macOS 26.3 hints at Apple's rumored lower-cost MacBook, and two new Studio Display models, according to Macworld's Filipe Espósito.


Espósito found the following codenames within macOS 26.3's source code, and he revealed the upcoming products that they likely correspond with, based on previous reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and others.

The codenames:

• J700: Lower-cost MacBook


• J427: A new Studio Display


• J527: A new, higher-end Studio Display

This is far from the first time that these codenames have been spotted in Apple's software updates. According to MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, the codenames were also present in updates such as macOS 26.2 and iOS 18.5 last year.

As more and more hints stack up, it is clear that all three products are inching closer to release.

The prevailing assumption is that Apple will unveil the lower-cost MacBook as part of three days of new product announcements in the first week of March. The media would then receive hands-on time with the laptop during the "Apple Experience" in New York, London, and Shanghai on Wednesday, March 4 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time.

The new Studio Displays are expected to be released in the first half of 2026, but it is unclear if they will be part of the announcements in the first week of March.


The lower-cost MacBook is rumored to be powered by a version of the iPhone 16 Pro's A18 Pro chip, rather than an M-series chip. The laptop will apparently be available in a variety of bright colors, such as yellow, green, blue, and/or pink. Other rumored specs include a 12.9-inch display and 8GB of RAM. The starting price remains to be seen, with estimates ranging from $599 to $799 in the United States.

The lower-cost MacBook would be an all-new model positioned below the MacBook Air, and it would mark a revival of the "MacBook" brand (with no "Air" or "Pro" designation). Apple sold an Intel-based 12-inch "MacBook" from 2015 to 2019.

At least one of the new Studio Display models is rumored to feature a 27-inch screen with mini-LED backlighting, up to a 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and an A19 chip or A19 Pro chip. No major design changes are expected.

If the next Studio Display receives mini-LED backlighting and HDR support, its maximum brightness and contrast ratio would be higher than the current model. And a newer A19 or A19 Pro chip — up from the A13 Bionic currently — should contribute to performance improvements, camera-related enhancements, and more.

There are no details about the second Studio Display. Presumably, it would be a higher-end model, and we can only dream of a larger 32-inch screen size.

The current Studio Display launched in March 2022, alongside the first Mac Studio. It has a 27-inch screen without mini-LED backlighting, a 5K resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, up to 600 nits brightness, a built-in camera and speakers, one Thunderbolt 3 port, and three USB-C ports. In the U.S., pricing starts at $1,599.
This article, "Three Upcoming Apple Products Seemingly Spotted in macOS 26.3 Code" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Japanese blog Mac Otakara today shared some alleged details about the iPhone 17e and iPad 12, which are both expected to be released within the next few months.


In February 2025, Apple discontinued the iPhone SE and released a new entry-level iPhone 16e. The device features a 6.1-inch OLED display, an A18 chip, Apple Intelligence, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, an Action button, a USB-C port, and more. The iPhone 17e would be the follow-up, spec-bumped model.

According to the report, which cites "reliable sources," the iPhone 17e will have a similar overall design as the iPhone 16e. While some previous rumors indicated that the iPhone 17e would have a Dynamic Island, the report said this information is not true and that the device will continue to have a notch like the iPhone 16e.

The publication expects three key upgrades for the iPhone 17e:

• A19 chip: This one is no big surprise, but the iPhone 17e is expected to be powered by Apple's A19 chip, up from the A18 chip in the iPhone 16e. This upgrade will result in faster performance and power efficiency improvements.


• C1X modem: Apple says its second-generation C1X modem for 5G and LTE is up to twice as fast as its first-generation C1 modem in the iPhone 16e. Apple also says the C1X is the most power-efficient modem in an iPhone to date.


• N1 chip: Like the iPhone Air, the report said the iPhone 17e will be equipped with Apple's N1 chip for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread. In the iPhone Air, the N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and Apple says the chip improves the overall performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.

As for the iPad 12, the report said that device will likely have a similar design as the iPad 11, but with a newer A18 chip that supports Apple Intelligence. That means the iPad 12 would have 8GB of RAM, up from 6GB in the iPad 11.


A separate report from Macwelt, available in English on Macworld, cites a source who said that Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e with a press release on an unusual date: Thursday, February 19. The publication agreed that the iPhone 17e will not have a Dynamic Island, but they do expect the device to feature MagSafe, as previously rumored.

• MagSafe: Unlike the iPhone 16e, the iPhone 17e will reportedly feature MagSafe for up to 20W-25W magnetic wireless charging. The iPhone 16e is limited to Qi wireless charging at up to 7.5W speeds. You would also be able to magnetically attach accessories like Apple's MagSafe Wallet to the back of the iPhone 17e.

Macwelt added that the iPhone 17e will still have a single rear camera.

Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil new products on a Thursday, but anything is possible.

No other major changes have been rumored so far, so the iPhone 17e's overall design and other specs should be similar to the iPhone 16e. In the U.S., the iPhone 16e starts at $599, but there is no word yet on how much the iPhone 17e will cost.
This article, "iPhone 17e and iPad 12 Features and Release Date Rumors Surface in Two New Reports" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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