Apple’s ‘Big Week’ Launches A Pair Of $599 Devices Aimed At Budget Buyers
NEW YORK : Apple CEO Tim Cook promised a “big week” of product announcements, unveiling new budget-friendly iPhone hardware, the entry-level MacBook tier, updated iPad Air models, refreshed monitors and high-end chipsets. All of this was on display at hands-on media events held in New York, London and Shanghai on Wednesday.
The tech giant recently saw its quarterly earnings rise to a new record thanks to strong sales of its iPhone 17 models; but the company still hasn’t fulfilled its 2024 promise to augment Siri assistance with artificial intelligence.
Perhaps looking to capitalize on this sales momentum, Apple started the week by announcing the iPhone 17e, the latest model in its more budget-friendly phone line, and the MacBook Neo, an entry-level laptop that represents the company’s most aggressive attempt to enter the affordable laptop market.
Everything announced will be available for pre-order starting Wednesday. So if you need more information before you start shopping, here’s the tip:
iPhone 17e Aimed at budget-conscious customers, this updated version of the iPhone will feature the A19 chip that powers the base iPhone 17 and offer twice as much standard storage (256GB) as the previous 16e model (128GB).
The camera has been updated to a 48-megapixel system, and the C1X modem promises faster cellular speeds.
As for the display, the 17e runs on a slightly smaller screen compared to the base 17 model, has a slightly lower refresh rate, and may be a little dimmer to the human eye, but you still get the super retina display used on the rest of the series and Apple’s Ceramic Shield 2 system to protect against scratches.
Apple also offers MagSafe with Qi2 support for those looking for a more convenient wireless charging experience.
Starting at $599, the iPhone 17e is $200 cheaper than the base iPhone 17. Colors include black, white and light pink.
iPad Air M4 The mid-range iPad refresh runs the slightly older M4 chip; For reference, the higher-end iPad Pro model uses the newer M5 chip. But it’s still powerful enough to handle your streaming habits, web browsing, email and video editing. Cellular versions of the Air also include the updated C1X modem for faster connections.
With what Apple announced this week, you wouldn’t think there was a RAM shortage in the world. The company increased the Air’s RAM from 8 GB to 12 GB without a price increase.
The 11-inch iPad Air starts at $599, while the 13-inch version starts at $799, each with 128GB of storage.
Chip and MacBook updates Apple’s high-end Pro laptop series have received newly announced chip upgrades (M5 Pro and M5 Max) that claim higher performance for heavy usage and battery efficiency. But new upgrades also come with a higher price tag.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chipset comes with 24 GB RAM and 1 TB storage. Its price is set at $2,199, an increase of $200 over the base 2024 M4 Pro. You have the option to upgrade to a higher M5 Pro level or upgrade to the M5 Max chip for an additional fee. You can also increase the system’s RAM up to 48 GB.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro currently comes with the highest-end M5 Pro chipset as standard and starts with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It is priced at $2,699, a $200 increase over the previous model. You have the option to upgrade to the M5 Max chipset and increase the RAM.
The screen has not changed in both models and the front camera has not changed either. However, Apple has upgraded its networking capabilities to support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
The all-new entry-level MacBook Neo was unveiled at an in-person event on Wednesday. This new 13-inch laptop comes with Apple’s A18 Pro chip (also found in the iPhone 16 Pro), 256GB of storage, two USB-C ports but only 8GB of RAM. The upgraded 512GB model includes a TouchID sensor.
With the Neo, it appears Apple is trying to gain a foothold in the budget laptop space, which is currently flooded with Google Chromebooks and affordable Microsoft Windows machines.
The 256 GB model is available for $599, and the upgraded model is available for $699. Students and other educators can pre-order both models for a $100 discount.
A refreshed MacBook Air was also announced. This more budget-friendly machine has been upgraded to the company’s base M5 chip. Base storage has also been doubled from 256GB to 512GB. It still has 16GB of RAM but now has the same connectivity upgrades as the Pro models.
Due to the updates, the 13-inch Air is priced at $1,099, which is $100 more than the M4 Air model. The 15-inch Air starts at $1,299.
Studio Display and Studio Display XDR monitors Apple’s big news this week was the announcement of two 5K display monitors, the 27-inch Studio Display and Studio Display XDR.
Both 27-inch monitors have 5,120 x 2,880 resolution, built-in 12 MP Center Stage cameras, six-speaker audio, two Thunderbolt 5 ports and two USB-C ports.
The new, more expensive XDR model goes a little further with mini-LED backlighting, better contrast and dimming zones, and an improved 120 Hz refresh rate (the standard version is limited to 60 Hz); This is an update that Apple gamers and HDR enthusiasts should be happy with.
The base Studio display costs $1,599, while the XDR model comes in at a whopping $3,299. Upgrade options are available for both monitors.
