Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld details Apple’s anticipated Spring Event 2026, expected in March or April, covering potential product launches including iPhone 17e, M5 MacBook Air, and refreshed iPads.
- The guide explains multiple viewing options including Apple’s website, YouTube channel, TV app, and local Apple Store broadcasts, with events typically starting at 10 am PT.
- Key rumors include a value-oriented iPhone 17e, M4 iPad Air, A18 entry-level iPad, and a new HomePad smart home hub. Detailed instructions are provided below.
Expectations are high that Apple is planning a number of new product releases in the spring 2026 time frame, including the iPhone 17e and new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, but will the company hold a spring event, and if it does, when will Apple’s spring event take place?
Apple has held six spring events over the past decade, with notable gaps in 2017, 2020, 2023, and 2025; Apple may well have held an event in 2020 if it wasn’t for the pandemic.
So, Apple doesn’t always hold a spring event, but when it does, it usually takes place in March or April – with the exception of 2024, when Apple surprised us all by issuing invites to an event on May 7.
In this article, we explain what you need to know about Apple’s rumored spring event, including the expected timing, how to watch it, and what Apple might launch.
Will Apple hold a spring event in 2026?
Apple
- No event has been confirmed, despite a number of new products thought to be coming in the spring timeframe.
- Apple may not hold a dedicated event to launch them.
In recent years Apple has moved away from holding events to launch new products. It’s continued to hold a keynote to kick off WWDC in June and an event to celebrate the launch of a new iPhone in September, but the spring and late fall events have become less certain, but for not for any lack of product announcements.
For example, in 2025, Apple skipped the traditional spring event. Instead, the company opted for a series of event-free launches: the iPhone 16e debuted on February 19, followed by updated iPad and iPad Air models announced via press release on March 4. A day later, Apple introduced the M4 MacBook Air and Mac Studio in a separate announcement.
Will Apple once again roll out its spring products without an event, or will it return to a keynote-style presentation to maximise attention on new announcements? As we asked previously, is the era of the Apple event over? We hope not.
Apple’s spring event is one of the three or four big events in Apple’s yearly cycle of announcements. There’s the big iPhone/Mac software announcements at WWDC in the summer, the iPhone launch in September, sometimes we see Apple make Mac and iPad announcements in October or November, and (some years) we get some hardware reveals at a spring event in March or April. At these events Apple executives hit the stage–whether real or virtual–and boast about some recent successes, before revealing what new products are about to launch.
For more detail on Apple’s calendar of events, read When is the next Apple event?
When is the Spring Apple event 2026?
- Apple hasn’t announced an event… yet.
- Event could happen in early March, or even February.
Apple hasn’t announced an event yet, but if a spring event is to take place we can get an idea of when it will happen based on previous spring events, which tended to take place on a Tuesday or a Wednesday in March or April (see the list of dates at the bottom of this article).
Alternatively, we could anticipate the launch of the iPhone 17e coming a year after the iPhone 16e launched, which was February 19, 2025.
We can also get clues from and other events happening around that time. For example, Mobile World Congress (MWC) runs from March 2 – 5, 2026. Various major phones launched at MWC in 2025, including Samsung’s Galaxy A series (A26, A36, A56) featuring Galaxy AI. If Apple wants to steal the show with the iPhone 17e launch it could do it that week.
Apple may also want to get the new devices on sale before then end of the January to March financial quarter. If it misses that deadline it’s likely we will have to wait until later in April as Easter is April 5.
With all that in mind, the most likely Apple spring event dates are around:
- February 17 or 24.
- March 3, 10, 17, 24.
What will Apple launch in spring 2026?
There are plenty of rumors suggesting that new Apple products are in the pipeline.
iPhone update
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
There is said to be an iPhone 17e, an update to the iPhone 16e and a value-oriented alternative to the iPhone 17, coming this spring.
Read more here: iPhone 17e: Everything you need to know.
iPad updates
A refreshed iPad Air featuring the M4 chip is expected to launch early in the year.
A new entry-level iPad equipped with the A18 chip is also predicted for the spring lineup.
MacBook updates
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro updates are coming soon.
Foundry
While the entry-level M5 MacBook Pro launched in late 2025, the more powerful MacBook Pro M5 Pro and M5 Max configurations are expected to arrive in spring 2026. Read more here: MacBook Pro M5 Pro & Max release date – Where are the Pro MacBooks?
A new MacBook Air powered by the M5 chip is also slated to launch this spring. Read more here: M5 MacBook Air: Everything you need to know before it launches.
Home and AI
Apple is reportedly developing a smart home hub with a built-in screen, often referred to as the “HomePad”.
The spring of 2026 is expected to be a turning point for Apple’s software ecosystem, specifically regarding its voice assistant.
What time will Apple’s spring event start?
Apple’s events generally start at 10 am in local (California, PT) time, but in May 2024 the event started at 7am PT.
Here’s what that time translated to in various locations around the world:
- U.K.: 3 pm (BST)
- Central Europe: 4 pm (CEST)
- U.S.: 7 am (PT), 8 am (MT), 9 am (CT), 10 am (ET)
- Canada: 7 am (PT), 8 am (MT), 9 am (CT), 10 am (ET)
- India: 7.30 pm (IST)
- Singapore and China: 11 pm
- Japan: next day at 2 am (JST)
- Australia: 11 pm (AWST), 11.30 pm (ACST), midnight (AEST)
- New Zealand: next day at 2 am (NZST)
If Apple holds the event at the usual time of 10am PT the timing will be as follows (allow for daylight saving time changes, which happen at different times around the world).
- U.S.: at 10 am (PST/PDT), 11 am (MST/MDT), noon (CST/CDT), 1 pm (EST/EDT)
- Canada: as above, and 2 pm (AST/ADT)
- U.K.: at 6 pm (GMT/BST)
- Europe: at 7pm (CET/CEST), 8 pm (EET/EEST)
- India: at 10.30 pm (IST)
- Australia: Next day at 1 am (AWST/AWDT), 2.30 am (ACST/ACDT), 3 am (AEST/AEDT)
- New Zealand: Next day at 5 am (NZST/NZDT)
Apple events generally last between one and two hours.
How to watch Apple’s spring event
Apple
The best way to watch an Apple event – if there is one – would be to get an invite to attend in person, but most of us won’t be so lucky. Fortunately, Apple will also live stream the presentation so everyone can watch along.
The first place to try is right at the top of this article where we will have embedded Apple’s YouTube stream. You can also watch on Apple’s events page, which will have the live stream on the night. Indeed, the main Apple.com home page usually shows the presentation while it is happening.
If you’ve got an iPhone, an iPad, an Apple TV, or a Mac–assuming the device has sufficiently up-to-date software–you can watch the stream on the TV app. PC owners can also watch, but will need to visit Apple’s site as mentioned above.
After the event is finished, it will also be available to rewatch in the Podcasts and TV apps, and on Apple’s website.
Finally, Apple has for certain events in the past held broadcast events in Apple Stores, so it may be worth contacting your nearest outlet to see if they have anything planned.
More information about watching the event here: How to watch Apple’s event.
When were Apple’s past spring events held
Apple previously held a Spring event on the following dates:
- 2025: no event
- 2024: Tuesday May 7: (“Let Loose“): 11 & 14-inch iPad Pro M4, 11 & 14-inch iPad Air M2, Apple Pencil Pro
- 2023: no event
- 2022, Tuesday March 8: (“Peek Performance,” virtual): New iPhone SE, new iPad Air, Mac Studio and Studio Display, and new iPhone color options
- 2021, Tuesday April 20: (“Spring Loaded,” virtual): New iPad Pro and iMac, Apple TV 4K, AirTags, new iPhone color options and iOS 14.7
- 2020: no event
- 2019, Monday March 25: (“It’s show time“): Apple Card, and the News+, TV+, and Arcade subscription services
- 2018, Tuesday March 27: (“Let’s take a field trip“): New iPad and education announcements
- 2017: no event
- 2016, Monday March 21: (“Let us loop you in“): iPad Pro, iPhone SE, and software updates
- 2015, Monday March 9: (“Spring Forward“): Apple Watch, a new MacBook, and iOS 8.2
- 2014: no event
- 2013: no event
- 2012, Wednesday March 7: (“We have something you really have to see. And touch“): 3rd-gen Apple TV and 3rd-gen iPad
