Apple’s October 27 Event: New MacBook Pro, Air, And 5K Display

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Earlier this week, Japanese publication Mac Otakara reported that Apple would announce and release new Macs later this month. Now sources familiar with the matter have confirmed to Recode that Apple will hold the Mac event on October 27th. An upgrade to the Mac line is long overdue. The MacBook Pro hasn’t seen a major upgrade in about four years.

Experts have been encouraging potential buyers to hold off new purchases until Apple updated the Mac line. Last month, the tech giant released MacOS Sierra that brings new features like support for Siri and the ability to copy and paste between MacOS and iOS devices. So, what new hardware should we expect on October 27?

New MacBook Pro: The star of the show

The next-gen MacBook Pro will see a lot of improvements in terms of design and functionality. The new Pro will be thinner and lighter than the existing ones, with a flatter keyboard. It is going to ditch the traditional ports and MagSafe connector. The new MacBook Pro is said to feature USB-C ports and Thunderbolt 3 support.

The biggest change will be the addition of OLED touch panel to replace the physical function keys at the top of the keyboard. It will provide quick action buttons for various tasks depending on which app is open. The iPhone maker is rumored to be working with third-party developers to ensure that their apps are optimized for the new touch bar. Trademark filings suggest that the OLED touch panel could be called “Control Strip” or “Touch Bar.”

MacBook Air: 11-inch model is going to die

The rumor mill indicates that Apple is going to discontinue the 11-inch MacBook Air. It means we should expect to see only the 13-inch model at the next week’s event. The discontinuation of the 11-inch model is aimed at directing consumer attention to the 12-inch MacBook and the upcoming 13-inch Air.

According to Bloomberg, the new MacBook Air will get USB-C support, though it is unlikely to see major improvements in display quality.

A 5K external display

Apple has discontinued the overpriced Thunderbolt display, paving the way for a new one. The Cupertino company has been working with LG Electronics on a standalone 5K display that is expected to be unveiled next week. It is rumored to have a display resolution of 5120 x 2880, and a built-in GPU. Though it is too early to say how much it would cost, don’t expect it to be cheap.

New iMac

The iMac is not expected to get a major upgrade, though it could see a few under-the-hood improvements. The upcoming iMac is said to feature USB-C port and AMD graphics chips.

Apple’s event is only about a week away. The company could also introduce new peripherals like a new Magic Keyboard.

 

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