next year. And the company is planning its first new Mac external monitor since debuting the Apple Studio Display in 2022. The new version, codenamed J427, is currently slated for early 2026 as well.
Besides updates to its main products, Apple continues to work on a smart home hub codenamed J490. Originally planned for March this year, the device was delayed indefinitely due to its reliance on new Siri voice assistant features that the company postponed. That device may now arrive in the first half of next year. — (c) 2025 Bloomberg LP
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