It’s now official. Apple’s October 27 event has been scheduled and we’re expecting new Macs to be announced. The tagline reads ‘hello again’. The event will take place on Apple’s Cupertino campus, likely the last one before Apple Campus 2 is ready to go.
The event has come as a surprise as Apple did not hold a second fall event last year and all signs pointed to the iPhone 7 event in September for being the last. However, Mac hardware is in desperate need of an upgrade and multiple reports have implied Apple is planning to unveil its latest in October. Earlier this week Recode reported the date of the event before Apple did.
While most Mac hardware is in need of an upgrade, not all will be announced. It’s highly unlikely we’ll see an update to the Mac mini or Mac Pro for example, even though it’s been several years since it was last updated.
What we expect is an update to Apple’s notebook line which includes new MacBook Pros with an OLED touch bar replacing the function row, Touch ID, and a new design, MacBook Airs with USB-C, though the company will likely kill the 11-inch model, and possibly a smaller update to the iMac.
Apple may also introduce a successor to the discontinued Thunderbolt Display. Mac users have been asking for a standalone Retina display, similar to the one found on the iMac.
Apple’s display would feature a 27-inch display with a 5K Retina screen which would be quite expensive. Based on its lifespan, Apple’s AirPort networking hardware may also get updated.
