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

Alongside the iPad Air with M4 and the iPhone 17e, Apple also launched its new “Spring Collection” of silicone iPhone cases and straps, as well as Apple Watch bands. I especially like this latest version, thanks to its bright colors, like the pink-orange Bright Guava silicone case that can be paired with a matching bracelet.

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

On the more premium side, 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 a few 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 price – how does it compare?

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

I feel like the sweet spot might be around the 11-inch version (256GB, Wi-Fi). It’s still significantly 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 for photo or video editing.

Sure, you don’t get the Pro’s glorious Ultra Retina XDR display or M5 chip, but it might just be enough for your needs. Wondering what other discounts are available on existing Apple technology? We’ve rounded up all the best deals right now on AirPods, iPad and MacBook.

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

Introducing the iPad Air with M4 – YouTube

Look on it

The new M4 iPad Air is here, but how exactly does it differ from its M3 predecessor?

The changes are minimal and this is largely an incremental update. But there are a few worth knowing about. Beyond this new M4 chip – which Apple claims will have a 30% performance improvement over the iPad Air M3 – there are also connectivity improvements and a 4GB increase in RAM (from 8GB to 12GB).

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

Fairly minor improvements overall, but not bad considering the Air M4 is the same price as before. I’ll confirm these 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 article below) and upgrades that include an A19 chip and proper MagSafe wireless charging speeds, this seems like a solid bet if you don’t want to splurge on the full iPhone 17.

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

These prices of the iPhone 17e

Let’s just confirm these iPhone 17e international prices: As you can see in the table below, they’re the same as the iPhone 16e, but this time the base storage starts at 256GB.

It’s a pretty tempting deal and compares favorably to the iPhone 17 (which is also in the table below). The main differences between the two are the cameras: the iPhone 17 has an 18 MP Center Stage front camera, which the 17e lacks, as well as two rear cameras instead of one (the 17e doesn’t have an ultra-wide lens).

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

Will we get a new basic iPad?

Apple has announced the new iPad Air M4, but there has been no news yet regarding a refresh of the base iPad. So, is it still coming?

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

I still feel like a 12th generation iPad is likely 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 will likely be part 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 on it

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

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 that ubiquitous, but I’m sure it will attract some fans who want a pop of color.

The iPhone 17e seems to be good value for money

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 goodies include full MagSafe support and the A19 chip (the same one found in the iPhone 17). The absence of Dynamic Island (the iPhone 17e retaining the old notch) could disappoint some, as could the 60 Hz screen.

But overall, I think this could be a popular choice at its starting price of $599 / £599 / AU$999 (256GB), with the 512GB version costing $799 / £799 / AU$1,399.

What’s new in the iPad Air M4?

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

But there are a few other additions besides the new chip. Connectivity is the big story, with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, Thread, and Apple’s N1 wireless networking chip all packed into the mid-range tablet.

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

Otherwise, it’s a pretty basic update to the M3 versions, which we called “even better than their predecessors” this time last year. That might just be the conclusion we come to here too, as the price of the iPad Air M4 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’s a relatively minor upgrade with the same price as the iPhone 16e.

The main highlight 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 has also improved 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 7.5W).

The core design of the iPhone 17e is unchanged, and thankfully so is 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 a dynamic island, as it was rumored to have…