The iPhone and Apple Watch keynote is over, but there’s another Apple event scheduled for next month. What we expect – and what not.
The most important time of the year has just dawned for Apple: last week the new iPhone 14 models and the new Apple Watch devices Series 8 and Ultra were presented, and this week important parts of the new hardware will be launched. Furthermore, iOS 16 and watchOS 9 were released on Monday evening. But that’s not all for this fall: The rumor mill firmly believes that various other products will be presented in the coming month. Important software updates are also pending.
Another fall presentation
A second fall event in October is nothing new in the Apple calendar, but it is not always carried out. It should be particularly exciting this year, as Apple wants to separate the iPhone and Apple Watch more from other hardware. iPadOS 16 will not be released together with iOS 16, but only in October. According to Apple, iPadOS is “a proprietary platform with features designed specifically for iPad.” Therefore you have “the flexibility to deliver iPadOS according to your own schedule”. However, this also means that there is a high probability that new iPads will also be presented next month.
So far, the scene believes in at least three new models. The first two are from the iPad Pro series. The tablet is to be equipped with the M2 SoC known from the MacBook Pro 13 M2 and MacBook Air M2 for the first time. The new iPad Pro devices should come with 11 and 12.9 inches as usual. Of the two, only the 12.9-inch model is said to have the bright mini-LED display that Apple calls “Liquid Retina XDR”. However, the M2 chip should increase the speed – by how much remains to be seen.
iPad Pro and iPad 10
There is also speculation of a similar design to current models with a new four-pin physical connector that could replace the Smart Connector on the iPad Pro. That in turn would be bad for previous accessories like the Magic Keyboard. Apple last touched the iPad Pro in April 2021, when M1 SoC, Thunderbolt and 5G were added. Furthermore, thanks to 12 megapixels, you can use the center stage mode with the front camera, in which the camera follows a person.
A second new iPad is to receive optically stronger adjustments. Apple is said to be planning a redesign for the classic tablet in the company’s current style. This was accompanied by a USB-C connection, a 10.5-inch display and flat edges including a camera “bump” on the back. The inner workings are expected to use the A14 from the iPhone 12 and a 5G modem.
New Macs and new software
Another topic at the fall event is probably new Macs. A few M2 machines are still missing here. First of all, it could be the Mac mini, which hasn’t changed for a good two years – possibly with the M2 and M2 Pro chip, although the latter is not yet officially available. The MacBook Pro is also expected to jump to M2 chips (M2 Max and M2 Pro). Apart from the new chip, the 14 and 16-inch models shouldn’t offer many innovations – the increase in speed should be relatively moderate with the new SoCs. According to recent reports from Asia production begins here.
Last but not least, professionals are still waiting for the ARM version of the Mac Pro. Here are some intriguing questions. It is unclear how Apple will solve the PCIe issue so that the machine can accommodate expansion cards, and an M3 chip might also be more suitable. However, the company had announced that it would complete the ARM switch this year. Finally, in addition to iPadOS 16, macOS 13 Ventura will be released in October to complete this year’s series of updates. A new Apple TV variant could also be shown as an accessory in the fall.
