Tim Cook teases 'a big week ahead' and it might just be the arrival of the low-cost Mac Book | Tech Radar

Overview

Tim Cook teases 'a big week ahead' and it might just be the arrival of the low-cost Mac Book

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Details

Apple's already confirmed an experience happening on March 4

Cook notes that the news will start on Monday, March 2

Ahead of Apple’s confirmed March 4, 2026 experience – which invited media, creators, and guests, including Tech Radar – CEO Tim Cook is teasing “a big week ahead.”

That’s quite the tease, and Cook goes further in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “It all starts Monday morning!” This suggests we may see several days of announcements leading up to the March 4 experience rather than a single event. That will likely be where Apple showcases the full new lineup, rumored to include new i Pads, a follow-up to the i Phone 16e, and several new Macs.

The latter is expected to take center stage, potentially headlined by the long-rumored low-cost Mac Book, and the attached video teaser Cook shared certainly seems to support that theory. Here’s the full post from Tim Cook on X.

Apple’s rumored $699 Mac Book sounds like a 2017 Mac Book Air with an i Phone chip

We have more rumored details of the cheaper Apple Mac Book Air

A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #Apple Launch pic.twitter.com/PQ9g M2 Gl 2r February 26, 2026

A big week ahead. It all starts Monday morning! #Apple Launch pic.twitter.com/PQ9g M2 Gl 2r February 26, 2026

This isn't the first time Cook has teased products and news on X either. In 2025, he teased both the arrival of the i Phone 16e and new i Pads and Mac Books by saying something was in the “Air.”

This time around, rumors of a new entry-level i Pad and i Pad Air, a successor to the i Phone 16e, and several new Macs have been circling. The attached video shows a hand playing with a shape to form an Apple logo in the same silver color that many Apple products come in, including Macs.

I mean, it's hard not to see the surface as the rear of a top lid on a Mac Book Air or Pro, as well as the top of a Mac mini or Mac Studio. Though one could also say the hand playing around with the logo elements to make the final shape is hinting at gestures, I don't think that's the focus here ... at least not yet.

Leading the rumor pack is the purported arrival of the low-cost Mac Book. This long-rumored device would represent a new entry-level option in the all-in-one, portable Mac family, and at a significantly lower price point. It's likely to arrive at $699 with a similar form, hopefully paired with a much more colorful build, and rather than an M-series processor, it'll use an A-series chip that can still run mac OS, and likely pretty well.

Adding to the rumored fun color options for this low-cost Mac Book is the fact that the press invites for the March 4, 2026, event featured Apple logos in several colors – yellow, blue, and light green. Beyond a low-cost Mac Book, it's likely that Apple will use next week to roll out the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips into the 14-inch and 16-inch Mac Book Pros.

For the i Pad, we're expecting a pretty similar update to what the entry-level i Pad and the i Pad Air received in early 2025. That would be a processor upgrade for both: the i Pad Air would get the M4 chip – offering even more performance in a great build – and the new base i Pad, which would be the 12th gen, would get an A18 chip. That would speed things up from the A16 chip and also enable Apple Intelligence support.

Lastly, we're pretty confident based on reports and rumors – and timing – that the i Phone 17e will arrive next week. This mid-range i Phone would succeed the i Phone 16e and likely keep the same overall build, but speed things up with the A19 processor. That same chip powers the i Phone 17 and should offer a fast experience, even if it's a slightly less powerful variant – think losing a core or two.

Of course, there's always a chance we could see something else unveiled, and Tim Cook is teasing that it'll be a big week. Might that mean we see a next-generation Studio Display? Or potentially upgrades to the Mac Book Air, Mac mini, or Mac Studio? Time will certainly tell, and we only have a few days until Monday, March 2, 2026, when Tech Radar will report on it all, along with our expert analysis. Let us know in the comments below what you're most excited to see.

Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course, you can also follow Tech Radar on You Tube and Tik Tok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on Whats App too.

Jacob Krol is the US Managing Editor, News for Tech Radar. He’s been writing about technology since he was 14 when he started his own tech blog. Since then Jacob has worked for a plethora of publications including CNN Underscored, The Street, Parade, Men’s Journal, Mashable, CNET, and CNBC among others.

He specializes in covering companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google and going hands-on with mobile devices, smart home gadgets, TVs, and wearables. In his spare time, you can find Jacob listening to Bruce Springsteen, building a Lego set, or binge-watching the latest from Disney, Marvel, or Star Wars.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

1 Walmart celebrates Pokémon’s 30th Anniversary with exclusive offers — here are 12 must-haves starting at $14.99

2 Hackers are harnessing AI to exploit security flaws faster than ever

3 After a few weeks with the HP Omni Book 7 Aero, I was impressed by its performance and portability

4 Wish GTA 6 was free, anime, and actually coming out soon? PS5 exclusive Neverness to Everness could be your next open-world obsession

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• Tim Cook teases 'a big week ahead' and it might just be the arrival of the low-cost Mac Book

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• Apple's already confirmed an experience happening on March 4

• Cook notes that the news will start on Monday, March 2

• Ahead of Apple’s confirmed March 4, 2026 experience – which invited media, creators, and guests, including Tech Radar – CEO Tim Cook is teasing “a big week ahead