Apple says a virtual event, titled “Unleashed”, will be held on October 18 at 10am PT, where new MacBook Pros with M1X are expected

Apple today announced that it will be holding a special event on Monday, October 18 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

MacRumors 2021-10-14 Juli Clover

Context & Ripple Effects

Apple had already used a dedicated November event for Apple Silicon Macs in 2020. An immediately preceding report that the October event was rumored left the timing and format unconfirmed.

The official event notice turns that expectation into a defined launch window, with MacBook Pros expected to be the focal hardware. Related event-preview coverage places the Macs within a broader Apple software-and-accessories announcement cycle.

First-order effects

Apple has set an official virtual forum for its next Mac announcement, while M1X MacBook Pros remain expected rather than formally confirmed.
MacBook Pro coverage shifts from event speculation to scrutiny of what Apple actually unveils on October 18.

Second-order effects

Attention around the event expands beyond laptops: later event-preview coverage also ties AirPods 3, a redesigned Mac mini, and macOS Monterey to the same announcement window.
Apple concentrates several product narratives into one virtual presentation, making the MacBook Pro reveal the anchor for how that event is judged.

Third-order effects

Alongside the 2020 Apple Silicon launch event and a later virtual Mac event, the announcement supports a pattern of Apple using streamed events as recurring milestones for Mac and chip-transition messaging.

The trend: Apple is making virtual events a repeatable format for concentrating major Mac and Apple Silicon product-cycle announcements.

Discussion

@gregjoz Greg Joswiak on x
Unleashed! These next six days are going to speed by. #AppleEvent https://twitter.com/...
@dylandkt Dylan on x
MacBook Pro 14 and 16: Mini Led displays Smaller bezels with no bottom logo 1080p webcam Base models will have 16gb of ram and 512gb of storage Base M1X is the same configuration for both models Pricing will be similar between 14 and 16 inch New charging brick
@dsccross Ross Young on x
@VadimYuryev ... Yes, new 14" and 16" MacBook Pro's will have miniLEDs and we believe they will also be 120Hz refresh.
@dsccross Ross Young on x
Panel suppliers are the same between the iPad Pro's and MacBook Pro's - LG Display and Sharp. Expecting similar technology - oxide backplanes, miniLED backlights and 120Hz refresh rates. MiniLEDs, 100% confirmed.
@mkbhd Marques Brownlee on x
October 18th Apple Special event is official! (Cue everyone looking so hard for all the M1X clues) https://twitter.com/...
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
Here's a question: will Apple call the new MacBook Pro chip the M1X or the M2X (or something else entirely)? M1X made sense 6 months after the M1, but now the M1X might sound outdated when the Air gets the M2 by mid next year. Impact of delays.
@dsccross Ross Young on x
@MaxWinebach 120Hz with oxide and miniLEDs.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
It's official: Apple event Oct. 18. Here comes the new MacBook Pro. https://twitter.com/...
@iphonedo @iphonedo on x
I see, I see :)) #AppleEvent ["Unleashed" event pic next to Star Wars ship entering hyperspace]
@backlon Dieter Bohn on x
Been a while since Apple has held an event on a Monday (honestly can't remember the last one!) which clearly means MacBooks because both words start with M.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
Another path Apple could choose to take: M1 Pro for the 16 core GPU, and M1 Max for the 32 core GPU. Both chips with the same 10-core CPU. Leverages the popular “M1” name. https://twitter.com/...
@film_girl Chriscreama Warren on x
Christina is about to be broke in the best way! https://twitter.com/...
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
If you didn't catch my latest video, the configurations for the new MacBook Pro will be 16gb of RAM and 512gb SSD to start, upgradable to 32gb (no 64), and then 1, 2, 4, or 8tb of storage. As far as I'm aware this is on the 14" as well! https://www.youtube.com/...
@rsgnl Joe Rossignol on x
Another guess: The new MacBook Pro models have Ethernet built into the power adapter like the colorful 24-inch iMac. This + HDMI port + SD card reader + magnetic power cable would pretty much bring us back to the 2011 MacBook Pro. https://twitter.com/...
@migueldeicaza @migueldeicaza on x
When you are an Apple user, every month is a treat to your computing journey. So psyched for this: https://www.apple.com/...
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on x
My bet would still be on the obvious M1X name though. An M2 introduction is still eight months away at least, and Apple hasn't shied away from this in the past when the iPad had A12X but iPhone was getting A13 in the same year (etc).
@rsgnl Joe Rossignol on x
This remains my guess... that we get more new Macs than just the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models at the #AppleEvent on Monday. Emphasis on the fact that I'm purely guessing. https://twitter.com/...
@rsgnl Joe Rossignol on x
@markgurman The invites still went out the Tuesday prior. To me it feels like Apple might have been planning for Tuesday the 19th and bumped up to Monday due to Google's event. (Even though Apple would receive the most attention if the events were held on the same day.) But hey, …
@christianselig Christian Selig on x
I really hope that the rumors Mini LED MacBooks mean not only better dynamic range but also just plain brighter. Let me code outside in the crisp fall air! 🍂
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on x
I am apprehensive about the colour choices but luckily Apple is hesitant to give pros exotic colour choices so Soace Gray here we come. But damn, I'd kill for a matte black. https://twitter.com/...
@drbarnard David Barnard on x
I'll take two, please! (No really, I postponed getting a @RevenueCat work laptop until these were available. And I'm finally going to replace my 2015 iMac with a laptop for personal and @Contrast work.) https://twitter.com/...
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
Controversial opinion: The only thing that's overpriced about the Mac with Apple Silicon is the storage. Other manufacturers give you more for less, but in every other area Apple is no longer overpriced.
@reckless Nilay Patel on x
Just let me preorder the ARM MacBook Pro now. Why do this dance
@hayatohuseman Hayato Huseman on x
I'm down so bad for a new MacBook Pro https://twitter.com/...
@bzamayo Benjamin Mayo on x
I like the sound of M1 Pro. M1 Max not so much, but not sure it's necessary; 32-core GPU would just be an option, no extra branding needed. https://twitter.com/...
@migueldeicaza @migueldeicaza on x
The only downside of this Apple event, is that I am going to have to replace the visuals in my award winning TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/...
@dohyun854 @dohyun854 on x
So many events in Techtober(Tech + October)! Oct 18th - Apple Event Oct 19th - Pixel Fall Launch Oct 20th - Galaxy Unpacked Part 2 Oct 26th - Samsung Developer Conference 2021 Oct 26th - Xperia New Product Announcement
@laurengoode Lauren Goode on x
Everything will be wireless. You will never untangle cables again. Your MacBook Pro will charge over the air. You will communicate via brainwaves instead of FaceTime. You will have AirPods implanted in your https://twitter.com/...
@emkwan @emkwan on x
Apple is about to SLAY the laptop market... It's going to be a bloodbath 😂
@reneritchie Rene Ritchie on x
One thing I keep wondering is if something like the ProRes hardware acceleration blocks weren't maybe designed for M1X and then brought over to A15? Pure speculation, but there could be hybrid “A14” and “A15” IP in M1X, depending on the timeline? https://www.youtube.com/... https…
@reneritchie Rene Ritchie on x
A12Z came out 6 months after A13, but it's a marketing decision at the end of the day Personally, I think changing numbers in a way that doesn't reflect IP generation would be confusing... for me. https://twitter.com/...
@supersaf Safwan AhmedMia on x
Apple only use Facebook to update their Cover Photo #AppleEvent 🤔 https://twitter.com/...
@tailosivetech @tailosivetech on x
It'll be interesting to see how Apple screws up the MacBook Pro colors this year #AppleEvent
@reckless Nilay Patel on x
I am like not even really interested in the specifics of this laptop, just take the money now and send me one when it's ready
@vadimyuryev Vadim Yuryev on x
Most likely M1X. Generation matters more than sounding outdated. The 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro used A12X and A12Z while the less expensive iPads were receiving A13 and A14 chips. M1X will be based on the ARMv9 A15 chip. M2 will be built on ARMv9. A16 will be based on the M2 chip. ht…
@cherlynnlow Cherlynn Low on x
I'm telling my kids this was Xavier and Magneto [photo of Tim Cook having a dinner with a person that looks like Sundar Pichai]
@lukemiani Luke Miani on x
Think of MacBook Pro 14" and 16" like MacBook Pro and MacBook Pro Max. They're probably gonna have more or less the same internals with the difference being screen size. (Lol what if they actually call it MacBook Pro Max)
@ijustine @ijustine on x
Are we finally gonna let that 16in apple silicon off it's leash?! 🙏🏻 https://twitter.com/...
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
In all my years covering Apple, I don't think I've received more questions (keep them coming!) about any product than about the new MacBook Pro. There are high expectations and lots of anticipation.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
The rare Monday Apple event. Google is showing off the Pixel 6 on Tuesday — who knows if Apple wanted to avoid doing their launch on the same day, but I would be surprised if that was the primary reason. https://twitter.com/...
@thisisnoahevans Noah Evans on x
Leaked photo of Sundar Pichai convincing Tim Cook to move the Apple event to Monday [photo of Tim Cook having a dinner with a person that looks like Sundar Pichai]
@darth Darth™ on x
apple dog https://twitter.com/...
@anildash Anil S. Pumpkins on x
Wow I can't believe Apple is announcing the new MacBooks Pro next week and all that they've done is replaced the Touch Bar with a row of function keys that use scissor switches, and replaced the keyboard with five full-width touch bars that have letters on them instead of keys.
@stroughtonsmith Steve Troughton-Smith on x
It's been a well over a decade since a MacBook has made me envious of anything, as an iPad user. Really hoping an M1X/M2X does exactly that (...and hope it ends up in a 15" iPad someday)
@mikeelgan Mike Elgan on x
The dark-horse reading of the tea leaves for deciphering the “unleashed” clue is that Apple will release a robot dog. https://twitter.com/...
@tonyromm Tony Romm on x
all i care about is making this keyboard less garbage https://twitter.com/...
@epro Emil Protalinski on x
I hear these MacBook Pros might include a working keyboard https://twitter.com/...
@tailosivetech @tailosivetech on x
Few curve balls with this #AppleEvent announcement! For 1: 1st Monday October Event EVER For 2: Closest Turn Around between Invites to Event. ONLY 6 Days Notice! For 3: Recycled Hashflag from Last Event Looks like Apple wanted to give the Google event some room to breath 🤣 https:…
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
I think if you look closely you can see an SD card slot? https://twitter.com/...
@backlon Dieter Bohn on x
Anyway, very nice of Apple to hold its event on the 18th and not counterprogram the Google Pixel Launch on the 19th. I take this to mean that the two companies are now besties so iMessage is coming to Android and RCS is coming to iPhone and also puppies for everybody.
@apollozac Zac Hall on x
airtag dog collar confirmed https://twitter.com/...
@rsgnl Joe Rossignol on x
#AppleEvent announced on Monday, October 18 sounds like Apple didn't want to overlap with Google's event on October 19 — even though Apple would easily get more attention than Google if that happened.
@julipuli Juli Clover on x
Woohoo! I cannot wait for new MacBook Pros, mine is so broken. https://twitter.com/...
@ashleevance Ashlee Vance on x
When it takes Apple a month to deliver a laptop, you know the world's supply chains are real messed up
@om @om on x
It is quite likely that with this new media invite, the new Apple Laptops (MacBooks with new chips) are coming soon. Maybe they will be “Unleashed” on Oct 18?
@panzer @panzer on x
Battery powered Mac Pro confirmed https://twitter.com/...
@richontech Rich DeMuro on x
Whoa, another Apple event next week! https://twitter.com/...
@andrewmartonik Andrew Martonik on x
The rare *Monday* Apple event. Smoothly dodging a conflict with Google's Pixel 6 event on Tuesday. https://twitter.com/...
@backlon Dieter Bohn on x
If you THINK about it, a USB-C cable for a MacBook Pro is technically a LEASH and if you switched to MAGSAFE it would be UNLEASHED brb updating my conspiracy yarn board. https://twitter.com/...
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
Next week is going to be busy. Apple event on.. a Monday! https://twitter.com/...
@gautam_thapar Gautam Thapar on x
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2 for 2021 on 20th October lol.. 18th Apple Event 19th Google Pixel Event 20th Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Next week is going to be an awesome week!😂 https://www.youtube.com/...
@jetscott Scott Stein on x
Thursday and Friday are still available https://www.cnet.com/...
@theromit Romit Mehta on x
I feel for the live bloggers, hands-on'ers and tech media in general ... 18th Apple, 19th Pixel, 20th Samsung. Brutal. Stay hydrated, stretch well! :-) https://www.techmeme.com/...
@backlon Dieter Bohn on x
So there's a THIRD TECH livestream keynote next week? Samsung just couldn't stay away, could it? The gadget news, it's a lot. https://www.theverge.com/... https://twitter.com/...

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