Now that the dust has settled (just barely) on the iPhone 14 event, you may be wondering what the rumored October event might bring us.
Will we see new iPads? Which new Macs are likely to make an appearance? Are we getting new M2 chips? There are a lot of questions and a fair amount of rumors and leaks we can examine leading up to the event.
The latest news on Apple’s October event
Of course, a new rumor popped up this week that threw a massive wrinkle into everything — there might not even be a big October event (opens in new tab).
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said we might have to make do with new products being announced via press release instead of on stage with Tim Cook and Co. This would also mean that perhaps all the stuff that would be announced this October would just be internal upgrades. Gurman suggests that all Apple would launch this way would be:
• M2 and M2 Pro Mac minis
• M2 Pro and M2 Max 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros
• M2 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros
While the M2 chip was announced alongside the new MacBook Air (opens in new tab) and 13-inch MacBook Pro (opens in new tab) earlier this year, an M2 Pro and M2 Max would be new chips (at least to some degree) that would break from Apple’s tradition established with the M1 series.
Here’s the thing: no one knows what Apple will do yet, so there may still be a big event. If there are, we have plenty of rumors on when it could be, what could be announced, and everything else down below, so keep reading!
Apple October event: Possible dates
No official date has been given for the rumored October event, but looking at Apple’s other events in the past and how it tackled the iPhone 14 (opens in new tab)event a few weeks ago, we can make some educated guesses.
Apple’s iPhone event is coming very early in September. This could mean that Apple is also hoping to hold its second fall event earlier in October. Apple unveiled the MacBook Pro at its October event on October 18 last year, and its virtual October event for 2020 was held on October 13. A date of October 11 or 18 seems a likely candidate for an event this year. Presuming, of course, that Apple holds the event on its usual Tuesday, rather than Wednesday or Monday as we’ve seen at some recent events.
We now know for sure that iPadOS 16 (opens in new tab) and macOS Ventura (opens in new tab) will be launching sometime in October, making some sort of event focused on the iPad and Mac even more likely.
Apple October event: Possible product announcements
As noted, we’re expecting the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro (opens in new tab) at the September event. We’re also expecting a new Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Pro. There could be other supplementary products like Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, or even a new HomePod. But what could be on the cards for October? Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has previously predicted that Apple’s second event will follow with a focus on Mac and iPad.
Apple October event: Mac
Apple has almost completed the transition to Apple silicon, with only one product yet to get the treatment, the Mac Pro. Apple has promised us it plans to add Apple silicon to the beast but hasn’t told us when. An October event is undoubtedly a prime candidate.
More likely, Apple is expected to unveil a new M2-powered version of its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. However, aside from M2 Pro and Max chips, no other significant upgrades are expected, so this may be a simple configuration update rather than a new release.
Also reportedly in the works is a new M2 Mac mini that could replace or complement the current Mac mini lineup.
Apple October event: iPad
As noted, Apple is also expected to announce new iPads. One of these is expected to be the new 10th generation base model iPad (opens in new tab), featuring a new squared design, new processor, and USB-C.
Although possible updates beyond the new processor are unclear, we’ve also heard about a new M2 iPad Pro (opens in new tab).
Due to a leak on Logitech’s website (opens in new tab), new iPad Pros seem even more likely to appear at Apple’s October event. When talking about the Logitech Crayon, the company’s competitor to the Apple Pencil, the product page briefly read as being compatible with new devices. The following was shown on the Logitech Crayon page:
- Pad Pro 12.9-inch (6th gen)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (4th gen)
This has since been taken down, but the accident surely had interesting timing considering the event is coming up so soon. Plus, we know that Apple sometimes gives some companies (like case manufacturer’s) some advance notice so they can make products for their devices in advance.
Apple October event: AirPods, HomePod, and beyond
Since the AirPods Pro 2 (opens in new tab) launched alongside the new iPhones this year, we aren’t really expecting an additional model of AirPods to make an appearance. It is possible, that the AirPods Max (opens in new tab) get an update as it’s the only model to not get a refresh in the past year, but it’s also the newest product in the lineup.
Apple is also reportedly working on multiple new HomePods, including an update to the original HomePod that could feature at an October event.
We’ve also been hearing lots about Apple VR, is it possible Apple could tease its new VR headset, even if it’s still a long way off?