Apple just announced its third fall event this year, taking place on November 10 at 10 a.m. PST. Aptly named One More Thing (a phrase regularly used by Steve Jobs to announce significant products), it is likely to focus on the first Apple Silicon Mac and the launch of macOS 11 Big Sur, but it may also cover AirPods Studio, AirTags, and a new Apple TV and Siri remote. Like the other fall events, this will be entirely virtual, streaming from the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. Let's take a closer look at the details of the event and what may be announced.
Related: MacOS Big Sur Brings Elements of iOS & Next-Level Privacy
When & How to Watch the Next Apple Event
The One More Thing event will take place virtually, streaming at 10:00 a.m. PST from the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. It will be available to watch on Apple's website, the Apple TV app, and also likely on YouTube. As always, we'll be discussing the event in our Facebook group and breaking it down afterward in our podcast.
Get Ready for the Apple Silicon Chip & macOS Big Sur
The most important thing announced during the November 10 event will almost certainly the first Apple Silicon Mac. Back in June, Apple announced the new Apple Silicon chip, and promised its release before the end of the year. There is no confirmation yet which Mac will be the first to use this chip, but Macrumors expects a new MacBook Air, or the return of a 12-inch MacBook, so we could see it in the lower-cost MacBook line. We also may be seeing a 14-inch MacBook and/or a 24-inch iMac, so these are also candidates for the first Apple Silicon computers.
When macOS 11 Big Sur was announced back in June, Apple promised its availability this fall, so it is almost certainly going to be part of this event. Apple has already been rolled out as a public beta—including fun new wallpapers—so all signs point to an impending launch. Big Sur is expected to bring some iOS features to the Mac, such as a new look to the messaging experience and symbols that more closely match the ones in iOS, and a big privacy upgrade.
Could We Finally Get AirPods Studio Over-Ear Headphones?
Apple is rumored to be joining the over-ear headphone game with the a headset expected to be called AirPods Studio. These AirPods Studio rumors have been around as far back as 2018, but Bloomberg's report ahead of the October 13 iPhone announcement that Apple was no longer selling third-party audio accessories makes it seem likely that AirPods Studio could be finally making their debut. These "high-end" (read: pricey) headphones are rumored to retail at $349 and offer features such as active noise cancellation, orientation detection, high sound quality, head and neck detection and a U1 chip. Alleged leaked images show a retro design, likely to appeal greatly to nostalgia-chasing techies. If they are finally announced on November 10, I think we can all agree on one thing: it's about time.
Will Apple Announce AirTags Bluetooth Trackers?
Whether or not AirTags are announced at this event, it seems a given that their release is imminent. Why? Because back in the spring, Apple uploaded a video to its support channel that showed text relating to AirTags on a screenshot of the Find My screen in Settings. So what are they? AirTags are bluetooth trackers you can stick on pretty much anything to be able to locate it with your Find My app. Devices like this already exist—one of the most well-known is called Tile—so while the technology is not groundbreaking, this would integrate with your Find My app instead of requiring you to download a third-party app. There haven't been any price leaks yet, but the comparable Tile devices cost $25 to $35 for one tracker, so that is likely the range we'd be looking at, although Apple does love to charge a premium, so I wouldn't be surprised to see a higher price tag.
What about a New Apple TV Box?
One of the things we were most anticipating during the last two announcements was the new Apple TV. Each time, we were greeted with silence. Will this finally be the time when the new Apple TV is announced? Nothing this year is predictable, so it's impossible to know for sure, but let's just say we'll be on the lookout. The new Apple One subscription service does make it seem like this would be a logical time to release a new Apple TV box, and Apple leakers have been making noises that the new Apple TV would bring big changes to the gaming experience. But whether or not this is finally the time for this long-awaited upgrade is yet to be seen.
