Apple’s big March event live as iPhone 17e and iPad Air M4 become official

In addition to the iPad Air with M4 and the iPhone 17e, Apple also introduced its new “Spring Collection” of silicone iPhone cases and crossbody straps, as well as Apple Watch bands. I especially like this newest release, thanks to the vibrant colors, like the pinkish-orange Bright Guava silicone case that can be paired with a matching strap.

You’ll find options for the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, and the new 17e in several shades, including Electric Lavender, Vanilla, and Anchor Blue.

At the more premium end, there’s a new Néo Tricot Hermès band, as well as new colors for the existing Toile H Double Jeu, En Mer, Scub’H Diving and Kilim Single Tour bands. You’ll also find some new shades for the Sport Band and Sport Loop that work with all major Apple Watch models, including the SE, Series 11, and Ultra 3.

iPad Air M4 prices: how does it compare?

Interested in purchasing the new iPad Air M4? I’ve put together all of their prices in the table below so you can see how all the models compare. It will be available for pre-order on March 4 and will be available starting March 11.

I feel like the sweet spot might be on the 11-inch version (256GB, Wi-Fi). It’s still substantially cheaper than the iPad Pro, whose equivalent 256GB 11-inch model costs $999 / £999 / AU$1,699. But you still get a powerful tablet with Apple Pencil Pro support and enough power to edit photos or videos.

Of course, you don’t get the Pro’s glorious Ultra Retina XDR display or M5 chip, but it might be enough of a tablet for your needs. Wondering what other discounts are available on existing Apple technology? We’ve rounded up the best deals right now on AirPods, iPads, and MacBooks.

iPad Air M4 vs iPad Air M3: what’s new?

Introducing the iPad Air with M4 – YouTube

Look

The new iPad Air M4 has landed, but how exactly is it different from its M3 predecessor?

The changes are small and this is largely an incremental update. But there are some that are worth knowing. Beyond that new M4 chip, which Apple says will have a 30% performance boost over the iPad Air M3, there are also some connectivity increases and an increase of 4GB of RAM (from 8GB to 12GB).

Those wireless improvements include W-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, which are enabled by Apple’s N1 networking chip. If you opt for cellular mode, you’ll also get the C1X modem, which is also found in the iPhone Air. This will apparently give you 50% faster mobile data performance than the iPad Air M3, while using 30% less modem power.

All in all, pretty minor updates, but not bad considering the Air M4 is the same price as before. I’ll confirm those prices and show you how they compare to other iPads shortly.

Will you buy the iPhone 17e?

So, will you buy the iPhone 17e? Based on the price (see post below) and upgrades including an A19 chip and decent MagSafe wireless charging speeds, it seems like a solid bet if you don’t want to splurge on the full iPhone 17.

But tell us in the poll below what you plan to do…

Those iPhone 17e prices

Let’s confirm those international prices of the iPhone 17e; As you can see in the table below, they are the same as the iPhone 16e, only this time the base storage starts at 256GB.

It’s a pretty tempting deal and compares favorably to the iPhone 17 (also found in the table below). The main differences between the two are the cameras: the iPhone 17 has an 18MP Center Stage front camera, which the 17e lacks, and also two rear cameras instead of one (the 17e is missing an ultra-wide-angle lens).

The 17e also doesn’t have the 120Hz ProMotion display of the iPhone 17. Personally, what I miss most is the ultra-wide camera, but is it worth $200/£200? I can see why many will opt for the simpler 17e.

Will we have a new base iPad?

Apple has announced the new iPad Air M4, but there has been no word yet on an update to the base iPad. So is it still coming?

The 11th generation iPad was announced almost exactly a year ago and rumor mills confidently predicted that a new version with an A18 chip would arrive this week. That would mean Apple’s base iPad could finally support Apple Intelligence, among other benefits.

I still feel like there will likely be a 12th-gen iPad this week, and we still have two days until Apple’s official March 4 event, so there’s still plenty of time for it to be announced. But with several new MacBooks also expected, it’s likely he’ll be a member of the supporting cast…

A new ‘Soft Pink’ color for the iPhone 17e

Meet the iPhone 17e: a powerful iPhone at a great price – YouTube

Look

Interestingly, the iPhone 16e only came in two colors (black or white), which seemed a bit bad considering the iPhone 17 has five colors (lavender, sage, mist blue, black and white).

Well, as you can see above, the iPhone 17e at least now comes in a slightly brighter soft pink. But will it be the new Cosmic Orange? Well, maybe not as ubiquitous, but I’m sure it will appeal to some fans who will want a pop of color.

iPhone 17e appears to be a decent value

On paper, the iPhone 17e looks like a very solid bet for upgraders. Base storage now starts at 256GB, which is good considering the phone’s price hasn’t changed.

Other advantages include full MagSafe support and the A19 chip (the same as the iPhone 17). The lack of Dynamic Island (with the iPhone 17e retaining the old notch) might disappoint some, as might the 60Hz display.

But overall, I think it could be a popular option at its starting price of $599 / £599 / AU$999 (256GB), and the 512GB version costs $799 / £799 / AU$1399.

What’s new in the iPad Air M4?

The obvious answer to that question is, of course, the new M4 chip. According to Apple, this makes the new tablet “up to 30 percent faster than the iPad Air with M3.”

But there are some other additions besides the new chip. Connectivity is the main story, with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread and Apple’s N1 wireless networking chip all included in the mid-range tablet.

If you opt for the cellular version of the tablet, you’ll also get Apple’s C1X modem; This one apparently offers 50% faster cellular performance with 30% less power consumption than the iPad Air M3.

Otherwise, this is a pretty basic upgrade from the M3 versions, which we called “even better value than their predecessors” this time last year. That could well be the conclusion we reach here too, as the iPad Air M4 price hasn’t changed, starting at $599 / £599 / AU$999 for the 11-inch (Wi-Fi) version or $799 / £799 / AU$1,299 for the 13-inch (Wi-Fi) model.

The iPhone 17e is here

The iPhone 17e has landed and, as expected, it is a relatively minor update with the same price as the iPhone 16e.

The main boost is its new A19 chip, which is the same one you’ll find in the iPhone 17 (although the iPhone 17 Pro, naturally, has the more powerful A19 Pro). Apple also updated the phone’s wireless charging, adding its own MagSafe standard, which is a step up from the iPhone 16’s Qi charging (which was limited to up to 7.5W).

The iPhone 17e’s core design hasn’t changed, and thankfully neither has the price: it starts at $599 / £599 / AU$999 for 256GB of storage, with pre-orders starting March 4 (or March 5 in Australia).

Perhaps the only surprise is that the iPhone 17e still doesn’t have Dynamic Island, which it was rumored to have…