Apple May Release New Mac and iPad in October with M4 Chips and More
TapTechNews September 15th news, Apple may hold another event in October this year to release new Mac and iPad models. If true, this would be the fourth time in five years that Apple has held an event in October. Last year, Apple held a virtual event on October 30th and launched new MacBook Pro and iMac models with the M3 series chips.
TapTechNews noted that Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reiterated in today's PowerOn newsletter that Apple plans to release the first M4 Mac and new iPad in the next event in the next few weeks. He said that some M4 Macs have already been shipped from the factory.
Gurman expects the following products to be updated in Apple's next event, which he previously said would take place in October:
MacBook Pro: Apple plans to release new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in the next event, equipped with M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips. There have been no rumors of design changes for laptops this year, and improvements such as OLED displays and thinner designs are not expected until at least 2026. Apple last redesigned the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2021, and the latest models with M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chips were released last October.
iMac: Apple also plans to introduce an iMac with the M4 chip at the launch.
Mac mini: Gurman expects the Mac mini to be updated with M4 and M4 Pro chips at the launch, and he previously said that this desktop computer will be redesigned to become almost as small as an Apple TV. The new Mac mini seems to lack USB-A ports.
iPad mini: Gurman previously said that he expects Apple to introduce the seventh-generation iPad mini in the next event. Rumored features of the next-generation iPad mini include a faster chip, upgraded front and rear cameras, fixing the jelly scrolling problem of screen tearing in portrait mode, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, and new body colors. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously said that the next-generation iPad mini will begin mass production in the second half of 2024, so multiple reliable sources agree that the device will be updated later this year. Apple released the current iPad mini in September 2021, and new features at that time included a larger 8.3-inch display, USB-C port, Touch ID power button, A15 Bionic chip, 5G support for cellular models, a 12-million-pixel rear camera with CenterStage support, compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil, etc.
Entry-level iPad: Gurman said today that Apple will also introduce a new, low-end iPad, so there may also be an iPad 11.