Apple unveils M5-powered MacBook, iPad,Vision Pro
Apple has announced new MacBook Pro, iPad Pro and Vision Pro models, all powered by its latest M5 chip, which delivers significantly faster performance than previous versions.
The new MacBook Pro models start at USD1,599, while the 11-inch iPad Pro begins at USD999. The upgraded Apple Vision Pro, which now includes a Dual Knit Band, is priced from USD3,499.
The devices are available for preorder in most markets and will officially go on sale on 22 October. They form part of Apple’s autumn product catalogue, following the release of the iPhone 17 and Apple Watch Series 11 in September.
Apple’s December quarter is traditionally its largest by sales, driven by holiday and Christmas shopping. This year marks the first full quarter of iPhone 17 sales, adding to expectations of strong performance.
The new lineup is powered by the M5 chip, which Apple claims offers four times the peak compute performance compared with the previous M4. Johny Srouji, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, said in a statement that the M5 “delivers a huge boost to AI workloads.”
Wednesday’s announcement comes as Wall Street analysts closely monitor Apple’s pricing strategy amid concerns over tariffs announced by President Donald Trump, particularly those affecting semiconductors and China. Starting prices for the new M5 models remain unchanged from their predecessors.
Although iPads and MacBooks are not as central to Apple’s revenue as iPhones, they remain substantial businesses. Apple reported USD6.58 billion in iPad sales during the June quarter, an 8 per cent year-on-year decline attributed to strong comparisons with the previous year’s iPad Pro launch.
Mac sales for the same period reached USD8.05 billion, a 15 per cent increase compared with the previous year. Earlier this year, Apple released a new version of its bestselling laptop, the MacBook Air.
Apple has never disclosed standalone figures for the Vision Pro headset, which is grouped with Apple Watch and AirPods under its wearables and other products category. Analysts believe Vision Pro revenue remains minimal.
Combined sales of MacBooks, iPads and Vision Pro are significantly lower than iPhone revenue, which accounted for over 47 per cent of Apple’s total revenue in the June quarter, totalling just under USD45 billion.
