Apple is lining up a second hardware presentation for October 27, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The late-month gathering lands just two weeks after the company's scheduled October 13 smart home showcase, packing updates for both desktop and portable Mac lines alongside an overhauled small tablet.
Gurman reports the October 27 session will combine an online video broadcast with an in-person gathering for journalists. Apple has handled recent rollouts differently depending on the hardware category. Major presentations broadcast across the company's website, Apple TV, and YouTube, while earlier launches like the MacBook Neo relied on prerecorded clips distributed across social channels without a synchronized keynote schedule.
Leading the traditional Mac updates are spec bumps for the MacBook Pro 14 and the all-in-one desktop. Both machines move to Apple's M6 processor family. The M6 14-inch MacBook Pro is expected to retain the external chassis of the M5 version it replaces, sticking strictly to an internal silicon refresh. The M6 iMac follows the same template, arriving roughly four weeks after M6 Mac mini shipments began. Beyond internal processor gains, the desktop may pick up fresh color options.
Pricing remains an open question for both machines. Macworld points out that retail tags could rise, following the price hikes Apple introduced across several hardware lines back in June.
The event will also bring a departure for Apple's laptop catalog with the arrival of its first touchscreen MacBook. Arriving on the 20th anniversary of the original MacBook, the touch-capable model is expected to feature a trimmer, lighter build than the standard MacBook Pro. Rather than waiting on next-generation architecture, reporting indicates the touch model will run on M5 Pro and M5 Max processors. Steve Jobs famously dismissed the idea of touch-based laptop screens decades ago, arguing that vertical touch surfaces caused arm fatigue, but Apple has decided to reverse course.
Rounding out the hardware list is a refreshed iPad mini. The portable tablet supersedes the model Apple issued in 2024, swapping out its traditional panel for an OLED screen. Under the glass, the miniature tablet adopts the A20 Pro chip that first appeared inside the iPhone 18 Pro.
Apple has not yet issued formal invitations for the late October presentation. The company will first hold its smart home event in New York on Tuesday, October 13.
CDFiled by The Computing Desk
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