Tim Cook really focuses harder on revenue than Steve did, IMO. In this regard, you want to keep your product pipeline running with fresh product. He knows the MBP M1x will have record sales for this last quarter. Not much need to stack more new product on this release. He will want something big for first quarter 2022. Maybe more Mac then. Second quarter iPhone/iPad, and on and on. I wouldn't expect more than a few products on Monday. Talk of MBP's, iMacs, Minis at the same time is highly questionable. From a business perspective.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What to Expect From October 18 'Unleashed' Apple Event: New MacBook Pros, AirPods 3 and More
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Attaching an HDMI cable to a laptop makes it really difficult to use the laptop. It can’t be moved around without stressing the connection. It becomes “leashed”
I hope “Unleashed” means wireless video.
And I hope “Unleashed” also means a built-in battery for iMac and Mini, so they can be unplugged without crashing.
I hope “Unleashed” means wireless video.
And I hope “Unleashed” also means a built-in battery for iMac and Mini, so they can be unplugged without crashing.
This implies the Intel mini WAS THE HIGH END. It certainly isn’t when you compare outright performance M1 vs Intel minis.
To be honest, I don't think they will refresh the Mac mini on Monday. The update cycle was 2 years standard (we even had 4 years between 2014 and 2018), a decade ago we had almost a yearly cycle, oh and before that sometimes even 2 refreshes a year (!). But that time is long gone.
I think, the main focus will be on these new (larger) Macbook Pros.
It can happen, that they will - maybe - show an updated (larger) iMac with this rumored M1X or M2 chip, but I think this will be more in 2022 - spring time. So don't have high hope, guys and girls!
I think, the main focus will be on these new (larger) Macbook Pros.
It can happen, that they will - maybe - show an updated (larger) iMac with this rumored M1X or M2 chip, but I think this will be more in 2022 - spring time. So don't have high hope, guys and girls!
Nor can the 50 display or data projector that you're connecting it to.
Wireless video has been supported for years - in a perfect universe where all meeting rooms have AirPlay compatible devices, someone in the room knows how to make it work, the security is set so people can actually use it, the organiser has remembered to pay for WiFi and got the correct WiFi password and there isn't some obscure problem with Macs discovering the AppleTV...
Back in the real world, the inconvenient truth is that HDMI is the industry standard interface for consumer AV equipment - and even though finding a projector with HDMI rather than VGA probably still puts you ahead of the game - but then VGA is actually technically obsolete and far too bulky to fit in a modern laptop.
Meanwhile, a boring old HDMI cable may be old tech, but it is more likely to work best-out-of-three times. Can't even say that about flakey USB-C-to-HDMI (via displayport) active cables.
As for "unleashed": with Apple Silicon replacing an i9 space heater and discrete GPU then the battery life c.f. the old 16" is likely to be bloody impressive. It's going to be able to do a lot more work between charges. No need to over-think it.
Sure would be nice for Apple to create a app to update AirPods firmware, a new AirPods 3 coming and still a dumb way to update firmware, come on Apple wake-up, how about a new way to update firmware for AirPods, rather than sitting for hours and NO update, let’s get a app for that.
This is not a standard update. Apple is trying to get all of their computers migrated to Apple Silicon as soon as they can. That is going to mean faster transition cycles than normal. Once everything is on AS, they can settle into a more predictable update cycle. I suspect that they will do processor updates more often than before as they have full control and the change will be less expensive to prepare with large numbers of their computers on the same processors.
Yes, the low end mini was updated last year, but the higher end mini was not and still struggles with the Intel processors. Apple will want to bring that into alignment with the rest of the line and an M1X chip is ideal for that higher end mini. This would be an appropriate time to make that transition.
Oh boy. I had one of those flush SD card drives back in the day. Slow as a dog.
To answer the rhetorical question that is in the article’s title, not friggin’ much. I expect typical incremental and mostly lackluster updates. I’ll be pleasantly surprised if we actually see a true M1X or even a true M2. I hope we do see those, but I’m not holding my breath. Timmie boy likes to squeeze pennies until they scream, so don’t expect too much unless they raise the prices significantly. And of course, all the hype is usually just that, total friggin’ hype by internet influencers who don’t know their backsides from a sinkhole in the ground. I’m actually embarrassed to see so many fan club members that are stupid enough to get sucked in by all the hype every darn time Apple announces an event. History is a pretty clear indicator, and history loudly suggests some incremental updates that really are not that impressive.
Like a camel following behind you thru the desert, if you have at your disposal a cheap option you bought years ago to help carry more load at times, it can be worth every penny.
After the new smaller iMac, and the kvetching over it's features, and apparently 'non-stellar' performance, I'm prepared to be underwhelmed by Tuesday morning. The Air Pods won't be a huge deal for me, and unless they release a 32" iMac, why would I want to buy the new hotness. *shrug*
The only argument against your 'incremental update' rant, however, is that it's widely expected that all the new hotness will have souped-up Apple silicon under the hood. That is not incremental, in my mind. Whether it turns out to be earth shaking (galaxy shaking?) remains to be seen. Who knows. They could release a totally new form factor for an iMac model, or a radically updated Mac Mini.
Stay tuned, I guess...
Obviously you must drive your MacBook like a Ferrari in pursuit for 8 hours a day, needing all ports active at all times and don't mind an octopus dangling from your camel, I mean, MacBook at times. Assuming you're using each and every port 24/7 when on the road or when moving around all day, I'm sorry to hear one port will limit your workflow. Many of us prefer a clean, all-in-one tentacle-free solution. Something much less messy and easy to tote around without a dongle bag, and since we load up all our usb-c ports only some of the time.
If macrumors posts were limited to airs of blissful satisfaction, then how fun would that be?
UHS-2 cards are now around 300MB/s which is around twice the speed of a 7200RPM platter drive.
I expect better CSAM and further locking on the platform.
News at 6.
Saving a lot of money and preparing for incoming global recession is more adequate priority for me.
May be if I win the lottery and someone gets around Apple restriction for running Linux on M hardware I will think again.
News at 6.
Saving a lot of money and preparing for incoming global recession is more adequate priority for me.
May be if I win the lottery and someone gets around Apple restriction for running Linux on M hardware I will think again.
The same can be said about what you just said. You have a laptop with a freakin' NVMe PCIe4 SSD. Why the F would you want add-in memory via a SD Card? CFExpress makes far more sense to many people. It's 2021 and SDCard is archaic relative to the I/O in that space since.
The HDMI port better be HDMI 2.1. That's the only sensical option–especially if they have a 120hz display on the laptop itself. It seems they have a pretty conservative/old-school lead running the show of MacBooks now.
USB4/Thunderbolt 4, CFEXpress, and a HDMI 2.1 port is what the new Macbooks should be solely pushing.
Personally bummed they don't have a OLED Panel and they don't have a direct successor of the touchbar more rivaling the Zenbook Pro Duo that makes Apple's secondary screen look silly.
A larger secondary display with Apple Pencil support makes a whole lot of sense, but I personally would want that to be a new SKU to upsell to legit professionals.
Last edited:
I really, REALLY hope you're wrong. That's the worst idea I've heard in decades. 🤮
And several people have needs similar to his. Me included. I used to want the HDMI port back. No more. I'd rather have the 4th USB-C there. That way I can use that EVERY DAY instead of just at those times I happen to need HDMI. And I do still hate dongles, but I've hit the reality enough times not to want to bother with HDMI or SD card slots. Dropping the amount of ports down to 3 and including a proprietary charger shows how far Apple has fallen from where it once was.