Apple 2024: what to expect from October’s presentation?
By ForGeeks At Apple’s September event to unveil the iPhone 16, it also unveiled updated headphones and a watch. But that’s not all the company has to surprise us with in the outgoing year. Numerous rumors point to a second presentation in October, at which the Apple giant will announce a slew of new and updated products.
Another rumor has it that the company’s iPhone 16 event in September will be the first of its kind.
When will the event take place?
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In recent years, Apple has made a habit of holding events in October. It’s always been the case that the presentation takes place on either Monday or Tuesday. But in the last couple of times, that schedule has broken down:
And now, it’s just a matter of time before it’s over.
- 2023: Monday, October 30
- 2021: Monday, October 18
- 2020: Tuesday, October 13
- 2018: Tuesday, October 30
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There are no October shows in 2019 or 2022. Based on the previous schedule, the most likely dates for this year’s event are October 14 or 15, and October 28 or 29. There’s also a chance that the presentation will take place on October 21 or 22. That’s a pretty wide range of dates, but it’s all we can aim for at this point.
At this point, we’re not sure what the dates are.
M4 MacBook Pro
The last time the MacBook Pro was updated in October 2023, it received M3-series chips. There have long been rumors that Apple wants to move to an annual refresh cycle for its devices. Which means that the MacBook Pro could be updated as early as October this year. Plus, Apple has already introduced an M4 chip in the iPad Pro, so it makes sense that the MacBook Pro would soon follow suit.
Insider Mark Gurman believes that an updated MacBook Pro should arrive in October. He says the updates will be across the lineup, with the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro getting the M4 chip, and the rest of the 14-inch models and 16-inch MacBook Pro — the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips.
According to Gurman.
Don’t expect any design changes — however; the MacBook Pro case was refreshed in 2021, so it’s a little early for a new design. While an OLED MacBook Pro is believed to be in development, it’s not expected to arrive until 2026.
And while the OLED MacBook Pro is believed to be in development, it’s not expected until 2026 at the earliest.
Resigned M4 Mac mini
The visual refresh happened in June 2010, more than 14 years ago. Fortunately, the wait for the next redesign isn’t long: Mark Gurman thinks the Mac mini will get a new look at Apple’s October event.
Mark Gurman believes the Mac mini will get a new look at Apple’s October event.
As a result, the Mac mini should occupy a footprint the size of an Apple TV set-top box, which is noticeably smaller than the size of the current Mac mini. In turn, the Mac mini is expected to be a bit taller.
Mac mini is expected to be a bit taller.
This isn’t the only change in store for the smallest desktop Mac. Leaked macOS code indicates that it could get five USB ports (up from four on the current Mac mini), and Gurman claims that all of those ports will be USB-C, replacing the existing USB-A connectors. Two of them will be located on the front of the device, making them much easier to access, and three — on the back. Inside, expect the M4 and M4 Pro chips.
And the M4 and M4 Pro chips are expected.
M4 iMac
The new iMac — is a big bet for October, but as with the M3 iMac refresh in 2023, only minor changes are expected this time around. The main change will be the introduction of the M4 chip, but don’t expect something more powerful (like the M4 Pro).
The new iMac — is a big bet for October.
There’s also a good chance that Apple’s iMac accessories like the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad will get USB-C charging ports instead of the existing Lightning connectors. Apple is changing the Lightning ports in its devices to comply with EU regulations, so it seems inevitable that iMac peripherals will follow suit.
Apple is also changing the Lightning ports in its devices to comply with EU regulations, so it seems inevitable that iMac peripherals will follow suit.
iPad and iPad mini
A previous post by Mark Gurman claimed that “new iPads, including an updated mini version, are in development” and that they will be available at the October event. The use of the plural in the word “iPad” suggests that we should expect not only an iPad mini, but a base iPad as well.
An iPad mini is in the works.
iPad Air and iPad Pro were updated in May 2024, so they’re unlikely to be updated a second time in a year. The iPad mini and base iPad, meanwhile, last changed in 2021 and 2022, respectively, making them more likely candidates for an October unveiling.
The iPad mini and base iPad, meanwhile, were last changed in 2021 and 2022, respectively, making them more likely candidates for an October launch.
iPad mini will likely get a faster chip, improved cameras (both front and back), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, new colors, and a fix for the “jelly scrolling” issue that the iPad mini has suffered from in the past.
The iPad mini will likely get a faster chip, improved cameras (both front and back), Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, new colors, and a fix for the “jelly scrolling” issue that the iPad mini has suffered from in the past.
As for the base iPad, there aren’t too many rumors about it, but the new chip isn’t in doubt. Otherwise, we’ll just have to wait and see what comes out in October.
We’ll have to wait and see what comes out in October.
What we don’t expect to see
A lot of products that have long been rumored at Apple’s October event will be unveiled, but there are also a few others that are unlikely to be unveiled. For example, even though the show will focus on Macs, some Apple computers almost certainly won’t be on display.
Some Apple computers will almost certainly be unveiled.
These include the Mac Studio and Mac Pro — despite last being updated in 2023, they’re not expected to be part of Apple’s annual refresh cycle (perhaps because of the longer development time of their high-end chips). Instead, the new Mac Studio is likely to debut around mid-2025, and the Mac Pro should be updated before the end of the year.
A new Mac Studio is likely to debut around mid-2025, and the Mac Pro should be updated before the end of the year.
Analogously, the MacBook Air will be refreshed in spring 2025, not at the October show. The MacBook Air M3 came out in March 2024, so a second refresh within the same calendar year is likely not expected.
Analogously, the MacBook Air M3 will be refreshed in the spring of 2025, not October.
There are a few other products that likely won’t be ready by October, despite being in development (rumored, of course). These include the new iPhone SE, the AirTags update, and the new Apple TV set-top box. They’re all likely to arrive in 2025.
All of them are likely to arrive in 2025.
