Apple to reportedly unveil iPad Pro, MacBook Air replacement, Mac mini at Oct. 30 event

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in iPad
Apple's updated iPad Pros, set to premiere Oct. 30, will include custom Apple-designed graphics hardware -- a first in any iPad, a report claimed on Friday.

An alleged leak of what the 2018 iPad Pros will look like.
An alleged leak of what the 2018 iPad Pros will look like.


As rumored, the company is also planning to replace the MacBook Air with a new 13-inch laptop featuring slimmer bezels, Bloomberg sources said. The computer is said to be distinct from a refresh of the 12-inch MacBook, which should get a speed boost.

The report otherwise reiterated many expectations about Apple's fall lineup. The iPad Pro, for instance, should see dramatically reduced bezels, with squared-off sides closer to the look of the iPhone SE. It will also allegedly gain a TrueDepth camera for Face ID and Animoji, and switch from Lightning to USB-C.

Its processor should be a variant of the A12 Bionic in the iPhone XS and XR, presumably an "A12X." Also rumored is an updated Apple Pencil, though the Bloomberg sources didn't specify what changes are being made.

Other Mac upgrades are thought to include an overhauled Mac mini for professionals, and refreshed iMacs and iMac Pros. Bloomberg noted that some Mac products might not be shown off on Tuesday.

Apple has been moving to design more and more of its chips in-house. The process began with A-series processors in 2010, but has expanded to include things like the T2 in iMac Pros and MacBook Pros, which handles tasks like the system management controller, Touch ID, and disk encryption.

AppleInsider will be at Oct. 30's "There's more in the making" event. Keep up with our coverage by downloading the AppleInsider app for iOS, and follow us on YouTube, Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 56
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,267member
    A lot of this lines up with what Ming-Chi Kuo has said, with some differences — but it’s becoming increasingly obvious that both of them are sharing a “factory source,” maybe even the same person.

    Kuo thinks there will be a new iPad mini, new AirPods, the AirPower at last, and some of the refreshed Macs Gurman predicts, but both hedge by saying they may not be at this event but “soon”).

    I don’t think Kuo mentioned 100 percent in-house graphics on the iPad Pro, I’ll be real interested to see if that comes to pass (but it seems likely), as that’s Apple directly competing with the big hitters in the industry.

    Gurman seems to think there might be a new Apple Pencil as well (I don’t think Kuo mentioned that, did he?) and if their claim about just USB-C turns out to be right, well now we have a reason why you would need one to exist ...
    caladanian
  • Reply 2 of 56
    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    baconstangTomEwilliamlondon
  • Reply 3 of 56
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,796member
    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    Almost as ridiculous as brining up the fucking dongle argument again. My god get over it already. It's not that big of a deal. Shame on Apple for making a laptop more practical without having set in stone ports on the sides. 
    chiaLordeHawkfastasleepjeffharrisdoozydozenwilliamlondonStrangeDays1983watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 56
    macxpress said:
    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    Almost as ridiculous as brining up the fucking dongle argument again. My god get over it already. It's not that big of a deal. Shame on Apple for making a laptop more practical without having set in stone ports on the sides. 
    Less practical for anyone that ever does presentations though. And for a company that does great design those dongles are just fudging ugly. 
    baconstangkingofsomewherehotwilliamlondon1983
  • Reply 5 of 56
    So is this MacBook Air replacement still going to be called MacBook Air? And is the higher resolution screen going to be the same as what’s in the retina MacBook and MacBook Pro? Also is it going to look like the retina MacBook or be thicker and heavier? If this device gets a retina screen what’s the point of the retina MacBook? Who would buy it, especially if this new laptop is cheaper?
    1983
  • Reply 6 of 56
    netroxnetrox Posts: 1,415member
    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    Really? I have a single dongle that has USB (three ports), HDMI (one port), SDHC devices while supplying power and data to my MacBook Pro. The dongle beautifully matches my MacBook Pro and it's also thin. Some people just don't know it's possible to have a single "dock-like" dongle. I rarely use it.
    chiafastasleepjeffharriswilliamlondonStrangeDays1983jkichlinewatto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 56
    What dongles do you need for presenting? If your projector doesn’t have USB C you just connect a USB C to HDMI cable or adapter. Other than that what do you need? You can flip slides with your phone, your watch, or a Bluetooth clicker. 

    You act like presenting is some sort dark magic. At home you probably already had a USB hub for connecting things to your laptop (or you should have). The ports on MacBooks aren’t really an issue unless you never upgrade your gear or just buy a thousand dongles instead of one that fits your needs. 

    Personally my I got a TB2 to TB3 adapter and that was all I needed. 
    chiaStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 56
    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    "Various dongles" = a single HDMI to USB-C adapter. GET THE FUCK OVER IT.

    USB-C for power means you can just plug into your dock, monitor, whatever and get power as well. You can use portable power bricks from any vendor. It's the future. Magsafe means you need your proprietary Apple charger. 
    macxpressmcdavejeffharrisdoozydozenwilliamlondonchiaStrangeDays1983watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 56

    So is this MacBook Air replacement still going to be called MacBook Air? And is the higher resolution screen going to be the same as what’s in the retina MacBook and MacBook Pro? Also is it going to look like the retina MacBook or be thicker and heavier? If this device gets a retina screen what’s the point of the retina MacBook? Who would buy it, especially if this new laptop is cheaper?
    It's almost like we'll have to wait 'til Tuesday since it's clear that nobody knows the answers to any of this.
    canukstormStrangeDays1983watto_cobra
  • Reply 10 of 56

    svanstrom said:
    macxpress said:
    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    Almost as ridiculous as brining up the fucking dongle argument again. My god get over it already. It's not that big of a deal. Shame on Apple for making a laptop more practical without having set in stone ports on the sides. 
    Less practical for anyone that ever does presentations though. And for a company that does great design those dongles are just fudging ugly. 
    It's perfectly practical that the minority who regularly needs HDMI should carry the one little tool they need to get their job done. If you don't like Apple's, there are literally dozens of third party options in various shapes and colors on Amazon.
    williamlondonchiaStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 56
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,796member
    svanstrom said:
    macxpress said:
    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    Almost as ridiculous as brining up the fucking dongle argument again. My god get over it already. It's not that big of a deal. Shame on Apple for making a laptop more practical without having set in stone ports on the sides. 
    Less practical for anyone that ever does presentations though. And for a company that does great design those dongles are just fudging ugly. 
    Yes it's just so hard to plug in a USB-C to HDMI or whatever video output you need. I mean that's just ridiculous!!! 
    doozydozenwilliamlondonchiaStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 56
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,796member

    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    "Various dongles" = a single HDMI to USB-C adapter. GET THE FUCK OVER IT.

    USB-C for power means you can just plug into your dock, monitor, whatever and get power as well. You can use portable power bricks from any vendor. It's the future. Magsafe means you need your proprietary Apple charger. 
    Exactly...the old MacBook Pro, you had to plug in and also plug in a dock. You couldn't use the docking station to power the laptop and it ALWAYS had to be on the left side. Now, it can be on any side for anything from power to data. I work in a place that uses MacBook Pro's and the older models are more of a pain in the ass to setup than the newer models with USB-C where you just plug everything into the docking station and then plug ONE CABLE into the MacBook Pro. 

    Also, with the battery life of toady's laptops its not as necessary to constantly plug your Mac in, or really any modern laptop (Mac or Windows) for that matter. 
    edited October 2018 fastasleepwilliamlondonchiaStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 56
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    An iMac Pro update would make sense because the whole point of that model was to show pros that Apple still cared about them, and it would need to be regularly updated to carry that message.
    williamlondon1983watto_cobra
  • Reply 14 of 56
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    How come no leaks yet? Apple’s iPad Division must be more secure than their Cellphone Division...
  • Reply 15 of 56
    ascii said:
    An iMac Pro update would make sense because the whole point of that model was to show pros that Apple still cared about them, and it would need to be regularly updated to carry that message.
    What components could be updated? Intel hasn’t refreshed the CPUs Apple uses yet. 
    williamlondonchiafastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 56
    hentaiboy said:
    How come no leaks yet? Apple’s iPad Division must be more secure than their Cellphone Division...
    There have been iPad Pro leaks, including dimensions that indicate 9mm bezels all around on both an updated 12.9” and an 11.0” model (replacing the 10.5”). If the leaked dimensions are correct, display resolution stays the same on the 12.9”, while the 11.0” model gets a new 10:7 aspect ratio that would indicate a resolution of approx 2384x1668. Supposedly USB-C replaces the Lightning jack. FaceID will operate in both landscape and portrait. New magnetic connector. A12X, sub-6mm thickness.

    btw there was another leak that indicated the 10.5” model stayed with the same display and does not become 11.0” but the exterior dimensions supplied with that rumor were not consistent with a 10.5” display. So I tend to believe the 11.0” rumor. 
    edited October 2018 potatomanfastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 56
    I'm very sensitive to Apple messing with the MacBook Air model as it seems to be the last remnant of practical computing.

    Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port and MagSafe could be argued was an excellent design. USB-C for power feels like a step backward in that regard.

    I was at an Apple event recently and watching the presenter carry his new MacBook Pro around with various dongles hanging off to be able to connect devices was quietly ridiculous.
    "Various dongles" = a single HDMI to USB-C adapter. GET THE FUCK OVER IT.

    USB-C for power means you can just plug into your dock, monitor, whatever and get power as well. You can use portable power bricks from any vendor. It's the future. Magsafe means you need your proprietary Apple charger. 
    Since when does such abusive potty mouth incite represent the spirit of non-troll posting or constructive contribution ?

    Personally I really dislike having a bag full of costly, messy dongles that seem outdated every few years, and one can of course arrive at a meeting and be surprised by a need for something one does not have... Also one snagged USB-C cord and a $4k macbook pro flying off a desk is not something I would look forward to or consider a design 'upgrade'...

    Opinions and needs differ.  Was someone having a bad day?  Live and let live...?
    edited October 2018 williamlondon
  • Reply 18 of 56
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    ascii said:
    An iMac Pro update would make sense because the whole point of that model was to show pros that Apple still cared about them, and it would need to be regularly updated to carry that message.
    What components could be updated? Intel hasn’t refreshed the CPUs Apple uses yet. 
    They haven't refreshed them but they have announced a new addition to the line, the Xeon W 3175X with 28-cores (previous highest being 18 cores). It's not shipping until December but a new 28-core iMac Pro could ship then. 

    Also AMD is keynoting CES on Jan 9 and is expected to announce the worlds first 7nm GPUs. When the original iMac Pro was announced at WWDC 2017 it included an as yet unreleased GPU (the Vega 56/64 was not yet out).

    And it would also need whatever non-CPU and GPU upgrades the standard iMac gets. I am thinking/hoping for an HDR screen given that Apple sells HDR content on the iTunes Store, some iDevices already have this, and it would enable creative pros to create/preview HDR content.
    fastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 56
    [...] Is USB-C for power better? It's really not, it's consuming a valuable port 
    I don't understand the reasoning behind that argument. Power will always tie up a port. Whether that port is MagSafe or USB-C is irrelevant, the power cord has to connect somewhere. With MagSafe that port can only do one thing -- power the device -- and if I need it for something else, I'm out of luck. With USB-C that same port can be power or USB or HDMI or ethernet or Firewire or whatever else I want, including (and this is key) being several different things at once INCLUDING power. I can connect to an entire downstream array of devices over various protocols AND power my computer with a single port, using either a dock or multi-port adapter. I can't do any of that with a MagSafe connector.

    I don't begrudge your preference for any particular aspect of computer design, but the argument that USB-C power wastes a port is incorrect.
    chiamacxpressStrangeDaysfastasleepwatto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 56
    [...] Also one snagged USB-C cord and a $4k macbook pro flying off a desk is not something I would look forward to or consider a design 'upgrade'...
    You're overestimating the gripping power of a USB-C connection. It pops out when the cord gets snagged. I speak from experience. I share my living space with dogs who like to chase each other around the house. They frequently gather up the power cord for my MBP as they race by, and it has never once dragged the computer off the table.

    If anything, my complaint about the USB-C port is that the grip is too weak. After two years of use, my computer occasionally fails to charge overnight because bumping it can dislodge the cable just enough to disrupt power.
    williamlondonpotatomanchiaStrangeDaysmuthuk_vanalingamfastasleepwatto_cobra
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