Apple is lining up its second product launch of October. On Monday, October 19, the company sent invitations to media and analysts for an "Apple Experience in Los Angeles" on Wednesday, October 28, under the tagline "Pro and tell," CNBC reports. 9to5Mac and The Verge put the start time at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET).
Apple's senior vice president of marketing, Greg Joswiak, teased the event on X: "Can't wait to pro and tell next week."
Not a traditional keynote
According to MacRumors, "Pro and tell" follows the same format as Apple's October 13 "Welcome home" launch. Selected members of the media get hands-on time with the new devices in Los Angeles, while everyone else sees the announcements through press releases on October 28.
The "Welcome home" launch in New York introduced the HomeView smart home hub, a second-generation HomePod mini, and an updated Apple TV 4K and Siri Remote.
What's expected
Apple hasn't said what it will announce. Based on reporting from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, as summarized by 9to5Mac, The Verge and MacRumors, the lineup is expected to include:
- Touchscreen MacBook Pro with OLED: new 14-inch and 16-inch models with OLED displays, touch support and a Dynamic Island in place of the notch. They are reported to be "significantly lighter" than the current models and to use the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.
- M6 MacBook Pro and iMac: an entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro and a 24-inch iMac with the M6 chip, which Apple recently introduced in the Mac mini. Both are expected to keep their current designs.
- iPad mini with OLED: a refreshed iPad mini with an OLED screen, a revamped speaker system and the front camera moved to the landscape edge. MacRumors reports it is expected to use the A20 Pro chip.
MacRumors reports that touch on the new MacBook Pro is expected to be an optional input alongside the keyboard and trackpad, with a reinforced hinge to keep the display steady when tapped. It also notes that OLED panels and touch modules add cost, so the new models are likely to be priced above the current MacBook Pro.
When you could buy them
MacRumors says the new Macs and iPad could launch as soon as Friday, November 6, and that pre-orders could open on October 28 if Apple follows the pattern of its smart home launch. Apple has not confirmed availability dates.
A big shift for the Mac
A touchscreen MacBook Pro would be a notable reversal. CNBC notes that Apple has historically been dismissive of touchscreen laptops; in 2018, software chief Craig Federighi said the ergonomics would fatigue users.
Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, wrote in a note on Monday that he expects new Macs this fall, "including a touchscreen notebook," according to CNBC. He said the launch cadence under CEO John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook last month, marks a "meaningful shift" from Apple's usual two events a year. October 28 will be Apple's third launch of Ternus' tenure, after the iPhone event that introduced the foldable iPhone Duo and the New York smart home launch.
Some context from CNBC: the iMac hasn't been updated since October 2024, and Macs accounted for about 10% of Apple's revenue in the most recent quarter.
