On October 19, Apple sent out invitations inviting the press to an event Apple will be having on their Cupertino campus on October 27. This event is rumored to introduce new Macs, such as new MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs, and possible new updates to the Mac desktop line.
New Macs
This event is rumored to focus mainly on the Mac line. The headline “hello again” hints at when the Mac was first introduced back in 1984 with the word “hello” written on the screen. It doesn’t mean we will not see an update to other products such as the Apple TV, but these are not as likely as updates to the Mac line.
The MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are rumored to become thinner and adopt the new keyboard that was introduced on the 12-inch MacBook in 2015. The MacBook Pro line is also rumored to feature a OLED touchpad, thought to be named "Magic Toolbar," just above the keyboard replacing the top level of keys which currently have the escape, brightness, and other buttons. This would allow for dynamic function keys with much more versatility, as well as possible touch sensitive music controls, such as a volume slider, dynamic battery icon showing remaining power, or even an app specific toolbar with shortcuts and menu controls. The "Magic Toolbar" could even bring the iPhone and iPad's TouchID feature to the Mac by adding the ability to lock and unlock your Mac with your fingerprint.
Like the 2015 MacBook, we may see a shift away from standard USB I/O in favor of USB-C. Whether Apple will include both ports seems unlikely, but the ubundence of standard USB assessories could make a USB-C-only MacBook Pro controversial, as the MacBook was when it was first introduced. In addition to standard USB, removal of previously included ports such as HDMI, MagSafe and SD card are likely. As we have seen with the iPhone 7, removal of the headphone jack is not out of the question either, although when the MacBook was updated with USB-C, it still retained the standard 3.5mm headphone jack.
Thunderbolt 3 has also been rumored to allow for greater support for external ultra high definition (UHD) external displays, such as multiple 4k or even 5k resolutions which have millions more pixels than traditional HD, requiring more information than Thunderbolt has traditionally been able to manage well.
For the Mac desktop line, the current Mac mini has not been updated since 2014 and the Mac Pro since 2013. These two models are expected to be updated during this October event. Earlier this year Apple discontinued their Thunderbolt Display which had not been updated since 2011, before the introduction of high-definition desktop Retina displays. There is also a chance that Apple could introduce a new display which has been rumored to feature a 5k screen like the current 27-inch iMac and possibly have a built in GPU for improved performance.
Watch Event Live
Apple will live stream this event on their website allowing the public to see the new products they introduce them live on October 27 at 10 AM PST. You can view the event from Apple.com on your computer, iPad, or iPhone or using the Apple Events app on Apple TV.
Upgrade at CityMac
Interested in getting your hands on the newest Apple device once it is released? Be sure to contact your local CityMac as soon as Apple introduces new products to reserve yours.
In all, we are very excited to see what Apple introduces at their October 2016 media event. What are you most excited for them to announce? Let us know in the comments below. You can also connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/WelcomeToCityMac and on Twitter @CityMacTweets.