Apple Announces October 18 Hardware Event After Months of Mac Rumors
Apple Announces October 18 Hardware Event
Apple's next hardware event will take place on October 18, based on the invitations it sent out. The company is expected to use its second fall event to launch a pair of new MacBooks, a redesigned high-end Mac Mini, and possibly a pair of third-generation AirPods.
The invitation video shows one word: Unleashed. As seen below in a tweet from Apple Marketing Executive Greg Joswiak, it appears in a dotted font that could hint at a mini LED technology down the road. The "special" event will air live on Apple.com at 1PM ET / 10AM PT.
There have been reports for months that Apple is about to release new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. The new MacBooks would be the latest step in Apple's transition from Intel chips, replacing them with an Arm-based processor called the M1X that Apple designs itself. The new chip could boost performance compared to the M1 chip that debuted last year, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that the M1X has ten CPU cores compared to the M1's eight, plus 16 or 32 graphics processors. cores compared to seven or eight on those equipped with the M1. machines.
Other anticipated features include the return of fan-favorite MacBook features like MagSafe magnetic charging, an HDMI port, and an SD card slot. The maligned OLED Touch Bar, thankfully, could be on the verge of disappearing. Gurman recently noted that stocks of the company's existing MacBook Pro appear to be out of stock.
Rumors suggest that the same M1X processor will be included in a redesigned high-end Mac Mini. The new machine will reportedly have more ports than last year's M1 model, with two Thunderbolt / USB 4 Type-C ports and two USB Type-A ports. The changes should make the new Mac Mini much better suited to power users.
Finally, Apple may announce a redesigned pair of AirPods, representing the third generation of the company's original true wireless earbuds. The AirPods are expected to adopt a similar design to the AirPods Pro, with shorter stems and a redesigned charging case.