MacBook Neo and iPhone 17e: Everything Apple Announced This Week

SadaNews - This week, Apple witnessed a wave of technical announcements, unveiling a wide range of new devices including a new smartphone, laptops, tablets, in addition to professional displays and advanced processors.

The company began its series of announcements on Monday by revealing the iPhone 17e alongside the iPad Air M4, before announcing major updates to its laptops the following day, including the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air equipped with new processors.

Apple concluded its announcements on Wednesday by unveiling a low-cost computer named MacBook Neo.

Here are the highlights of what the company announced over the past three days.

iPhone 17e: A Budget Phone with Stronger Specifications

Apple introduced the new generation of budget phones with the iPhone 17e, priced starting at $599, set to be available in stores beginning March 11.

The phone operates on the same A19 processor used in the base model of the iPhone 17 series, with an initial storage capacity of 256 GB, which is double the capacity offered by the previous generation.

Among the notable additions are support for MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging technology with a capacity of up to 15 watts, while the phone retains a main camera with a resolution of 48 megapixels.

The phone also features the new C1X communication modem, which Apple claims is twice as fast as the previous generation, with 30% less power consumption compared to the modem used in the iPhone 16 Pro, enhancing battery life.

iPad Air with M4 Processor

The company also announced a new version of the iPad Air equipped with the Apple M4 processor, making it 30% faster compared to the previous generation.

The device is available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes, starting at $599, with improvements in AI capabilities thanks to a revised neural engine and 12 GB of unified memory.

The device features an eight-core CPU and nine-core GPU, making it suitable for gaming and photo editing.

MacBook Pro with M5 Pro and M5 Max Processors

Apple also revealed a new update for the MacBook Pro devices supported by Apple M5 Pro and Apple M5 Max processors.

These new processors focus on enhancing AI capabilities, enabling them to process AI tasks up to four times faster than the previous generation.

The devices come with storage capacities starting from 1 TB in the M5 Pro version and 2 TB in the M5 Max version, with a battery life of up to 24 hours and support for Thunderbolt 5 ports.

The price of the 14-inch version starts at $2199.

MacBook Air with M5 Processor

The MacBook Air also received a new update with the Apple M5 processor, featuring performance improvements especially in AI applications.

Battery life reaches 18 hours, and it features a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera for video calls, in addition to a sound system supporting Dolby Atmos.

The 13-inch version starts at $1099, while the 15-inch version starts at $1299.

MacBook Neo: A New Budget Computer

One of the biggest surprises of the week was Apple’s announcement of a low-cost computer named MacBook Neo, with a starting price of $599.

The device runs on the A18 Pro processor used in the iPhone 16 Pro, instead of the M series processors, making it targeted at students and users who do not need professional performance.

The device comes with a 13-inch display, battery life of up to 16 hours, a 1080p FaceTime camera, and support for Spatial Audio.

New Studio Displays

Apple also unveiled two new versions of its professional displays: the Studio Display and the Studio Display XDR.

The displays feature a 27-inch size with a 12-megapixel Center Stage camera and support for the Desk View feature, which simultaneously displays the user's face and the desktop.

The displays support a Thunderbolt 5 port with the ability to connect up to four displays together.

New M5 Processors

Apple also revealed its Apple M5 Pro and Apple M5 Max processors built on the new Fusion Architecture.

The processors include 18 CPU cores, with performance improvements of up to 30% in professional tasks.

The M5 Pro supports unified memory of up to 64 GB, while the M5 Max has a maximum of 128 GB.

Apple also announced new spring colors for a number of accessories such as iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands, along with new colors for the Crossbody Strap.