167: Three New Budget Apple Devices Coming Soon

On this episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through Apple's plan to unveil three new entry-level devices early next year.

The iPhone 17e is expected to be a minor upgrade over this year's 16e, launching in early 2026. The main upgrade is likely to be the A19 chip from the iPhone 17, with few other changes expected. It is possible that the device could get the Dynamic Island and an ‌iPhone‌ 15-style design, but realistically that is likely to occur on a subsequent generation.

The 12th-generation iPad is finally due to support Apple Intelligence thanks to an upgrade to the A18 chip, arriving in the Spring.

The biggest launch in terms of entry-level devices next year is an all-new low-cost MacBook. It is rumored to be the first consumer Mac to feature an A-series chip designed for the ‌iPhone‌, adopting the A18 Pro from 2024's iPhone 16 Pro models. It is expected to feature a 13-inch display and come in the same silver, blue, pink, and yellow color options like the ‌iPad‌.

To meet its lower price point, the device is likely to make compromises such as using an older design or display components, 8GB of memory, or even just a single USB-C port, compared to the MacBook Air. The machine is expected to launch in early 2026 with a price point somewhere below the $999 ‌MacBook Air‌, but above the ‌iPad‌.

We discuss the importance of each of these new devices, who they are likely to appeal to, and how they're likely to launch

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