Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. Guides

Macs and iPads: What to expect from Apple’s keynote this Thursday

By

Tim Cook
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Ever since Apple announced the iPhone 5 back in 2012, the Cupertino-based company has opted for having two keynotes in the September-October time frame. That trend will continue this year, as Apple is set to have its second fall keynote Thursday, Oct. 16 roughly a month and a half after the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus keynote.

Last year, Apple announced the iPad Air and the iPad Mini with Retina Display, as well as a refresh to the company’s MacBook Pro lines of laptops and a release window for the Mac Pro. In addition, Apple significantly changed its desktop business model by announcing that OS X Mavericks would be a free download.

Recommended Videos

With refreshes to Apple’s laptops and tablets set to be announced, here’s a roundup of what we expect from Thursday’s keynote.

Our Roundups:

iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3

iPad Air volumeIt’s a yearly trend for Apple to refresh its tablet lineup, and this year looks to be no different, with the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina both likely receiving a refresh. Design-wise, the tablets look to be similar to their smaller siblings, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Rumors up until now have mainly focused on the iPad Air 2, with the tablet reportedly getting Touch ID and a thinner profile. In addition, a gold color option could be available for the Air 2.

Related

Most likely, the biggest design change for some users will be the alleged lack of a physical rotation lock switch. The rotation lock functionality will now be located in the Control Center on iOS 8 instead. Again, though, that design tweak was reported for the Air 2 and not the Mini 3.

Both iPads should have either the Apple A8 dual-core, 64-bit processor onboard or a beefed up version of it, possibly an A8X. The iPads will also reportedly sport an improved 8-megapixel back camera, with both tablets running iOS 8.

iPad Pro

The prospects of a larger, 12.9-inch version of the iPad has indeed made its rounds through the rumor mill. While early reports hinted that such a beast would launch in 2015, with full-scale production slated to begin in December, the demand for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus reportedly blindsided Apple. This caused a delay in the production of the so-called “iPad Pro.”

While Apple could surprise us by announcing the tablet, only to have it release sometime in early 2015, indications seem to point to that not happening.

MacBook Air with Retina Display

With the MacBook Pro line getting the Retina Display treatment, it was only a matter of time until Apple would do the same with the MacBook Air. Reports constantly brought up its 12-inch Retina Display, with the laptop powered by Intel’s new fan-less Core M processor and equipped with USB Type C connectors.

Unfortunately, the MacBook Air with Retina will likely launch sometime in early 2015, with a recent report indicating that it won’t be shown off during Thursday’s Apple keynote. Still, Apple could just as easily surprise us, but you shouldn’t hold your breath.

Refreshed iMac and Mac Mini

The Retina Display won’t stop with the MacBook Air, as Apple is set to announce a new 27-inch iMac with Retina Display. While the screen resolution has yet to be confirmed, it could lie anywhere between 4,096 x 2,304 and 6,400 x 3,600 pixels. For comparison, 4K resolution are rated at 3,840 x 2,160, though it’s worth noting that the recently-revealed DisplayPort 1.3 standard supports 5K displays with resolutions up to 5,120 x 2,880 pixels.

apple-imac-2014-left-back-angle-1500x1000
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The iMacs will also receive a general refresh, which will reportedly be powered by new processors, likely Intel’s Core M chips. An upgrade we also expect to see is a graphics card boost, possibly to Nvidia’s 900m series, which should speed it right up. The Mac Mini, meanwhile, could also see an upgrade to Intel’s Core M processor, though just about everything else is unknown at this point.

OS X Yosemite

It’s impossible to talk about Apple’s new Macs without talking about Yosemite, the upcoming version of OS X that developers and brave souls alike have been tinkering with since July. While Apple has yet to announce a firm release date, we should expect one announced on Thursday, much like Mavericks’ release date was announced last year during a similar event.

Something to keep in mind is some of Yosemite’s best features, such as Continuity, needs iOS 8.1. Reportedly, that version of iOS is slated to hit on October 18, this Saturday, so don’t be surprised if Yosemite’s release happens sooner rather than later.

Apple TV

It has been years since Apple truly updated its Apple TV platform, meaning there is a strong possibility a new model may surface. New features could include an actual app store, a visual upgrade, and many other things, but we don’t expect a full-fledged television anytime soon.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Williams Pelegrin
Williams Pelegrin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…
Apple’s new iPads look amazing, but there’s one big problem
Renders of the 11-inch and 13-inch models of the iPad Pro 2024.

After a year-long drought, Apple finally released some new iPads during its Let Loose event on May 7. Though it was just the iPad Air and iPad Pro models that were updated, we did get a 13-inch option for the iPad Air along with the standard 11-inch size, as well as iPad Pros with new OLED displays.

The iPad Airs now come equipped with an M2 chip inside, while the iPad Pros mark the debut of the new M4 chip. Exciting stuff, right? Unfortunately, as enticing as the hardware is, there is still one thing holding the iPad back -- and it's all Apple's fault.
Exciting new hardware, boring old software
iPad Air 2024 Apple

Read more
Apple’s new iPad Pro keyboard is a bigger deal than you think
iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard.

A fresh crop of iPads is here, and this time around, Apple pulled out all the stops. The new models feature an OLED display, new Pro apps, the thinnest chassis ever, and a next-gen M-processor that has yet to appear elsewhere save for the new iPad Pros. Starting at $999, Apple is charging quite some premium for its new slates. But what truly stood out to me was the new Magic Keyboard — and for multiple reasons.

This one has a full row of function keys and a dedicated escape button. For a device that wants to compete with a laptop, the lack of an escape key was quite a bummer, as was the lack of quick-control function keys. Heck, the Magic Keyboard for the base iPad got that perk, so it was an overdue tweak for the flagship iPadss.

Read more
iPad Air (2024) vs. iPad Air (2022): What’s actually different?
Renders of the iPad Air (2024) and iPad Air (2022) next to each other.

The 2024 iPad Air (left) and 2022 iPad Air Digital Trends

Apple recently introduced the new iPad Air 2024 after skipping over it for two years. While the new iPad Pro models, which are slimmer and lighter, make the Air terminology less impactful, Apple is upgrading the 2024 iPad Air with an M2 chip and adding a larger 13-inch model, largely limiting the improvements to the innards.

Read more