Apple may kick off 2026 with new MacBook Pro, iPhone 17e, and iPads

Summary

Apple may delay new MacBook Pro and Air models until 2026 instead of 2025.
The iPhone 17e and new iPads are expected to launch in early 2026.
A new Mac external monitor might be released early next year as well.

September is just two months away, and that means we’re getting closer to the anticipated launch of Apple’s iPhone 17 series, including a new addition reportedly called the iPhone 17 Air.

While the iPhone 17 series is Apple’s next major product launch, attention is already shifting to what might come afterward. Typically, Apple releases new Mac models in the fall, but those might now be delayed until 2026.

This news comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who reports that sources familiar with Apple’s plans say the Cupertino-based company is considering postponing the release of new MacBook Pro and Air models until 2026. These devices were initially expected in 2025.

The last update to the MacBook Pro lineup was in November 2024, when Apple released a refreshed MacBook Pro with its M4 chipset. The next MacBook Pro is expected to feature an M5 chipset and maintain the same design introduced in 2021. The M5 MacBook Pro will reportedly be the last to feature the current design, with Apple planning to introduce “new cases and a move to OLED” afterward, possibly in 2027. The MacBook Air was refreshed earlier this year with the M4 chipset.

Operating System: macOS
CPU: M4 10-core CPU
GPU: M4 10-core GPU

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The iPhone 17e and new iPads are also expected in early 2026

A new external Mac display could also be coming soon

It’s not just new MacBooks possibly launching in the first half of next year. Gurman also reports that Apple plans to release a successor to the iPhone 16e, called the iPhone 17e, in early 2026. The iPhone 16e is a mid-range phone that was introduced in March with a $600 price tag, $200 cheaper than the iPhone 16. It features a notch design instead of Dynamic Island, and has a single rear camera compared to two.

The iPhone 17e is expected to “look similar to the 16e,” which suggests it might keep the notch design. It may be powered by Apple’s A19 chipset, anticipated to debut with the iPhone 17 this fall.

I hope the iPhone 17e gets more of an upgrade than currently expected. Other mid-range phones, like the Pixel 9a or the OnePlus 13R, offer more value than the iPhone 16e, and it would be great to see the 17e become more competitive.

Turning to iPads, Gurman reports that a new entry-level iPad is set to arrive in early 2026, alongside new iPad Air models. Since Apple last updated the base iPad and iPad Air in March, this would make sense. The upcoming refreshes are likely to be chipset upgrades, with the base iPad reportedly getting a “faster chip” (currently the A16), and the iPad Air receiving an upgrade to the M4 chip (currently the M3).

Regarding the iPad Pro, it is rumored to be refreshed this fall with the M5 chipset, not in 2026. The last iPad Pro refresh was in May 2024, so it will be overdue for an upgrade by the fall.

Finally, Gurman reports that Apple might release a new external monitor for Macs this fall. Since the Apple Studio Display was introduced in 2022 and no new monitor has followed, it would make sense for Apple to finally release a new one. My main complaint about the Studio Display, besides its starting price of $2,000, is the 60Hz refresh rate. Hopefully, Apple will offer its next Mac external display with a 144Hz refresh rate or higher, and it would be great if it featured an OLED panel instead of a Retina one as well.

While I’m excited to see everything Apple has planned for 2026, I think I’m most excited about the new iPads. In particular, I hope it gives the base iPad a nice upgrade. This year’s upgrade to the A16 was welcome, but something like the A17 Pro or A18, which supports Apple Intelligence, would be much better. Additionally, I hope the iPhone 17e gets more of an upgrade than currently expected. Other mid-range phones, like the Pixel 9a or the OnePlus 13R, offer more value than the iPhone 16e, and it would be great to see the 17e become more competitive.