Apple’s ‘big week’ promises a great deal of not very much

According to a tweet from Tim Cook posted on Thursday, this is going to be a “big week” of Apple announcements. And in the sense that it’ll bring the first round of new Apple products this year, it’ll certainly be newsworthy. But I suspect that it won’t be particularly big.

For one, it’s unlikely to last a full week. The last time the company made this sort of prediction was in late October 2024, when Greg Joswiak tweeted us to “Mac” our calendars for an “exciting week of announcements.” In the event (or lack of event), the week lasted precisely three days: M4 iMac on Monday, M4 Mac mini on Tuesday, and M4 MacBook Pro on Wednesday. Three days isn’t a week, it’s a long weekend.

On the plus side, we ought to get more variety this time. Instead of three Macs all running processors from the same chip family, we expect at least five new products across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac departments; we might even get some software. So if your definition of big refers solely to quantity, you’re in luck.

Most of us, however, are in search of that “Can’t innovate any more, my ass!” moment where the company unveils something genuinely groundbreaking. Novelty; risk; a substantive upgrade; the first of its kind. And in this respect, the half-week leading up to March 4 seems sure to disappoint.

The iPhone 17e will probably correct one of the 16e’s failings, its lack of MagSafe, while retaining all the other annoying compromises and its defiantly non-budget price tag. The new iPads will be straightforward chip refreshes with no design changes expected. And the M5 versions of the MacBook Air and Pro, assuming they make the cut and aren’t held back for later in the year, will be conservative, iterative updates.

Which leaves just one product, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, that “actually looks new.” And that’s the much-anticipated budget MacBook, all set to be the centerpiece of the week’s unveilings.

This machine’s tangible newness will be achieved thanks to a range of vibrant colors, perhaps including the yellow, green, and blue visible in the invitation artwork. This can only be a good thing: I’m the last person to dissuade Apple from more properly exploring the possibilities of the color wheel, and fun is important. But whether or not these cosmetic qualities will be enough to make it a good Mac, let alone an appealing purchase, is more uncertain.

It all comes down to Apple’s ability, or rather willingness, to properly cater to budget buyers. Cook evidently has zero interest in selling budget phones (though maybe he’s right, because Apple appears to have got out of the budget phone market at exactly the right time). Apple sells a reasonably affordable tablet, but there are plenty of cheaper options out there. And up till now, the idea of a cheap Mac has seemed implausible. What are the chances that the budget MacBook actually lives up to that name?

My prediction, as I discussed last week, is that Apple will price the machine somewhere between $699 and $799. Which is a friendly enough number, even if it hardly qualifies as the unmissable bargain I get the impression some Apple fans are hoping for.

Just remember that Apple doesn’t want you to buy the cheapest Mac in its portfolio. In other words, we can brace ourselves for a heavy campaign of upselling. Based on bitter experience with the iPhone 16e and various other budget-adjacent Apple products (why does the baseline iPad still not get a laminated screen?!), the company will boobytrap the new MacBook with small spec-list irritations in order to nudge buyers in an upward direction.

So no, I’m not expecting much from this week’s announcements, except in terms of sheer volume. And you don’t have to believe me; Apple has admitted as much itself. Not in the tweets and Hashmojis, which toe the PR line and herald excitement and innovation. But in the lack of an event. If Apple had something ground-breaking to announce, it would do so in a fancy keynote presentation, not a series of press releases.

Or at the very least it could give us a week that lasts five days.

Welcome to our weekly Apple Breakfast column, which includes all the Apple news you missed last week in a handy bite-sized roundup. We call it Apple Breakfast because we think it goes great with a Monday morning cup of coffee or tea, but it’s cool if you want to give it a read during lunch or dinner hours too.

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Podcast of the week

The Apple Experience event is this week, March 4. On the latest episode of the Macworld Podcast, we talk about what we expect: new MacBooks, new iPads, a new iPhone 17e, and a lot more.

You can catch every episode of the Macworld Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Soundcloud, the Podcasts app, or our own site.

Reviews corner

The rumor mill

Apple set to launch ‘at least five new products’ by March 4.

Apple’s low-cost MacBook may skip some features you won’t miss.

Apple’s touchscreen MacBook Pro might get its own Dynamic Island.

Code discoveries indicate that Apple is testing a Studio Display with high-end ports and speakers.

Video of the week

What do you think Apple will call the upcoming budget MacBook? We weigh up the options in our latest short video. Follow us on TikTok and Instagram!