New MacBook Airs and iPads, iOS 17.4, and More Expected Next Month

Now that Apple has launched its Vision Pro headset, we can shift our attention towards what is next on the company's agenda for the year.

New Macs iPads iOS 17 4
As usual, March should be a busy time for Apple, as it is expected to release new MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and iPad Air models during the month. In a recent press release, Apple also confirmed that iOS 17.4 will be released in March.

Below, we recap what to expect from Apple next month.

New Macs and iPads

iPad Air 12
Apple will likely launch new MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and iPad Air models "around the end of March," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air are expected to be updated with the M3 chip simultaneously, with key benefits over the M2 chip including faster performance and hardware-accelerated ray tracing for improved graphics rendering in games.

No major design changes are expected for the MacBook Air this year, but the laptop will likely gain support for Wi-Fi 6E like other Macs.

Apple already updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 24-inch iMac with the M3 chip in October 2023.

The next iPad Pro models are widely expected to be the first iPads equipped with more vivid OLED displays. Other rumored or likely features for the iPad Pro include the M3 chip, MagSafe wireless charging, a redesigned Magic Keyboard with a larger trackpad and an aluminum top casing, and a landscape-oriented front camera.

A larger 12.9-inch iPad Air is expected alongside an updated 10.9-inch model. Other rumored or likely features for the iPad Air include the M2 chip, a redesigned rear camera bump, Wi-Fi 6E support, and Bluetooth 5.3.

iOS 17.4

iOS 17
In its press release announcing major App Store changes in the EU, Apple confirmed that iOS 17.4 will be released in March:

Developers can learn about these changes on the Apple Developer Support page and can begin testing new capabilities today in the iOS 17.4 beta. The new capabilities will become available to users in the 27 EU countries beginning in March 2024.

In addition to the changes in the EU, key new features in iOS 17.4 include Apple Podcasts transcripts, SharePlay for the HomePod, new emoji, and the ability to use the Apple Cash card on more websites by generating a virtual card number. The update also includes preparations for the launch of next-generation CarPlay later this year.

Other software updates expected to be released in March include iPadOS 17.4, macOS 14.4, watchOS 10.4, tvOS 17.4, and visionOS 1.1.

New iPhone Color?

iPhone 14 Yellow Feature 2
Apple often introduces new iPhone colors around March or April, midway through the smartphone's annual release cycle.

Will the new color this year be (PRODUCT)RED?

Related Roundups: iPad Air , iPad Pro, MacBook Air
Related Forums: iPad, MacBook Air

Popular Stories

iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tuesday April 1, 2025 10:34 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. With...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...

Top Rated Comments

Stenik Avatar
15 months ago
I want iPad mini
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
15 months ago
Would love to give a loaded Air a try... but NOT at 3X-5X market rates for RAM & SSD storage. I'd already own M2 Air if not for the same...



And that's upgrades purchased in massive quantities vs. retail quantity one (and NOT cheapest retail options, but simply comparable options. Focus a little harder on price and $252 drops below $200).

I'm clinging to an aging Intel MBpro that is begging to be retired... but not at Apple RAM & SSD exploitive pricing. If they opt to BEND on that though (AKA throw a bone to customers vs. shareholders for a change), I'll be first in line. Else, the march towards buying a PC laptop as my next one continues gaining steam. I'd rather not, but not bad enough to farrrrrrrr overpay for RAM & SSD.

Attachment Image
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spamabyss Avatar
15 months ago

My guess is the M3 MBA base will come with 12GB Ram (2X6).
Not going to happen as long as the base m3 Macbook Pro comes with 8GB.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Junipr Avatar
15 months ago
A surprise 11”or 12” MBA M3 would be an instant buy for both me and my wife, this form factor was the best!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CalMin Avatar
15 months ago
Ooh-ooh- Shiny new, shiny new!

I'm interested in iPads since I am still rocking 2018 era iPad Pros. That said, I don't know what Apple could do to make me want more than my 2018 iPad Pro (1TB). It's still powerful enough for everything I do with it. It lives its life as a digital notebook (GoodNotes/Notability) a Podcast Editing Machine (Ferrite Pro) and a travel companion (YouTube, Netflix etc.). It's buttery smooth for all of those uses and M1/M2 weren't even slightly tempting as upgrades, so I'm not sure what M3 would offer either. Still - it might be time, so let's see!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GMShadow Avatar
15 months ago

I want iPad mini
I expect that in September or October. It'll have the A18.


My guess is the M3 MBA base will come with 12GB Ram (2X6).
The iMac stuck with 8GB, the Air will as well.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)