The M4 MacBook Air is tipped to show up before new iPads and the iPhone SE 4 in 2025

The M3 MacBook Air, launched in 2024 (Image credit: Apple)


  • New MacBook Airs could be next for Apple
  • After that it’s iPads and an iPhone in March
  • iPadOS 18.3 and iOS 18.3 are on the way too

Next year is lining up to be a pretty hectic one for Apple, with all kinds of new product unveilings being predicted by those in the know (including for the iPhone 17) – and we just got a little more information about when some of these launches are happening.

According to the usually reliable Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the M4 MacBook Air refresh is going to be the first big hardware launch from Apple in 2025. That fits in with the prediction he made back in October.

But how early will we see these sleek new laptops? Earlier than the iPad 11, the iPad Air 7, and the iPhone SE 4, apparently. Those products are expected “in the spring” in the US, which will be in the fall in the southern hemisphere.

Typically for Apple, that means around March time – so while we don’t have a fixed launch date for the M4 MacBook Airs, January or February look like good bets. These new models have already been leaked by Apple as well, so a launch appears to be imminent.

Another iPad 11 leak

The iPad 10, launched in 2022 (Image credit: Future)

In a separate leak, the team at MacRumors has discovered that the entry-level iPad 11 will come with iPadOS 18.3 preinstalled – that’s according to an unnamed source “with a proven track record for upcoming Apple software updates”.

The iPadOS 18.3 update (together with iOS 18.3) is said to be coming “in late January or early February”, which would give Apple time to get it set up on new iPads ready for an unveiling sometime in March.

A launch in spring (for the northern hemisphere) is again mentioned here, adding more weight to that particular claim. It’s not clear yet if Apple will hold a press event for the launch, or simply issue press releases with the news.

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If we’re getting a new iPad, a new iPad Air, and the iPhone SE 4, then that seems worth a full event, complete with a polished video showing Apple boss Tim Cook wandering around Apple Park in Cupertino – and we’ll let you know as soon as anything is official.

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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.