Image: techbeat.com
French site MacG, which has an imperfect track-record, claims to have been given the dates on which the new MacBook Pros, iPads and Mac Pro will go on sale. The claimed dates are:
- MacBook Pro on October 24th or 25th
- iPad 5 and iPad Mini 2 on October 30th or 31st
- Mac Pro on November 15th
With Apple’s media event scheduled for 22nd October, this would put the MacBook Pros on sale very quickly indeed, just two or three days later.
However, the iPad and Mac Pro dates do not make as much sense. Apple has typically launched its new iPad models on Fridays (or Saturday for the original version), making it unlikely that the new tablets would hit store shelves on a Wednesday or Thursday (as the MacGeneration report claims).
As for the Mac Pro, that machine is a built-to-order computer, so perhaps it would be difficult to pinpoint an actual launch date for that product. MacG also happened to have claimed that Apple’s event would occur today, so that does not add much credibility to these new claims.
Below is what we’re expecting to see for each product …
For the MacBook Pros, the key selling point will be Haswell processors. This will substantially boost battery-life (Haswell-powered MacBook Airs almost doubled the battery-life of the previous models) and possibly allow them to drive 4K displays. It’s also possible for the front-facing camera to be upgraded to 1080p.
The iPad 5 is expected to have the same slim bezel design as the current iPad Mini, to be thinner and lighter than the current model, available in the same colors as the iPhone 5s, be powered by the same A7 chip and to have a larger-aperture 8MP rear camera. We’ve heard conflicting rumors about whether it will have a Touch ID fingerprint sensor or whether Apple will want to keep that as a unique-selling-point for the iPhone 5s (for now).
The key new feature of the iPad Mini 2 is expected to be a Retina display, though we understand that a non-Retina version has also been tested internally, possibly as an entry-level model. The Retina display will require a beefier battery, so we’re expecting it to be very marginally thicker and wider. We’re expecting it to have a variant on the A7 chip from the iPhone 5s, while the non-Retina version – if launched – will likely have an A6.
The Mac Pro has, of course, already been announced. Key features are lightening-fast PCIe-based flash storage, dual-workstation GPUs, Thunderbolt 2 and the ability to support up to three 4K displays.
In the Apple product pipeline is also a refreshed Apple TV, new versions of iWork, an updated version of Final Cut Pro and to confirm the release date for Mavericks – though we have wondered whether all this might be too much for one event.
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With this I’d expect to see an update to Apple’s monitor offering.
It’s interesting – with 4K support, you’d expect Apple to launch a 4K monitor, yet there haven’t even been any wild rumors
It would be nice to see a Cinema update, but that will happen when the hardware is ready. My guess is it isn’t quite there yet. Maybe next year.
What Mark said. I would expect a new monitor at least before the Mac Pro goes on sale; would be spectacularly odd for them to finally intro the new Mac Pro and try to sell you a 2+ year old monitor for it.
Finally i would like to see a 27 inch display that size on same level/height as the 27″ iMac does, without that annoying step from one to another when you place them side by side.
sits, not size
Why aren’t you expecting an A7X for the iPad 5? Normally, the iPad gets an improved AX chip. (iPad 3 and 4)
I’m going to guess because the A5X and A6X has quadcore graphics unlike the Dual and Tri-core GPU’s of the A5 and 6. The A7 already has a Quad-Core GPU.
Not to mention they say it’s expected to have “a variant of the A7” – which leaves room for it to be an A7X or something completely different.
It’s really just nomenclature, but there may be no reason to call it A7X if it is indeed the same chip as found in the iPhone 5s. But, it seems unlikely that Apple wouldn’t demand more performance out of the iPad than iPhone, and therefore have an enhanced version of the A7 deployed in it. Whether A7X is the right terminology or not, depends on what it is. Maybe it will be “A7&” with octo-core graphics :)
The real miss in this article is expecting iPad mini 2 to run any variant of the A7. The mini will almost certainly run the A6X chip. Cheaper fabrication, volume production not an issue, performance differentiation from the flagship model, and without Touch ID it doesn’t demand anything newer.
Yes, I totally agree with you. Fewer different iPad models would also lower fabrication costs. All together Apple is selling 64 different iPad models at the moment (worldwide!). With the gold option and the 5c the are also more iPhone models. Would I make sense to sell only WiFi+Cellular iPad 5 with 32/64/128GB in three colors and probably fewer iPad models with or without retina?
I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see two iPad Mini models. The new upgraded retina model might be a bit more expensive, so they could either make a new non-retina revision or just keep last year’s model around at a lower price.
It would be pretty similar to what they did with the iPad 2 when the iPad 3 came out.
No, it wouldn’t be similar at all. The iPad did not increase in price because it got a Retina display.
The iPad mini 2 will not go up in price because it get’s a Retina display. If anything, the iPad mini 1 will remain in the lineup at a lower price. But I’m not as convinced as others that this is doable for Apple.
Apple would have to significantly differentiate the two mini’s on price…and there isn’t that much room to go…a mere $50 reduction would put it at $279, awkwardly close in price to the flagship model, to the point of negligible……And, Apple couldn’t afford to drop the 16 GB mini by $100 to $229. If they did, they would give up most of their margin, and they wouldn’t sell a single iPad mini 2, as this cheap iPad would canalize the crap out of all other models. Bad move.
No, I believe the new Retina mini will be the only mini. It doesn’t make financial sense for Apple to do anything else.
If, and I mean IF Apple decides to keep the iPad Mini 1st Generation – I can only see them doing it in the same fashion as the iPhone 5C, plastic casing and a slight reduction on price maybe $249 and only available in 16gbs. This could cannibalize their iPad Mini 2 sales unless they make a strong case for buying the 2 – aka lots of new features like Retina, Touch ID and so on.
There is no such product made by Apple called “iWorks”. It’s iWork! It will be nice to see a new version to replace the tired old 2009 version we currently have.
Typo corrected, thanks
Why would they release iPads on a Wednesday or Thursday? iPads and iPhones are always released on a Friday for maximum launch weekend sales.
Will these products be releases only in USA on 24 october and 30 october or also in for example the Netherlands
I’d guess USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, China and a few select others on launch day with the rest of Western Europe following a few weeks later.
Any updates for the mac mini? : )
No Mac Mini upgrade?!?
It’ll probably fall to the same fate as the iMac – updated, just not talked about.
It makes a little sense for me. It would be great if Apple serves MacBook Pro 2013 on time with latest OS X 10.9.
Has anyone seen any update mentions for the Apple TV? I’ve been looking to buy one, but if they’re going to be updating it in a few weeks I’d rather wait. I just haven’t seen any mentions of possible changes they’d make to it.
I’d wait until Oct. 22nd at least. They probably won’t have another event after this one – at least not an event just for the Apple TV – unless they’re launching the rumoured Apple TV DVR. So, if they announce everything in the article on Oct 22nd go buy one. If they leave out something like the Mac Pro – I’d wait.
There is one issue I have with this article: the Macbook Pro. I don’t see Apple only updating the machines to Haswell and maybe a 1080p Facetime camera. They last refreshed the machines in February 2013 by doubling the standard amount of RAM to the maximum 16gbs. The last gen rMBP was released in July 2012 – over a year ago. Then in early October they upgraded the iMac to a faster PCIe technology, 802.11 ac, Stand-alone NVIDIA graphics and Haswell chips. So, you’re going to tell me that Apple has the ability to outfit it’s Pro notebooks with 802.11ac wireless and 50% faster flash storage and they’re going to choose to not do it! Please! I see the MBP getting everything the iMac’s got updated at a minimum.
I’m sure they’ll have 802.11ac, likely PCIe.
Will there be any new iPod’s like maybe a 6th Generation Touch and an 8th Generation Nano?
The first time I read this I thought you mentioned no upgrade to non-retina MBP, now I’m not seeing it. I’ve seen that rumored elsewhere, but I’m just wondering if you know much one way or the other.
Will they move the rMBP down to the non-rMBP price range and just get rid of the older ones if they don’t update them? Or just leave them alone to die off next year sometime, while still selling the non-updated, non-retinas as entry level MBPs?
We’ve heard nothing about them, so my money is on no update for sure. Whether they will remain on sale or be killed off is the question. Apple likes to simplify it’s product lines as much as possible, and has the Airs as entry-level machines, so I can see a distinct possibility that they’ll be quietly withdrawn.
The only “lightening” with regards to the Mac Pro will be your wallet. The PCIe flash memory will be “lightning” fast.
Also, what about Mac Mini spec bumps (Haswell, please?) in the pipeline?
the sale on 24 or 25th October on the mac book pro only on specific country ?