Apple is gearing up for its first major product reveal of 2026 with a “Special Experience” event scheduled for March 4 in New York, London and Shanghai, where the company is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 17e — the successor to last year’s budget-friendly iPhone 16e — alongside refreshed MacBook models powered by the new M5 chip family.

The unusual in-person-only format, not listed on Apple’s standard events page and without a traditional live stream, has fueled speculation about staggered announcements leading up to the event. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in his Power On newsletter that Apple may drop product details via press releases starting as early as March 2 or 3, with one category per day, culminating in the March 4 experience for select media.

The iPhone 17e, codenamed V159, is positioned as the entry-level model in Apple’s 2026 lineup, replacing the iPhone 16e launched in February 2025. Rumors from supply chain sources and analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo point to a spring release, aligning with the pattern established by its predecessor. While some early leaks suggested a February debut, most now converge on the week of March 4, potentially announced via press release before the event.

Key upgrades for the iPhone 17e include the A19 chip — the same processor expected in the standard iPhone 17 series — promising better performance and efficiency than the A18 in the iPhone 16e. The device is rumored to gain MagSafe wireless charging support, a long-requested feature missing from last year’s model, and possibly swap the display notch for Dynamic Island for a more modern look. The screen is expected to retain a 60Hz refresh rate, keeping costs down.

Design-wise, the iPhone 17e should resemble the iPhone 16e closely, with a single rear camera and similar dimensions. Pricing is anticipated to hold steady at $599 for the base 128GB model with 8GB RAM, allowing Apple to market it as offering more features at the same cost. Production has reportedly entered test runs, with mass manufacturing ramping up ahead of launch.

The iPhone 17e fits into Apple’s evolving strategy for affordable devices, following the introduction of the “e” line as a value-focused option. It arrives amid the full iPhone 17 series, which launched in September 2025 with models including the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max and the ultra-thin iPhone Air.

On the Mac side, multiple updates are expected. The MacBook Air is poised for an M5 chip refresh in both 13-inch and 15-inch variants, maintaining the current design while gaining performance boosts from the new silicon. No major redesigns are rumored, with focus on efficiency and Apple Intelligence enhancements.

A lower-cost MacBook, sometimes called the “budget MacBook” or “MacBook e,” could debut as an even more accessible option, potentially starting around $699-$799 and powered by an A-series chip like the A18 Pro. This model would slot below the MacBook Air, targeting students and first-time buyers with a simpler configuration.

High-end MacBook Pro models in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes are expected to receive M5 Pro and M5 Max chips early in 2026, delivering substantial gains in CPU, GPU and AI capabilities. These refreshes are described as iterative, with no dramatic design changes anticipated until later in the year or 2027, when OLED displays and touchscreens may arrive for the MacBook Pro lineup to mark its 20th anniversary.

The March timing aligns with Apple’s recent pattern of early-year product drops for non-flagship iPhones and select Macs, allowing the company to refresh its portfolio ahead of the fall iPhone cycle. The “Special Experience” in three global cities suggests a focus on immersive, hands-on demos for invited press, possibly highlighting AI features, new Siri capabilities and ecosystem integration across devices.

Analysts view the event as a low-key but important kickoff to 2026, bridging the gap between last fall’s iPhone 17 series and future innovations like foldables. With the iPhone 17e and M5-powered Macs, Apple aims to maintain momentum in a competitive market while emphasizing value and performance.

Pre-orders for the iPhone 17e and any announced Macs could begin shortly after announcements, with availability following in the weeks ahead. As details emerge from leaks and official channels, attention will turn to how these devices enhance Apple’s lineup for everyday users and professionals alike.

“Fourth quarter is usually a volume push quarter, so price hikes don’t sustain. But after GST cuts, prices fell more than expected in south and east. The industry attempted price hikes in January and February. In February, Rs 15-20 price hikes were announced, out of which Rs 10 have sustained. This is a positive step for South India,” he said.

Chadha noted that demand is largely in line with expectations. “The demand is strong as usual in the fourth quarter, but there’s no significant uptick. Price hikes are more about major players maintaining discipline and coming off a lower base.”

Looking ahead to FY27, management focus is shifting from volume to value, which could support sustainable price gains. “Top management is moving towards more value than volume. In April-May, we might see price hikes of Rs 40-50 per bag in South India, compared to Rs 10-15 in recent years,” he explained.

Rural demand is expected to drive volume growth next year. “Rural revival is key. We expect FY27 volume to be 7-8% higher than FY26. State and central capex delays could be negative, but rural recovery should offset that,” Chadha added.

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Over the next three years, Chadha expects significant improvement in both volume and value. “With consolidation and pricing strength, the industry should report far better results than FY25-26,” he said.
With price discipline returning and rural demand poised for recovery, the cement sector could finally see a long-awaited combination of volume growth and profitability.

More than 12,000 adult bed rails were recalled over entrapment hazards that could lead to serious injury or even death, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The recall affects about 12,355 Vive Health Bed Rails, the CPSC said in an alert last week.

When the bed rails are attached to a bed, users can become trapped inside the bed rail or between the bed rail and the side of the mattress, which poses a “serious entrapment hazard and risk of death by asphyxiation,” the commission warned.

MORE THAN 191,000 AROEVE AIR PURIFIERS RECALLED OVER OVERHEATING, FIRE RISK

The recall affects about 12,355 Vive Health Bed Rails. (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

The commission also said the bed rails do not feature the required hazard warning labels.

The items were sold online at Amazon.com and ViveHealth.com between August 2023 and December 2025 in the price range of $45 and $80. Only bed rails purchased after Aug. 21, 2023, are included in this recall.

220,000 MEDICAL KING PORTABLE ADULT BED RAILS RECALLED AFTER A DEATH, MARKING 9TH RELATED RECALL IN 3 YEARS

The bed rails do not feature the required hazard warning labels. (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

This recall impacts models LVA1024 and LVA3031BLK. Model LVA1024 comes in a white frame with a black handle and measures 20 inches wide by 32 inches tall. Model LVA3031BLK comes in a black frame with a black handle and measures 13 inches wide by 18 inches tall.

Consumers are urged to stop using the bed rails and to contact Vive Health for a full refund.

No injuries or deaths have been reported thus far in connection with this recall.

The items were sold online at Amazon.com and ViveHealth.com between August 2023 and December 2025 in the price range of $45 and $80. (REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz / Reuters)

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Vive Health is just the latest company to issue a recall of adult bed rails.

Last month, about 26,200 Sangohe brand adult portable bed rails sold online at Amazon and Walmart were recalled over the same “entrapment hazard and risk of death by asphyxiation.”

A similar recall was also issued in December for about 12,000 JOKOSIS branded bed rails.

Anthropic has accused several China-based companies of using its AI model Claude without authorization. This immediately re-ignited debates over AI ethics, intellectual property, and competitive control.

Moreover, the allegations center on so-called “distillation attacks,” a practice that can replicate AI capabilities through illicit means.

Understanding Distillation Attacks in AI

Gizmodo explains that distillation is a standard AI process where a “teacher” model provides outputs that a “student” model uses to learn, often producing smaller or more efficient AI systems.

Anthropic distinguishes distillation attacks as attempts to extract model knowledge without permission, bypassing legal and contractual safeguards.

According to Anthropic’s Monday blog post, Shanghai-based companies MiniMax, Moonshot, and DeepSeek conducted such attacks. MiniMax reportedly processed more than 13 million exchanges, while Moonshot and DeepSeek processed 3.4 million and 150,000, respectively.

Undoubtedly, these activities allegedly violated service terms and regional access rules. They also sparked concerns over ethical AI deployment and intellectual property protection.

Legal and Ethical Implications of ‘Distillation’

Anthropic emphasized that these actions are not criminal but constitute breaches of contractual agreements and U.S. export controls. Circumventing restrictions allows foreign labs, including those linked to government influence, to erode competitive advantages intentionally designed to safeguard American AI innovations.

OpenAI has also raised alarms over similar practices, accusing DeepSeek of “free-riding” on U.S.-based AI research.

AI Volatility

DeepSeek is set to launch its new flagship model, DeepSeek V4, imminently. Analysts warn that its release could increase volatility in AI-driven markets, especially on Wall Street, where investor sensitivity to emerging technologies remains high.

With China’s AI sector expected to boom, the AI industry in the country would remain high for the next few years.

Of course, Anthropic should also be consistent in its claims against Chinese AI firms while dealing with Claude’s ethical limits on military use.

Originally published on Tech Times