Apple has sent out media invites for a launch event at its Cupertino campus on October 27. The company is widely expected to take the wraps off its next-generation Macs, especially the MacBook Pro. If there was any doubt around what Apple has in store for us next week, the invite’s tagline, “hello again”, pretty much reveals it all. It is similar to the “hello” tagline used when introducing the first Macintosh computer back in 1984, which could indicate major changes coming to the Mac lineup.
The October 27 launch event kicks off at 10:00AM PDT or 10:30PM IST, and Apple will be live streaming the entire event for those who are not able to attend it. As is the norm, for the live stream to work, you will need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch running on iOS 7 or later. For desktop users, you can either use a Mac running on OS X v10.8.5 or later, or a PC running on Windows 10 with the Microsoft Edge browser. One will also be able to stream the event on an Apple TV (second or third generation) running on software 6.2 or later or the Apple TV fourth-generation.
The MacBook Pro is in dire need of a major overhaul, as it has barely changed since 2012 and has only received incremental upgrade like the inclusion of Retina Display and Force Touch trackpad. Based on what we have come across so far, the MacBook Pro lineup will get some major design changes, chief among which is the addition of an OLED touch panel placed just above the keyboard. This panel will replace the existing function keys and the onscreen OS X dock. Reports say this touch panel will let users add custom shortcut keys for functions like volume control, music playback, and it could also display various notifications. On the 13-inch model, Apple will be relocating the speakers to the sides of the keyboard in order to accommodate the OLED panel.
The power button too is set to become more useful as it will now be embedded with a Touch ID sensor. This will not only allow users to login without having to type a password, but also let one use the Apple Pay feature on MacOS Sierra. In line with Apple’s recent philosophy, the MacBooks too will be losing out on the 3.5mm audio jack. Also getting the axe will be the standard USB port, and in place of it, Apple will be offering USB Type-C port and a Thunderbolt 3 Port to connect other peripherals.
But this event is not expected to be only about the new MacBook Pro. The company is likely to kill the 11-inch MacBook Air and instead launch a new 13-inch Air with USB Type-C ports. Reports also say that we could see a new iMac desktop powered by AMD graphics chips, and a new standalone 5K monitor, boasting an integrated GPU. This monitor could be the eventual replacement to the Thunderbolt Display, which was discontinued earlier this year.
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