Apple CEO Tim Cook in front of the logo for the week of launches – Image credit: Apple
Apple will introduce a number of new products over Halloween week, with the focus being on new Mac updates with M4.
Following Apple’s “Glowtime” event in September, there was the expectation that another event will be on the horizon. Given the lack of discussion of Mac products, as well as iPad updates, during September’s announcements, a second presentation for the remaining catalog was widely anticipated.
Apple has since confirmed that new products are on the way, but not via an event. Instead, it plans a week of announcements, starting from October 28.
Unlike the usual event graphics, it’s pretty obvious that Apple is communicating that it will be a Mac-heavy week. For a start, Greg Joswiak’s post to X starts “Mac your calendars!.”
The animation itself also starts off with the face icon of Finder, before morphing into the Apple logo. It also uses the same “Glowtime” aesthetic, hinting at Apple Intelligence, which also runs on Apple Silicon Macs.
This is what is expected to be introduced by Apple during that week.
Mac mini, iMac, MacBook Pro
Ever since the introduction of the M4 varieties of iPad Pro, there has been demand for Apple to do the same for its Apple Silicon Mac models. Without any changes since M3, there’s a lot that Apple could change.
Arguably the biggest update it could make is to the Mac mini, if rumors are to be believed. An update is expected soon, with the Mac mini getting a long overdue refresh.
The current Mac mini design is already quite small.
That could include a new smaller form factor that shifts away from its squarish aluminum puck design for something even sleeker. There’s even talk of it having five USB Type-C ports instead of USB-A versions.
Alongside the Mac mini, the desktop Macs could also see an update to the iMac. The 24-inch model was last updated to M3 in November 2023, but an update to M4 wouldn’t be out of the question.
There have been rumors about Apple creating a larger design of iMac, possibly with a 32-inch display. Whether that comes to fruition is questionable, as there would usually be more rumors about a change as the world marches closer to the expected launch.
An M4 MacBook Pro could be arriving soon
A more obvious change would be to the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro. Updated in fall 2023, a one-year gap between updates would be reasonable for some of the most popular Mac options in the catalog.
iPad
While Apple’s week-long event announcement is extremely Mac-centric, there is a small chance that Apple could announce other things. That could include the base iPad model.
The iPad hasn’t been updated for quite some time. The last time it was refreshed was in the fall of 2022.
Rumors haven’t said much about the base-grade iPad’s updates, the most likely change will be a spec-bump update to a more modern chip. This makes sense as Apple would want to bring Apple Intelligence to as many devices as possible, and that would include the iPad.
Unlikely announcements
While there are certainly things that could be announced by Apple, there’s a list of products that may not necessarily arrive either.
For example, since Apple already updated the iPad Pro and iPad Air earlier in 2024, another update months later is very unlikely.
Apple has also updated the iPad mini, with a seventh-gen model introduced in the middle of October via a press release.
On the Mac side, rumors say that the MacBook Air line won’t get an update until spring 2025 at the earliest.
When it comes to the heavy-hitters, the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, there’s more band news. The rumor mill firmly believes that they could arrive in late 2025.
