Six Things Apple Will Announce October 16th

There is an Apple event scheduled for October 16, which usually means there is a product announcement of some kind in the works. Here are six things to watch for during the event:

1. New iPads/iPad Minis. This is a pretty sure bet. Touch ID and some nice internal updates. Next!

2. Apple Pay Launch Date. We were told mid- October, and the 16th is mid-October. Next!

3. OS X Yosemite Release Date. A third Golden Master (GM) release has been seeded to developers, so there is a good chance we will see a release date. While I'd like it to be the day of the event, Apple's had a rough time with system software lately so it's more realistic we will get a firm release date that's down the road a little. 

4. MacBook Pro. This news, whatever it is, is a long time coming. Whether it's an improvement in specs or an end to laptops with optical drives, it's high time to update the MacBook Pro. Apple's portable line has gotten crowded. With the Retina display machines staking out the high end market, and the MacBook Air as the portability poster child, the "regular" MacBook Pro doesn't really seem to have a spot. On the other hand, those who desire portability and an optical drive, or have no desire for a Retina display are still well-served by a mid-level machine. Either way this particular model has been forsaken for long enough.

5. Mac mini. It's been almost exactly two years since the mini was updated, so this line of computers should see some sort of improvement. After all, the Mac mini has gone nearly as long as the MacBook Pro without an update. With the mini hitting the sweet spot of "switchers" and other folks who are particular about displays and keyboards, it seems It's time for the middle children of Apple's product line to get some attention. With two years or more between updates, processors have improved and system requirements for software have only increased in that time. There should be either dramatic updates or these two models should be sent to go live on a farm.

6. iMacs. Since we have seen minimal updates on the iMac, it's time for something big to happen. We got the new "teardrop" body style a couple of years ago, so there's more innovation possible here. Not with the body, but with the screen. A nice Retina display update on the iMac would do really well, giving a boost to the iMac and solidifying its reputation as an all in one with a gorgeous display. And while we're talking about gorgeous displays, let's toss in a 4K Thunderbolt Display for everyone who got a Mac Pro in the last year and was all excited until they realized there's no corresponding Apple display so the options are to use a mere mortal Thunderbolt Display or worse, buy one from (gasp) some other company and have mismatched hardware.

 

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