Apple’s October event: All the rumors before Monday’s Mac announcements

Although Apple revealed the iPhone 13, 13 Mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max just last month, the tech giant is gearing up for its next event on Monday, Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. Like Apple’s previous launches, the event will be streamed live on the company’s website — here’s how to watch the livestream from home.

The October event was previously rumored by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who said “there will be two events” from Apple this fall, as usual, and the second event could focus on new Macs, more iPads and new MacBook Pros with an updated version of Apple’s M1 processor. (Here are all the rumors we’ve heard about the 2021 MacBook Pro.) Gurman also expects the AirPods 3 to debut by the end of this year, and several other products to arrive in 2022 including the new AirPods Pro, an updated iPad Pro, revamped Mac Pros and MacBook Airs with Apple Silicon. 

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What to expect at Apple’s October event

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At the company’s September event, Apple unveiled its new iPhone 13 lineup alongside the Apple Watch 7, iPad Mini 6 and updated entry-level iPad. The iPhone 13 lineup mirrors last year’s iPhone 12 collection with standard, Mini, Pro and Pro Max versions. The updated iPhone runs on iOS 15 and features a few camera upgrades, upped storage, a new A15 Bionic processor and more. 

Prior to Apple’s latest launch event, the company hosted two other events earlier in 2021. The first event was in April, where we saw new iPad upgrades, colorful iMacs, AirTag trackers, a purple iPhone 12 and more. (Here’s everything Apple announced in the spring.) Then, two months later, it held the annual WWDC developers event, where we saw a first look at iOS 15, MacOS Monterey (aka MacOS 12), WatchOS 8 and iPadOS 15. 

But what about this October Apple event? Will we see a new MacBook Pro or the AirPods 3? New Macs? Read on for everything we know so far about the fourth Apple event happening this fall, including which products Apple could unveil. We’ll update this story as new information becomes available.

For more, check out how you can buy the iPhone 13. 

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Apple’s event: Four new iPhones, a major iPad Mini refresh…

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When is the next Apple event? It’s scheduled for next week

Apple is set to host its next event on Monday, Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. The launch event, similar to the company’s California streaming event last month, will be online only and available to watch live on Apple’s website. 

Apple typically hosts three to four events every year, usually including a spring event, a summer developer conference and one or two more events in the fall. The fall events are often held in September and October. The September event, which this year fell on Sept. 14, tends to feature new iPhones and Apple Watch upgrades, while the October event typically features new Macs and iPads, which tallies with Gurman’s prediction. 

Apple’s event pattern slightly shifted in 2020 due to production delays during the pandemic. Last year’s September Apple event unveiled the Apple Watch 6, Apple Watch SE and updated iPad models — but no new iPhone. The company later revealed the iPhone 12 in October. Last year’s Apple event was also online-only due to the pandemic. A livestream was available as usual through the company’s website. But this year, Apple seems to have returned to its usual schedule with another virtual event.

New products we expect: AirPods 3, Macs and more

Apple already unveiled a slew of hardware and software upgrades during its previous 2021 events, including the iPhone 13, Apple Watch 7, iPad Mini 6 and a new entry-level iPad. But, there are still a few things we expect the tech giant to announce. We hope to see the AirPods 3, a larger iMac powered by Apple’s M1 chip, a more affordable Apple Display and a new MacBook Pro and Mac Pro with a rumored update to Apple’s M1 chip. We’re also on the lookout for an Apple competitor to the Amazon Echo Show smart display, a soundbar with a built-in Apple TV and maybe an Apple AR/VR headset. 

AirPods 3

Apple’s AirPods could be getting an update sometime this year, according to an earlier report from Bloomberg. Rumors suggest the AirPods 3 will have similar features to the AirPods Pro, such as spatial audio support, a shorter stem, interchangeable tips and a smaller charging case. Here’s what we hope to see when the AirPods 3 are revealed, and here’s how we think the AirPods 3 will compare with the AirPods Pro.

New MacBook Pros, Mac Pros, Mac Mini, iMac and Apple Display

Last year, Apple announced that it would be producing its own chip, known as the M1, to power its Mac. Since then, there has been speculation that Apple may soon announce a new version of its processor for the new MacBook Pro or Mac Pro.

Apple also previously announced a new iMac powered by the M1 processor, but it was only the smaller 24-inch model. Bloomberg has reported that Apple is working on processor updates for both the Mac Mini and 27-inch iMac. 

Apple may also be working on a more affordable version of its Pro Display XDR that was originally released in 2019. Bloomberg reported in January that a cheaper Apple monitor was in “early development.” 

Echo Show competitor, soundbar with Apple TV and AR/VR headset

We could see some brand-new devices from Apple this year. This includes the possibility of an Apple competitor to the Amazon Echo Show that would fuse an entry-level iPad with a speaker, a soundbar equipped with built-in Apple TV similar to Roku’s soundbar and an Apple augmented- or virtual-reality headset. 

If you’re looking for more about the latest from Apple, you can take a look at everything that was announced at the latest event. You can also check out how the iPhone 13 compares with the iPhone 12, what’s the difference between each iPhone 13 model, whether it’s still worth it to buy an iPhone 12 or iPhone 11, and everything to know about iOS 15. Plus, why isn’t the iPhone SE 3 on this list?