Everything you need to know about Apple's 'big week' of product launches

The logo of Apple is illuminated at a store in the city centre. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

NEW YORK — NEW YORK — Apple CEO Tim Cook promised a “big week” of product announcements has seen the introduction of a new budget-friendly iPhone trim, an entry-level MacBook tier, updated iPad Air models, refreshed monitors and higher-end chipsets. All of which was on display at hands-on media events held Wednesday in New York, London and Shanghai.

The tech titan recently saw its quarterly earnings rise to a new record, thanks to strong sales of its iPhone 17 models, even though the company still hasn’t delivered on its 2024 promise to smarten up its Siri assistance with AI.

Perhaps looking to capitalize on this sales momentum, Apple started the week off announcing the latest model in its more budget-friendly phone lineup, the iPhone 17e, and the MacBook Neo, an entry-level laptop that represents the company’s most aggressive attempt at moving into the affordable laptop market.

Everything announced will be available for preorder starting Wednesday. So if you need more information before you start shopping, here’s the skinny:

iPhone 17e

This updated version of iPhone targeting budget-conscious shoppers will include the same A19 chip as the one powering the base iPhone 17 and offers double the standard storage space (256GB) as the previous 16e model (128GB).

The camera has been updated to a 48 megapixel system and its C1X modem promises faster cellular speeds.

As for display, the 17e clocks in with a slightly smaller screen compared with the base 17 model, has a slightly lower refresh rate and may be a little dimmer to the human eye, but you’re still getting the super retina display used in the rest of the lineup and Apple’s Ceramic Shield 2 system to guard against scratches.

Apple also put included MagSafe with Qi2 support for those looking for a more convenient wireless charging experience.

Starting at $599, the iPhone 17e comes in $200 cheaper than the base iPhone 17. Colors include black, white and light pink.

iPad Air M4

The midrange iPad refresh runs the slightly older M4 chip — for reference, the top-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.

You wouldn’t think there’s a RAM shortage in the world with what Apple has announced this week. The company bumped the Air’s RAM up from 8GB to 12GB 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 lineup of laptops received newly announced chip upgrades (the M5 Pro and M5 Max), which claim higher performance for intensive usage and battery efficiency. But the new upgrades come with a higher price tag too.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip set comes with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It’s priced at $2,199, a $200 increase compared with 2024 base M4 Pro. For an extra cost, you have the option to upgrade to a higher tier of the M5 Pro or jump to the M5 Max chip. You can also bump the system’s RAM up to 48GB.

The 16-inch MacBook Pro already comes standard with the highest tier M5 Pro chip set, and starts with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It’s priced at $2,699, a $200 increase from previous model. You do have the option to upgrade to the M5 Max chip set and bump up the RAM.

For both models, the display hasn’t changed, nor has the front-facing camera. But Apple has upgraded their networking capabilities to support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.

The brand new entry-level MacBook Neo made its debut at the in-person event on Wednesday. This new a 13-inch laptop comes packed 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 the 512GB model includes a TouchID sensor.

With the Neo, it’s apparent Apple is trying to gain a foothold in the budget laptop field, which is currently flooded with Google Chromebooks and economy Microsoft Windows machines.

The 256GB model is available for $599, while the upgraded model is available for $699. Students and other educators can preorder either model with 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 a 512GB. It still 16GB RAM but now sports the same connectivity upgrades as the Pro models.

Because of the updates, the price of the 13-inch Air is priced at $1,099, $100 more than the M4 Air model. The 15-inch Air starts at $1,299.

Studio Display and Studio Display XDR monitors

Apple’s deep cut for the week is the announcement of its two 5K display monitors, the 27-inch Studio Display and Studio Display XDR.

Both 27-inch monitors have 5,120 x 2,880 resolutions, embedded 12MP Center Stage cameras, six-speaker audio systems, two Thunderbolt 5 ports and two USB-C ports.

The new, and more expensive, XDR model goes a bit further with mini-LED backlighting, better contrasting and dimming zones, and an improved 120Hz refresh rate (the standard edition is capped at 60Hz) — an update Apple gamers and HDR lovers should be pleased by.

The base Studio display is priced at $1,599, while its XDR variant comes in at a whopping $3,299. Upgrade options are available for both monitors.

Shawn Chen, The Associated Press