Apple will use the month of October to shake up its smart home lineup with some new and upgraded devices and potentially several new Macs, based on reliable sources and reports.
Apple will also announce the official launch of the iPhone Duo on Friday, October 23. Pre-orders for the foldable iPhone begin Friday, October 16 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time. We're also waiting on Apple to announce the release the Mac Studio with M5 Ultra chip in a 512GB configuration. Apple previously said the option would be available in late October.
Home Products
On the home front, Apple will unveil an updated HomePod mini and Apple TV 4K, according to Bloomberg. Apart from some new color options for the mini (including pink and green) and an updated Siri Remote for the set-top box, the two devices will look largely the same as the current models, with the main changes happening inside.
The HomePod mini will feature a newer chip, improved sound quality, Apple's N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip, and it will support Siri AI, Apple's reimagined voice assistant for the generative AI era.
The Apple TV 4K will also get a new chip (likely to be the A19 or A19 Pro), along with increased memory (12GB of RAM, up from 8GB) for Apple Intelligence and Siri AI support, and an Apple-designed N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 support.
The brand-new product is expected to be Apple's long-awaited smart home hub device. It is said to feature a square 6-inch display, with versions that can be placed on a countertop or mounted on a wall. Users will be able to control smart home devices, make video calls and intercom-style messages, play audio, and view slideshows of photos.
Apple will also pitch it as an information hub for the kitchen, with the ability to watch videos and look up recipes with voice commands.
Expect it to feature Siri AI, an A18 chip or newer for Apple Intelligence, a FaceTime camera on the front, and microphones and speakers in its connected base. It could also come in multiple colors. You can read our full report in another article.
Apple plans to introduce the new smart home products on Tuesday, October 13, according to Bloomberg.
New Macs and iPads
The following products will be announced on or around Tuesday, October 27, according to Bloomberg.
Apple will also announce new Macs and iPads. New 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with touchscreen OLED displays and M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are on the way. The new MacBooks are expected to have a Dynamic Island-like cutout for the FaceTime camera, a lighter design, and potentially an Apple C1X or C2 modem for 5G connectivity.
Apple will also introduce new 24-inch iMacs with the M6 chip and new color options. We're also expecting a new base 14-inch MacBook Pro with the vanilla M6 chip.
We'll also see a long-awaited new iPad mini with an OLED display. It is said to feature an A20 Pro chip, a landscape FaceTime camera, a redesigned speaker setup, and a water-resistant design.
Bloomberg says both the October 13 and October 27 product launches will include "an online video presentation" as well as a hands-on experience for members of the media. Stay tuned to MacRumors for all the latest news and updates.
