Apple Inc, already set to introduce a revamped smart home strategy next week, is planning a second launch in October to introduce its first touchscreen MacBook and a new iPad mini.
The product launch is scheduled on or around Oct 27, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The end-of-month announcements will also include versions of the 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac with M6 chips, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t yet public.
Like its smart home event on Oct 13, the next launch will include an online video presentation and an in-person component for the press. The Mac and iPad debut will be geared toward creative professionals who work in video production, photo editing and music production. Apple last held such a showcase around new products in Los Angeles in 2024.
The unveilings are part of a record-setting slate of fresh products under chief executive officer John Ternus, who took the helm last month. He’s aiming to steer the tech giant into new markets and bolster revenue from related services.
A spokesperson for Cupertino, California-based Apple declined to comment.
The company’s home event next week will include its first smart home hub with a display, a new HomePod mini and an updated Apple TV set-top box – all with the Siri AI assistant at their core. And Apple will introduce a home ecosystem that will include accessories from LG Electronics Inc and Schneider Electric SE.
Apple is looking to reverse its fortunes in the home market and better challenge Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google. Amazon, for its part, launched a major new tablet line this week built around the Alexa+ platform.
The Mac and iPad event will mark Apple’s long-awaited move into touch-based computers. The new MacBook Pros, code-named K114 and K116, will be lighter than current models and offer OLED screens, a sharper display technology that’s short for organic light-emitting diode. The devices will also have the Dynamic Island on-screen interface that’s familiar to iPhone users. Bloomberg News first reported on the project in 2023.
The new M6 Macs – code-named J804 and J833 – will look like their current versions, while the new iPad mini – code-named J510 – will also include an OLED screen, a videoconferencing camera that moves to the landscape side and a revamped speaker system. The company is planning several other new Macs and iPads for the first half of next year, Bloomberg has reported. – Bloomberg
