Apple today announced its upcoming virtual event, set for Monday, October 18 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. The event is set to originate from the Steve Jobs Theater at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The event will once again be digital-only.
Several rumors have teased the imminent release of redesigned 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models for months now, and today’s event announcement indicates that Apple is about to officially announce them.
Rumors indicate Apple’s new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models will have a revamped design featuring thinner bezels and larger displays. Mentions have been made of 3024 x 1964 and 3456 x 2234 resolutions, respectively, which would offer 2x Retina for sharper images and text.
As far as what will power the new MacBook Pro models, they are expected to use an M1X chip, which is a faster, more powerful version of the M1. The new chips could offer support for up to 32GB RAM.
MagSafe connectivity is expected to make a return, replacing the USB-C connector. The Touch bar will be dropped (replaced by the traditional row of function keys), and we should see a return of the HDMI port and SD card slot.
We should also hear about when macOS 12 Monterey will launch to the public. The new Mac operating system has been in beta testing since its early summer unveiling.
Since Apple’s AirPods 3 wireless earbuds didn’t make an expected appearance at Apple’s September iPhone and Apple Watch event, we could see them make an appearance at next week’s event.
Apple plans to stream the fall event live on its website, on YouTube, and on the Apple TV app. As is usual, MacTrast will report on all of the happenings, so stay tuned.