In August, reports started coming out that Apple was pushing back the release of iPadOS 16 until October rather than releasing it alongside the newest version of iOS in September as the company had done in the past. This tracks with rumors that new iPad and Macs will be announced at a later fall Apple event, expected to take place in October. Here's everything we know about the new Mac and iPads coming this October.
**November Update**
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman is now saying that Apple's latest Macs won't drop until next year, most likely at a March event.
**October Update**
Apple announced two new iPads on October 18th, M2 iPad Pros, and the iPad 10 with a bigger screen and USB-C port. But what about the Macs we were waiting on? In the August edition of Power On, Mark Gurman wrote, "Apple has been working on M2-based versions of the Mac mini, Mac Pro and MacBook Pro, so I think we’re likely to see at least a pair of those machines about two months from now. "
That prediction didn't come true, but Gurman is still saying that a new Mac mini and Mac Pro are on the way. Gurman predicts that this will be the first silicon Mac Pro. Gurman says the silicon chip may be called "M2 Ultra" or "M2 Extreme." According to MacRumors, "Gurman expects the Mac Pro to be released in 2023, and be offered with options for 24 and 48 CPU cores and 76 and 152 graphics cores, along with up to 256GB of memory."
Gurman believes that the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini will be released "within the coming months". The new Mac mini is rumored to have the same M2 chip as the 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, while the new MacBook Pro models will have one of the new, more powerful chips as well. Keep checking back for more updates!
**Update**
Although we've been anticipating an October Mac and iPad event, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman predicts that Apple will launch more devices, but forgoe the event. Gurman predicts that Apple will announce M2 and M2 Pro Mac minis, M2 Pro and M2 Max 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, and M2 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros. He also says that, "I don’t believe the revamped M2-based Mac Pro will be released until 2023." Will Gurman's predictions be correct, or will Apple surprise us with a mini-event? We'll find out soon enough!
Though iOS and iPadOS are usually released together at a September event, this year, Apple has announced that iPadOS is coming at least a month later. So what will be revealed at the possible October Apple event? We've already done our homework on what to expect from iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura, but have yet to explore rumors surrounding new iPads and Mac revelations slated for the October Apple event. Let's dive into the latest October event rumors.
New iPad Rumors
Bloomberg writer Mark Gurman writes a monthly newsletter called Power On, and in August, Gurman highlighted the possible release of a new iPad Pro with an M2 processor in the next few months. In addition, Gurman believes Apple will offer an 11-inch version with an LCD display, and a 12.9-inch version with miniLED technology. An updated camera system and MagSafe charging cables that magnetically attach to charging ports and easily separate when pulled are predicted for both models.
MacRumors has speculated that the new iPad Pro may feature a glass back, which would allow wireless charging, and even reverse wireless charging that would allow the iPad Pro 10 to charge other devices. 9to5 Mac's Filipe Esposito disagrees; his sources say that instead there will be a larger, glass Apple logo on the back through which the iPad would charge.
In addition to a new iPad Pro, the basic iPad model is due for an update, which would be the tenth-generation of Apple's budget tablet.
So, will these new iPads really be revealed at an October Apple event? Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is not so sure. According to a tweet thread from Kuo, severe heatwaves and drought have caused power rationing and outages at Chinese factories responsible for iPad assembly in Chengdu and Chongquing. Bloomberg reports that these outages have continued as recently as August 21. Additionally, the BBC reports that "21 million people in Sichuan's capital Chengdu were last week ordered to stay at home because of Covid rules."And on September 5, a 6.6 magnitude earthquake rocked the southwestern provinces. "Tremors shook buildings in Chengdu and the neighboring mega-city of Chongqing, leaving roads blocked and cutting communication lines in areas home to more than 10,000 residents."
If Apple still plans to announce the new iPad and iPad Pro in October, my guess is the event will be pushed back to later in the month, ordering and arrival dates will be pushed back to accommodate this string of disasters and accompanying supply-chain issues, or both.
New Mac Rumors
We brought you a roundup of Apple's new Mac possibilities back in March, and some of them have already appeared! Apple announced the new MacBook Air and updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip at WWDC 2022 in June. So what about the rumored new Mac mini, Mac Pro, iMac, and even another possible MacBook Pro?
It seems likely that Apple will introduce a redesigned Mac mini. It's also possible that a new Mac Pro, the most powerful Apple device to date, will also make its debut at the October event. In the August edition of Power On, Mark Gurman wrote, "Apple has been working on M2-based versions of the Mac mini, Mac Pro and MacBook Pro, so I think we’re likely to see at least a pair of those machines about two months from now. " MacRumors is predicting a 2023 release for new MacBook Pros. Mark Gurman has also predicted that a Mac Pro might come with as many as four M1 Max chips running simultaneously, and no new Mac Pros with Intel chips. But not everyone is in agreement. With all of these components needing to be sourced and assembled, my guess is that we won't see this powerful new Mac until Q4 of 2022, or even 2023. Also, if you're considering buying a Mac, check out the differences in how long the MacBook Pro and Air last.
