Apple to debut new Macs at Oct. 27 event, report says

MacBook Pro render. | Source: Martin Hajek

A report on Tuesday puts a date to rumors regarding an impending Mac hardware refresh, saying Apple will announce all new computer models at an Oct. 27 media event.

Citing sources familiar with Apple's plans, Re/code reports the company intends to refresh its Mac computer lineup at an as-yet-unannounced special event "at or near" Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. The report fails to mention specific models set for debut, but recent rumors point to the release of three laptops, including a revamped MacBook Pro.

On Monday, a report citing Chinese supply chain sources said Apple would take the wraps off 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro models and a new 13-inch MacBook Air iteration by the end of October. Those claims were reiterated in a separate report earlier today, which noted the 11-inch MacBook Air would be left without an update.

While Apple's upgrade path for the MacBook Air series is unclear, rumors suggest the Pro models will benefit from a new OLED "Control Strip" set to replace the laptop's top row of function keys. Well-connected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first brought word of OLED touch bar integration in a note to investors in May, saying the component will display app-specific contextual commands and common system controls.

Apple is also rumored to incorporate Touch ID technology into its upcoming MacBook Pro lineup. Though an exact implementation is unknown, it can be theorized that the fingerprint sensor will simplify security and enable Apple Pay, facilitated through macOS Sierra's support of the payments system.

If Re/code's sources are correct, Apple's forthcoming Mac hardware release will arrive just in time for the lucrative holiday shopping season.

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76 Comments

ericlmercer

About 7 years ago

Yes! And none too soon... Bring it Apple!

entropys

Do you hear the people sing?

Doodpants

It had better not just be laptops; their desktop Macs are also in dire need of a refresh. I'm itching to replace my 2010 Mac Mini, either with a new Mac Mini or an iMac.

wreighven

My body is ready, but my wallet is not!

It is the light before dawn.

In the trench young fanboys nervously tussle as they are formed into lines by wizened MacHeads riding 2011 iMacs. The fanboys nervously finger their credit cards, their minds turning over the stories told last night by their machead manager of the days when MacBook Pros were cutting edge and the laptop against which all other laptops were measured. They are not sure they should believe someone with grey streaks in his hair. What would they know about the world? But there is a nervous hope.

A French horn quietly lows in the distance, ta dah....ta dah...a tremble moves through the lines like a slow ripple on a quiet pond. Tim Cook slowly emerges from the fog behind the assembled troops. He is astride an i7 rMBP, the seat looking slightly uncomfortable as it has been some time since Cook took a macbook for a spin. With new focus, he realises his mind has been diverted to other, inconsequential matters for too long.

Cook rallies with a speech to rival that in Shakespeare's Henry V. The fanboys check their iphones' Apple Pay button with new resolve and look ahead intently.

The night is getting lighter.

To be continued....