Summary
- The refreshed iPad Air features Apple's M4 chip, its N1 wireless networking chip, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.
- Apple says that the M4 iPad Air is "up to 30 percent faster than iPad Air with M3."
- The iPhone 17e includes Apple's A19 chip, wireless MagSafe Qi2 charging up to 15W, and tougher Ceramic Shield 2.
Following weeks of rumors, Apple has officially revealed a refreshed version of its iPad Air equipped with an M4 chip, the same processor found in its 7th-generation iPad Pro, alongside its most recent MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, all of which were revealed last year. Additionally, the tech giant dropped the iPhone 17e, a refresh of its entry-level smartphone, which includes Apple's A19 chip and MagSafe Qi2-compatible charging.
Apple says the M4 iPad Air is "up to 30 percent faster than iPad Air with M3," according to a recent press release about the device. Other new features include Apple's N1 wireless networking chip, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread connectivity. The cellular version of the new iPad Air features Apple's C1X modem, which the company says "offers up to 50 percent faster cellular data performance," alongside using 30 percent less energy.
The iPad Air will be available for pre-order starting March 4th in-store and online at the Apple Store, with shipping starting March 11th. Pricing starts at $600 for the 11-inch Wi-Fi model with 128GB of storage, and goes up to $800 for the 1TB version. Colors include Space Grey, Blue, Purple, and Starlight.
The iPad Air has long been Apple's best iPad, and that trend continues with the M4 refresh. The iPad Air offers all the iPad Pro's most important features at a lower price, but ditches key features that won't matter to everyone, like a faster 120Hz OLED display, Face ID, and more RAM.
The iPhone 17e features minor upgrades over the 16e
MagSafe finally comes to Apple's entry-level smartphone
This year's key upgrades to the iPhone 17e include MagSafe Qi2 Compatibility, allowing up to 15W wireless charging, Apple's A19 chip, and more scratch-resistant Ceramic Shield 2. Other new features include the C1X chip, the next-generation version of the tech giant's in-house modem, which Apple says is now twice as fast.
While the base-level phone still features a single rear-facing camera, it's been upgraded to a 48-megapixel 2x telephoto lens. Apple's Portrait photography mode is also coming to the smartphone, allowing you to add depth-of-field to images after you shoot them. Other hardware features remain the same, including the smartphone's 6.1-inch OLED screen, Action Button, and familiar USB-C charging port.
The iPhone 17e is launching just a little over a year after the iPhone 16e. The iPhone 17e starts at $599 for the 256GB version — an upgrade over last year's $600 starting price for the 128GB model — and is available in Black, White, and Pink. The phone is available for pre-order starting March 4th, and releases on March 11th.
While I was impressed with the iPhone 16e last year, it lacked a higher-refresh-rate display, giving it a clear disadvantage compared to phones like the Pixel 9a and now the Pixel 10a, which feature a 120Hz display. Unfortunately, it looks like Apple once again hasn't brought a 120Hz screen to its base-level iPhone, though you could also argue this isn't a feature entry-level smartphone buyers care about Still, if you're an iPhone user that doesn't need the best of everything, the iPhone 17e is a decent deal.
