Why You're Failing At Predictions For Apple's October Event: iPad 10th Gen With USB-C, M2 iPad Pro And Macs Coming At The Event According To Gurman

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If you follow super-visor and insider-y Apple news, then you might have heard that Apple has three keynotes planned for the remainder of 2018. The first was on Sept. 12 in Tokyo, where we saw the new iPhones and a brief update on the HomePod. The second was on Oct. 30 with today’s event at Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, which we expect to see updates on iPad Pro, Mac Pro and perhaps even Mac mini (and maybe more). So what’s left? An October event that is almost certainly going to be centered around iPads as well as macOS Catalina. Here are our predictions.

iPad 10th Anniversary Event: What To Expect

We’ve been expecting a new iPad to launch at some point soon since Apple’s jump to USB-C with the MacBook and iMac. We’ll also likely see new Macs during the same event. And depending on which report you believe, we may or may not see new AirPods as well. The new iPad, as we’ve reported, will feature a USB-C port replacing the Lightning Connector that the iPad has been using since the original model. What we don’t know is if there will be new iPads, or if Apple will simply update the existing lineup while ditching Lightning in favor of USB-C.

USB-C Macs And iPad Pro

If this report is accurate, we’ll see a new MacBook Air, a new MacBook Pro and iMac Pro, all with USB-C. The flagship MacBook Pro will be the first to feature a larger 13-inch screen. This will make the laptop about as big as the 15-inch model, but with a smaller footprint. The sides of the laptop will be about 19 percent thinner than the current MacBook Pro. The new MacBook Pro will also come with a Retina display, and the laptop will include Touch ID. 

The MacBook Pro will also come with the same sixth-generation butterfly switch keyboard as the latest MacBook keyboard, according to this report. The report also claims that the new MacBook Pro will support up to 32GB of RAM, compared to the 16GB limit on the previous-generation model.

New iPad Pro - M2

It seems to be the tenth gen iPad will be the greatest redesign of the parcel. Codenamed J272, it will include a USB-C port, which will make the whole iPad setup USB-C. There's no word on whether we'll get a completely overlaid show. In any case, 9to5Mac is expecting a slight screen-size increment to 10.5 or as much as 10.9 inches, yet no other presentation upgrades like a wide variety range or higher brilliance.

There are also rumors about a new iPad Pro with a 10-inch screen and USB-C. The codename for this model is “M2,” and will likely replace the current 10.5-inch iPad Pro. It’s not clear if this model will also replace the 12.9-inch iPad Pro or if that model will stick around with a higher price tag and perhaps even a name change to reflect its larger screen size. 

The new 10-inch iPad Pro is likely to have the same A12X chip found in the current 12.9-inch model, according to this report. The report also claims that there will be a new Apple Pencil model with a new electrostatic feature and support for double-tap gestures with the same special chip in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

The iPad Mini 4 Is (Maybe) Coming Back

And while we’re talking about the iPad, there’s some evidence that Apple will release a new iPad Mini 4 with a smaller screen that would be closer in size to the original iPad Mini released in 2012. This rumor is based on internet sleuths who believe they’ve found references to a new iPad Mini 4 in the coding behind Apple’s website. 

There’s also an Amazon listing for a “new iPad Mini” which was likely mistakenly published. Apple has updated the iPad Mini lineup with new models in the past, usually a year after the first model is released. The original Mini was released in 2012, so we’re about due for an update.

MacOS Catalina And The Mac, Oh My!

If Apple follows its usual pattern, the company will release its next Mac operating system alongside new Mac hardware. It’s not clear if we’ll see a new Mac mini or perhaps a new iMac with a Retina display. The new macOS will be called Catalina, and while we don’t know what features it will include, we do know it will be available as a public beta in September. The new Macs are likely to get an update to Apple’s T2 chip, which has been used in the iMac Pro since 2018.

And that’s It

It’s going to be another exciting Apple event, and all eyes will be on what the company announces, how it designs its products and how it presents them to the public. We’ve got a few predictions about what might be coming, but as always, it’s best to keep your expectations in check and watch the event unfold. Gurman says that he's expecting a redid iPad Pro with a M2 processor, and the tenth gen iPad with its greatest update yet, including a change to USB-C. 

He likewise says Apple is dealing with M2 adaptations of three Macs, the Mac scaled down, Mac Pro, and MacBook Pro, and we can anticipate somewhere around two of these in October.