When’s the next Apple event? October could bring AirPods 3, new Macs and more – CNET

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Apple could host another event later this fall. 

Angela Lang/CNET

This story is part of Apple Event, our full coverage of the latest news from Apple.

Apple’s latest event was just yesterday, but gossip is already heating up about a fourth event later this year. Responding to a question about new Macs on Twitter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says that he expects “there will be two events” from Apple this fall, as usual. Gurman says the second event could focus on new Mac models and more iPads. This is a pattern Apple has followed in years past. Besides the MacBook Pro, we’re also still wondering about the release date of the rumored AirPods 3

At the company’s September event on Tuesday, Apple unveiled its new iPhone 13 lineup alongside the Apple Watch 7, iPad Mini 6 and updated entry-level iPad. The iPhone 13 lineup mirrors last year’s iPhone 12 collection with standard, Mini, Pro and Pro Max versions. The updated iPhone runs on iOS 15, which will be publicly available to install next week, and features a few camera upgrades, upped storage, a new A15 Bionic processor and more. 

Prior to Apple’s latest launch event, the company hosted two other events earlier in 2021. The first event was in April, where we saw new iPad upgrades, colorful iMacs, AirTags trackers, a purple iPhone 12 and more. (Here’s everything Apple announced in the spring.) Then, two months later, it held the annual WWDC developers event, where we saw a first look at iOS 15, MacOS Monterey (aka MacOS 12), WatchOS 8 and iPadOS 15

But what about this rumored October Apple event? Will we see a new MacBook Pro or the AirPods 3? New Macs? Read on for everything we know so far about a potential fourth Apple event happening this fall, including a rumored date and which products Apple could unveil. We’ll update this story as new information becomes available.

If you’re curious about more Apple-related dates, check out when you can preorder the iPhone 13

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When is the next Apple event? It could be in October

Apple typically hosts three to four events every year with a spring event, a summer developer conference and one or two more events in the fall. The fall events are usually held in September and October. The September event, which this year fell on Sept. 14, tends to feature new iPhones and Apple Watch upgrades, while the October event typically features new Macs and iPads, which tallies with Gurman’s prediction. 

Apple’s event pattern slightly shifted in 2020 due to production delays during the pandemic. Last year’s September Apple event unveiled the Apple Watch 6, Apple Watch SE and updated iPad models — but no new iPhone. The company later revealed the iPhone 12 in October. Last year’s Apple event was also online-only due to the pandemic. A livestream was available as usual through the company’s website. 

But this year, Apple returned to its usual September schedule with another virtual event. Since Apple has often hosted an October event throughout the past decade (with the exception of 2019, 2017 and 2015), it’s likely another Apple event is just around the corner. 

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Apple revealed the iPhone 13 at its most recent event.

Apple

New products we expect: AirPods 3, Macs and more

Apple already unveiled a slew of hardware and software upgrades during its previous 2021 events, including the iPhone 13, Apple Watch 7, iPad Mini 6 and a new entry-level iPad. But, there are still a few things we expect the tech giant to announce in the fall. We hope to see the AirPods 3, a larger iMac powered by Apple’s M1 chip, a more affordable Apple Display, and a new MacBook Pro and Mac Pro with a rumored update to Apple’s M1 chip. We’re also on the lookout for an Apple competitor to the Amazon Echo Show smart display, a soundbar with a built-in Apple TV and maybe an Apple AR/VR headset

AirPods 3

Apple’s AirPods could be getting an update sometime this year, according to an earlier report from Bloomberg. Rumors suggest the AirPods 3 will have similar features to the AirPods Pro like spatial audio support, a shorter stem, interchangeable tips and a smaller charging case. Here’s what we hope to see when the AirPods 3 are revealed, and here’s how we think the AirPods 3 will compare to the AirPods Pro.

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Apple’s new AirPods 3 could look similar to this concept design by Michael Rieplhuber. 

Michael Rieplhuber/Twitter

New MacBook Pros, Mac Pros, Mac Mini, iMac and Apple Display

Last year, Apple announced that it would be producing its own chip, known as the M1, to power its Mac. Since then, there has been speculation that Apple may soon announce a new version of its processor for the new MacBook Pro or Mac Pro.

Apple also previously announced a new iMac powered by the M1 processor, but it was only the smaller 24-inch model. Bloomberg has reported that Apple is working on processor updates for both the Mac Mini and 27-inch iMac. 

Apple may also be working on a more affordable version of its Pro Display XDR that was originally released in 2019. Bloomberg reported in January that Apple was in “early development” of a cheaper monitor. 

Echo Show competitor, soundbar with Apple TV and AR/VR headset

We could see some brand-new devices from Apple this year. This includes the possibility of an Apple competitor to the Amazon Echo Show that would fuse an entry-level iPad with a speaker, a soundbar equipped with built-in Apple TV similar to Roku’s soundbar, and an Apple augmented- or virtual-reality headset

If you’re looking for more about the latest from Apple, you can take a look at everything that was announced at the latest event. You can also check out how the iPhone 13 compares to the iPhone 12, what’s the difference between each iPhone 13 model, whether it’s still worth it to buy an iPhone 12 or iPhone 11, and everything coming in iOS 15. Plus, why isn’t the iPhone SE 3 on this list?