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Apple Breaks Tradition with Global March Fourth Experience Events

February 17, 2026

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Apple has invited media to simultaneous hands-on events in New York, London, and Shanghai on March fourth, departing from its usual Cupertino keynote format. The company is expected to unveil a colourful budget MacBook starting at six hundred and ninety nine dollars, the iPhone seventeen e, updated MacBook Pros with M five chips, and refreshed iPads.

Apple Goes Global with March Fourth Product Showcase

Apple has sent out invitations for what it calls a special Apple Experience, set to take place simultaneously in New York, London, and Shanghai on March fourth at nine AM Eastern Time. The move marks a significant departure from the company's traditional approach of hosting keynote presentations at its Cupertino headquarters.

The invitation features a stylised three-dimensional Apple logo composed of yellow, green, and blue discs, but offers no specifics about what will be shown. The use of the word experience rather than event strongly suggests hands-on demonstrations with live product interactions, rather than the pre-recorded video presentations Apple has favoured in recent years.

A Packed Product Pipeline

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple has an exceptionally busy twenty twenty six ahead, with numerous product launches expected in the coming weeks. The anticipated lineup includes the iPhone seventeen e, which may have already been announced via press release by the time the March event arrives. The budget-friendly iPhone is expected to feature an A nineteen chip, Dynamic Island, MagSafe support, and a starting price of five hundred and ninety nine dollars.

Perhaps the most intriguing product in the pipeline is Apple's first budget MacBook, codenamed J seven hundred. Powered by an A eighteen Pro chip borrowed from the iPhone sixteen Pro lineup, this laptop is expected to start at just six hundred and ninety nine dollars and come in a range of fun colours including light yellow, light green, blue, pink, silver, and dark grey. The device represents Apple's boldest move yet to compete with Chromebooks and entry-level Windows PCs.

iPad and Mac Refreshes

The event is also expected to bring updated MacBook Pro models featuring M five Pro and M five Max chips, a new MacBook Air with the M five chip, an eighth-generation iPad Air with the M four chip, and a twelfth-generation base iPad equipped with an A eighteen chip that would bring Apple Intelligence to the entry-level tablet for the first time. Additional products such as an updated Apple TV, HomePod mini, and a long-awaited Studio Display refresh with Mini LED backlighting are also rumoured.

Strategic Timing

The March fourth date coincides with Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, potentially drawing attention away from the mobile industry's premier trade show. Apple's decision to host simultaneous events across three continents signals a new era in how the company launches products, following a smaller creator-focused event held in Los Angeles in January.

Published February 17, 2026 at 12:07pm

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