Apple kicked off the first week of March 2026 with a major hardware push, a shiftfrom centralised keynote events toward a multi-day rollout of product announcements. This “Big Week” started on Monday, March 2, 2026, through coordinated press releases and product videos on the Apple Newsroom.
The physical events will take place at the “Apple Experience” sessions on March 4, 2026, across three cities: New York, London, and Shanghai, starting at 9 a.m. ET (3 p.m. WAT). These are invite-only, in-person sessions giving local media a hands-on look at the hardware.
The central theme for this week is “Accessible Intelligence.” Apple is bringing features previously locked behind Pro pricing into its more affordable lineup. The iPhone 17e gets the A19 chip, and the new iPad Air runs on the M4 processor, meaning the full suite of Apple Intelligence features now works across the entire 2026 product line.
For buyers in Nigeria and across Africa, where the “e” series and Air models make up a significant part of the premium market, these updates are a meaningful step forward without requiring the price tag of a Pro Max or Ultra device.
Image source: @theapplehub on X
A19 chip (3nm), 6-core CPU (4 performance + 2 efficiency cores)
Up to 2x faster than iPhone 11
4-core GPU with hardware-accelerated ray tracing and console-level gaming support
16-core Neural Engine redesigned for large generative AI models
Apple-designed C1X modem, up to 2x faster than the C1 in iPhone 16e
30% more energy-efficient than previous modems
26-hour battery life for video playback
Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, USB-C
6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED (60Hz)
Ceramic Shield 2 front cover, 3x better scratch resistance than previous gen
Anti-reflective coating, peak HDR brightness up to 1,200 nits
48MP Fusion rear camera with 2x optical-quality Telephoto
12MP TrueDepth front camera with Face ID, 4K Dolby Vision
Starts at 256GB (512GB option available)
MagSafe (15W) and Qi2 support, first time in an “e” model
Ceramic Shield 2 and an IP68 rating make it the most durable “e” model yet
Storage doubles from the previous gen at the same starting price, addressing a common pain point with high-resolution photos and 4K video
MagSafe inclusion opens access to a wide ecosystem of magnetic accessories, including wallets, car mounts, and fast wireless chargers
Action button now available on the “e” model for the first time, customizable for flashlight, camera, or Visual Intelligence
New matte finish in soft pink, black, and white
Same 6.1-inch form factor, but with a new matte finish that resists fingerprints
Still uses a notch for TrueDepth camera and Face ID (no Dynamic Island)
IP68 water and dust resistance retained
An action button was added, which was previously exclusive to Pro and standard iPhone 17 models
New colour added: soft pink, alongside black and white
256GB: $599 globally
512GB: $799 globally
Nigeria pricing for the iPhone 16e ranged from ₦1,200,000 to ₦1,400,000 at launch (2025)
With double the base storage and the current exchange rate of approximately ₦1,370.89 per $1, the iPhone 17e is expected to retail between ₦1,500,000 and ₦1,700,000 at authorised resellers like iStore and iConnect.
Pre-orders open globally on Wednesday, March 4, at 6:15 a.m. PT (2:15 p.m. WAT)
In-store availability and shipping begin Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Image source: @theapplehub on X
M4 chip with 8-core CPU and 9-core GPU
Multi-core performance up to 30% faster than the M3 model and up to 2.3x faster than the M1
GPU supports second-generation hardware-accelerated mesh shading and ray tracing, with 3D rendering over 4x faster than M1
16-core Neural Engine, 3x faster than M1, for near-instant AI features like Image Wand and Clean Up
12GB unified memory, up 50% from the previous generation
120GB/s memory bandwidth
Storage options: 128GB up to 1TB
Apple N1 chip enabling Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support
Cellular variants use the C1X modem, up to 50% faster cellular data than the previous model, and 30% more energy-efficient
Available in Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular configurations
Liquid Retina IPS LCD, 500 nits brightness, P3 wide colour, True Tone
Available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes
60Hz refresh rate (no ProMotion)
12MP front-facing camera with Centre Stage, now repositioned to the landscape edge for more natural eye contact during video calls
Positioned as an “AI powerhouse” with full Apple Intelligence support out of the box
12GB RAM removes the bottleneck for running large AI models and creative apps like Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro
N1 chip brings Wi-Fi 7 for significantly faster and more reliable wireless speeds
C1X modem on cellular models is ideal for professionals in Lagos and Abuja relying on 5G for mobile work
Landscape camera placement improves the video call experience when using a keyboard
Jumped directly from M2 chip to M4 chip, skipping the M3 entirely in this product line
RAM increased from 8GB to 12GB
Front camera moved to the landscape edge (both 11-inch and 13-inch models)
N1 networking chip added, replacing the previous Wi-Fi solution
Maintains the same thin and light design with no exterior changes
Fully compatible with Apple Pencil Pro: supports squeeze for tool palette, barrel roll for precise brush control, and haptic feedback
Also supports the more affordable Apple Pencil (USB-C)
Compatible with the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air, which includes backlit keys, a 14-key function row, a large Multi-Touch trackpad, and connects via Smart Connector (no Bluetooth pairing or separate charging needed)
Magic Keyboard available in black and white to match the four iPad Air colour options: Space Gray, Blue, Purple, and Starlight
11-inch Wi-Fi: $599 | 11-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular: $749
13-inch Wi-Fi: $799 | 13-inch Wi-Fi + Cellular: $949
Education pricing: $549 (11-inch) and $749 (13-inch)
Current M2 and M3 models retail between ₦1,200,000 and ₦1,900,000, depending on size and connectivity
iPad Air M4 (11-inch Wi-Fi) expected to start at ₦1,550,000
iPad Air M4 (13-inch Cellular) expected to retail upwards of ₦2,200,000
Pre-orders open globally on Wednesday, March 4, 2026
In-store availability and shipping begin Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Image source: @theapplehub on X
Beyond the iPhone 17e and iPad Air M4, Apple’s Big Week includes a steady stream of additional product announcements. Here they are, ranked by relevance to the everyday buyer.
Powered by an A18 Pro chip (same as iPhone 16 Pro), comparable in multi-core performance to the M1
12.9-inch LCD display in a durable aluminium chassis
Ships with at least 8GB RAM for Apple Intelligence support (some reports suggest 16GB)
Available in fun colours: yellow, green, blue, and pink
Notable tradeoffs to hit its price target: no backlit keyboard, lower display brightness (below 500 nits), no True Tone, single-NAND SSD (slower speeds), no N1 chip (uses MediaTek Wi-Fi solution instead)
Global price expected between $599 and $699, with a potential $100 education discount
Nigeria estimated price: ₦1,450,000 to ₦1,650,000 at authorised resellers
Availability: late March 2026, following hands-on debut at Apple Experience events
Available in 14-inch and 16-inch models, with an unchanged exterior design from the M4 generation
M5 family built on TSMC’s third-generation 3nm process (N3P), delivering 15 to 25% performance increase over M4 Pro and Max
Every GPU core now includes a dedicated Neural Accelerator for GPU-intensive AI tasks like high-resolution image generation and local ML model training
M5 Max supports up to 128GB unified memory with nearly 546GB/s bandwidth
N1 networking chip included, bringing Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread support to Apple’s pro laptops for the first time
Possible option to configure CPU and GPU core counts independently, a first for any Mac
Retains Liquid Retina XDR Mini-LED display; OLED touchscreen expected in M6 generation
Global prices: $1,999 (14-inch base) and $2,499 (16-inch base)
Nigeria estimated prices: ₦3,800,000 (14-inch base) up to ₦8,000,000+ for a fully-loaded M5 Max 16-inch
Pre-orders March 4; availability March 11, 2026
Available in two variants: a 27-inch 5K LCD and a premium 27-inch Mini-LED model (with a potential 32-inch option)
Mini-LED variant supports true HDR with 2,000+ local dimming zones and sustained brightness of 1,000+ nits
Upgrades from 60Hz to ProMotion (up to 120Hz, with some reports suggesting 90Hz for the base model)
Powered internally by an A19 or A19 Pro chip, replacing the ageing A13 Bionic
Enhanced webcam processing, six-speaker Spatial Audio system, and AI-driven sound and image optimisation
Thunderbolt 5 for enough bandwidth to drive 5K at 120Hz alongside other peripherals
Standard model expected at $1,599; Mini-LED and larger variants priced between $1,999 and $2,499
Nigeria estimated starting price: ₦3,200,000
Expected to ship in the first half of 2026
Moves from the A16 chip to the A18, the same processor found in the standard iPhone 17
Now ships with 8GB RAM, the baseline requirement for Apple Intelligence
Base storage increased from 64GB to 128GB
Retains a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina panel with Touch ID, and supports Apple Pencil (USB-C)
Gives students and budget-conscious buyers access to Writing Tools, advanced Siri, and Stage Manager 2
Battery life remains 10 to 12 hours of active use
Global price expected to remain at $349
Nigeria estimated price: ₦750,000 to ₦900,000
Availability: mid-March 2026
Nigeria’s prices are estimates based on an exchange rate of ₦1,370.89 per $1, plus local import duties, VAT, and retailer margins typical in the Nigerian market.
