Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from across the Apple world, including Apple’s big week of launches, the iPhone 17e’s power, iPhone 18 Pro battery specs, iPhone Fold display details, Mac Mini to USA, Apple’s 2026 report card, and letters to Steve Jobs.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.
Apple’s Big Week Of Launches
Writing on X (née Twitter), Apple CEO Tim Cook teased the upcoming Apple launch event on March 4th. This is not going to be a single day of products, but the culmination of three key products, each getting its own day in the sun. David Phelan reports:
“The fact that the first announcement will be on Monday confirms what several commentators, including me, have been saying: that there will be daily product reveals on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with the third one timed to coincide with the Apple “Special Experience” scheduled for 9 a.m. Eastern (6 a.m. Pacific) on Wednesday, March 4.”
iPhone 17e Turns On The Power
The key launch is going to be a mid-range iPhone, the presumptive iPhone 17e, and Apple is not compromising on performance. Google’s recently announced Pixel 10a retains the older Tensor chipset from the Pixel 9a, but the iPhone 17e is set to step up from the 16e and use the next-generation A19 chipset:
“By giving its budget model the A19, Apple is making the iPhone 17e future-proof for users who don’t upgrade very often. The power and efficiency of A19, combined with its Neural Engine for AI tasks, will make iPhone 17e stack up nicely against more expensive models.”
iPhone 18 Pro Battery Changes
Looking further ahead, Apple is expected to increase the iPhone 18 Pro’s battery capacity to 5,200 mAh, up from 4,352 mAh on the iPhone 17 Pro. There’s no indication yet that Apple is moving to a silicon-carbon battery. Reports from the supply chain suggest that it is down to a physically larger battery and that it will be paired with hardware efficiencies to increase battery life.
“…new leaks suggesting the iPhone 18 Pro series will combine a record-breaking 5,200 mAh battery 2-nanometer A20 Pro silicon and a custom-designed C2 modem. It could make for unprecedented battery life. And, whatever the changes, it looks like the die is now cast: a new report says the phone has entered production testing.”
Screen Details For The iPhone Fold
Apple’s plans to launch the iPhone Fold are pointing to a late 2026 launch, if the latest supply chain news is true. If Apple has placed production orders for the new folding screen technology that promises a “crease-free experience”, then the traditional September iPhone launch date is looking promising:
“The crease depth is said to have been controlled to under 0.15 mm. Crease depth refers to how deep the groove or indentation at the fold is. A smaller number means the crease is shallower and less noticeable to the eye and to the touch. The crease angle is said to be under 2.5 degrees. Crease angle describes how sharp the fold line appears when the display is unfolded, which is measured as the angle formed at the crease area.”
A US Mac Mini Plant
Apple has confirmed that it is bringing more manufacturing to the United States, with the Mac Mini set to be manufactured in Houston, contributing to inventory.
“Apple is deeply committed to the future of American manufacturing, and we’re proud to significantly expand our footprint in Houston with the production of Mac mini starting later this year,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We began shipping advanced AI servers from Houston ahead of schedule, and we’re excited to accelerate that work even further.”
Apple’s 2026 Report Card
Jason Snell has conducted his annual Apple survey across a wide range of writers, analysts, commentators, and podcasters in the space to gauge public opinion of Apple in the ecosystem. One of the biggest issues called out was macOS Taho, with John Gruber’s opinion highlighted
“Tahoe is the worst regression in the entire history of MacOS. There are many reasons to prefer MacOS to any of its competition, but the one that has been the most consistent since System 1 in 1984 is the superiority of its user interface. There is nothing about Tahoe’s new UI that is better than its predecessor…. Fundamental principles of computer-human interaction — principles that Apple itself forged over decades — have been completely ignored.”
And Finally…
This week, The Steve Jobs Archive published several letters from friends and colleagues of Steve Jobs on what would have been his 71st birthday. Tim Cook’s letter regarding Jobs’ recruiting him for Apple is particularly illuminating:
“I was warned that accepting a job there would come with risks. But when Steve spoke, any trepidation I harbored instantly dissolved. I had never met someone with so much passion and vision. He spoke with charisma and clarity—about a future where technology could unlock a wellspring of human creativity and potential, connecting us and uplifting us in ways even he had yet to imagine.”
Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.
