If you've been thinking about upgrading to a new MacBook, iMac, or Mac mini ...you should probably hold-off adding anything to your shopping basket for a few more days. That's because Apple has teased a blockbuster week of announcements across its lineup of computers.
Mac (😉) your calendars! We have an exciting week of announcements ahead, starting on Monday morning. Stay tuned… pic.twitter.com/YnoCYkZq6c
— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz) October 24, 2024
After weeks of rumours, Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak, confirmed plans to kickstart a "week of announcements" from October 28. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the Apple executive urged his 143,000 followers to: "Mac (😉) your calendars! We have an exciting week of announcements ahead, starting on Monday morning. Stay tuned…"
With the slew of upgrades expected to begin in a few hours, we've rounded up the latest whispers from inside the secretive Californian company. Apple is expected to unveil a range of M4-powered Macs, including new MacBook Pro, a redesigned Mac mini, and potentially updated iMacs.
The announcements come hot on the heels of a brand-new iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro, Apple Watch Series 10, and a refreshed iPad mini. All of these gadgets arrive with faster internals to support Apple Intelligence — the flagship Artificial Intelligence (AI) system announced at Apple's annual developer conference this summer.
Apple Intelligence is rolling-out in the US in October, but a UK release won't arrive until December.
The reworked Mac lineup from Apple is expected to include:
All of the above are expected to come equipped with a minimum of 16GB of RAM — a requirement to run many of the complex Apple Intelligence features on-device, ensuring faster responses and improved privacy. All of these new machines will be powered by the M4-series of chipsets.
Mac mini has stuck with the roughly the same case design since 2010, something that could change with the announcements planned by Apple in the final few days of October
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Apple started to transition its laptops and desktop PCs away from processors from Intel in November 2020. From June 2023 onwards, every computer in the Apple Store relies on its own custom-designed Apple silicon chips, which are fine-tuned specifically for its macOS software and compatibility with its other devices, like iPhone, iPad, and AirPods.
According to rumours, the Mac mini will benefit from the biggest shake-up. The new case is widely tipped to be about the size of an Apple TV 4K, potentially shedding its USB-A ports to enable the compact design. The current Mac mini has used the same case design since 2010.
Meanwhile, the refreshed MacBook Pro models are expected to keep the same case, with the primary upgrade being the jump to the faster and more efficient M4 system-on-a-chip.
Leaks suggest the Space Black colourway — previously reserved for the pricier configurations — will be coming to the entry-level 14-inch Pro with a base M4 chip coupled with 16GB of RAM. A third Thunderbolt port could be added to address previous criticisms.
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For the iMac, a chip upgrade from M3 to M4 is likely, with no major design changes anticipated.
And that's not all, Apple is also rumoured to be updating its Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard with USB-C ports, moving away from Lightning connectors.
Pricing details for the new Mac models have not yet been confirmed. However, industry analysts expect them to be in line with current price tags. That means we'd expect the Mac mini to start from £649, MacBook Pro from £1,699 for a 14-inch model and £2,599 for the 16-inch model, and iMac from £1,399.
MacBook Air was refreshed back in March with newer M3 chipsets, so tipsters believe it'll enjoy the jump to M4 on the one-year anniversary of that launch, rather than this week. The release date for these new Macs is anticipated to be shortly after the announcements, with some models falling in early November.
Apple rebooted its popular MacBook Air lineup in March 2024 with the faster M3 chipset and a choice of four colours — Starlight, Midnight, Space Grey, and Silver
APPLE PRESS OFFICEOf course, the timing will also enable Apple to capitalise on the Christmas shopping season.
Apple Intelligence features are set to launch in the United States in the coming days, bringing a host of new capabilities to compatible devices. These include Writing Tools for rewriting and proofreading, a redesigned Siri, and updates to the Photos app such as the "Clean Up" feature.
Writing Tools, powered by Apple Intelligence, are baked into the operating system and available almost anywhere there's a blinking cursor, including social media, email, and word processors APPLE PRESS OFFICE Apple Intelligence works differently from other AI systems, processing tasks on-device using the Neural Engine in recent A- and M-series chips. This approach ensures privacy and allows for offline functionality.
The system will only be compatible with Mac devices equipped with an M1 processor or newer. However, UK users will have to wait a bit longer, as Apple Intelligence isn't scheduled for release in the UK until December.
The transition to USB-C for Apple's accessories aligns with the company's broader shift away from Lightning connectors. This move is partly driven by EU legislation mandating USB-C adoption.
The new Magic Mouse, Magic Trackpad, and Magic Keyboard are expected to retain their familiar designs, with the primary change being the charging port. These updated accessories will complement the new M4 Macs, offering a fully USB-C ecosystem for Apple users.
