On March 16, Apple launched the MacBook Neo at $599, its cheapest laptop to date, along with the iPhone 17e at the same price. This move is seen as a price war aimed at pressuring rivals in the hardware sector. Apple's sales in China surged by 23% in the first nine weeks of this year, despite a 4% downturn in the Chinese smartphone market. There is also strong consumer interest in a potential major form-factor change for Apple. On March 27, Apple announced plans to end its exclusive partnership with ChatGPT and will open Siri to rival AI assistants in iOS 27.
