Apple October event: iPads, Macs and everything we expect to be announced after the iPhone 14 and Watch

Andrew Griffin
Wednesday 31 August 2022 13:35 BST
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Apple is about to hold its biggest event of the year, announcing four iPhone 14s and three Apple Watches.

But then it will hold yet another international event, just a few weeks later, according to reports.

That is likely to serve as an opportunity to touch on all the things that Apple did not get time to address in its September Apple event, or which were not fully ready.

Here is everything that’s expected for that October event. (You can find predictions for the September event here, and for the iPhone 14 itself here too.)

iPads

The iPad is usually the star of Apple’s October events, and there is nothing to suggest that won’t be happening this time around.

The iPad Pro is now almost a year and a half old, and uses the now outdated M1 processor. So expect to see a new tablet with the new M2, and other upgrades.

But other iPads – such as the normal tablet that is just called the “iPad” – could get their own upgrades, too.

Macs

Just as with the iPad, there are a lot of computers waiting for their M2 upgrade. Apple is expected to release a new version of the Mac Mini – which currently runs on the M1 – as well as other updates.

Those could include the first computers to run upgraded versions of the M2, likely the M2 Pro and M2 Max. They are rumoured to be arriving in new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.

That release process would mirror the release of the M1. Apple first introduced it in the MacBook Air and Mac Mini, before unveiling bigger and more powerful versions inside bigger and more powerful laptops.

New software

Apple usually releases the new MacOS update in October, and the live-streamed event can be a nice opportunity to announce when it will arrive.

This year, Apple might also choose to announce the release date of iPadOS 16. Previously, the iPad and iPhone software updates have arrived at the same time – in September – but the iPad one is not finished this year, and needs more time.

Waiting to announce and launch that software at the October event would make sense given the focus on the iPad that is expected.

AirPods Pro

These are rumoured for the iPhone event. But they might not make it – for reasons of runtime or not being ready – and so could be shunted back to October.

You can read all about them in our predictions for the September event, here.

Augmented reality

It’s going to be the question asked of every Apple event, until the answer is yes: are we getting a look at the augmented reality headset? But this time the answer will probably be no again.

Apple has a lot to announce even with the iPhone and Apple Watch away, and so is likely to want to focus on those products, especially as the Christmas period arrives.

But it might at least give a hint about the new product. It has been so widely rumoured that a suggestion it is coming would not be a shock – and since there are no existing Apple products for it to compete with, it might not hold back sales.

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