183: What's Coming at the March 4th 'Apple Experience'?

Earlier this week, Apple today a "special Apple Experience" for the media in New York, London, and Shanghai, taking place on March 4, 2026 at 9:00am ET. It is notable that Apple is specifically using the word "experience," rather than "event." Unlike a full live-streamed event from Apple Park, the March 4 event in other cities is likely to be smaller in scale. The launch of several new Apple products is believed to be imminent. We're most likely to see the announcement of the iPhone 17e, a spec-bumped successor to the iPhone 16e, with rumored upgrades including an A19 chip, MagSafe, and Apple's C1X and N1 wireless chips. The device will apparently have a notch despite earlier rumors mentioning a Dynamic Island, and pricing will continue to start at $599 in the United States. The all-new low-cost MacBook is likely to arrive, featuring the A18 Pro chip, a 12.9-inch display, and a selection of fun color options. The MacBook Pro is also expected to receive the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and PCIe 5.0 support for faster SSD speeds. Additionally, the iPad Air is due a bump up to the M4 chip, while the entry-level iPad is expected to get the A18 chip with Apple Intelligence support. A refreshed MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display are also possibilities, along with a new Apple TV and HomePod mini. The event could could include a demo of immersive Formula 1 content on the Apple Vision Pro, too. We also discuss iOS 26.4, which is now available in beta. The update includes a new Playlist Playground feature that lets users create a playlist with a text-based prompt, refinements to Apple Music's design, videos in Apple Podcasts, end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for ‌RCS‌ messages, and more. Ready to tackle bigger problems? Get started with Claude today at — https://www.Claude.ai/mac