Apple is announcing a surprise event next week – and the slogan “Scary Fast” suggests it could be launching a HUGE new product
- The event began at 4:59 p.m. PT on Halloween evening and sparked much speculation
- Some suspect that a number of Macs could be on the market with a new M3 chip
Apple has announced a surprise event Halloween Eve – and the “Scary Fast” tagline suggests it might be more of a treat than a trick for tech fans.
The event kicks off at 4:59pm PT (11:59pm UK time) on October 30th, is scheduled much later than most Apple events and, unusually, will also be entirely virtual.
Very few details are being revealed about the event other than the slogan, but the tech giant is expected to unveil a product related to its Mac line of computers.
The only clue is the Apple logo on the company’s event page, which morphs into the icon for the Mac operating system’s “Finder” icon.
This has sparked widespread speculation about what Apple might have planned for the spooky event, with suggestions ranging from new processor chips to a new range of iPads.
Apple hasn’t commented on what this surprise Halloween event might have in store, but the “Scary Fast” tagline may hint at something big
The only hint of what could be coming is that the Apple logo on the company’s website is turning into a version of the Mac operating system’s “Finder” icon
Based on the slogan and Finder icon, some have suspected that Apple may be preparing to unveil its long-awaited M3 chip.
Most current MacBooks use Apple’s M2 chip, with the latest M2 models launching last summer with the update to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro.
Some have also suggested that the high-end and expensive 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro could be in line for an upgrade.
If these more advanced models are indeed getting new chips, it will only have been 11 months since their previous upgrades.
The iMac, Apple’s desktop computer, still uses the older M1 chip and hasn’t been updated in two years.
Many have speculated that with this release the iMac could at least be upgraded to an M2 model.
Veteran Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the event will debut a new MacBook Pro lineup with an updated M3 chip
The inclusion of the Mac Finder icon has left many commentators in little doubt that a new line of Mac computers will be launching on Halloween
Current Apple Mac prices
iMac 24″
- £1,399 ($1,696) – £1,799 ($2,180.92)
MacBook Pro 13″
- £1,349 (1635.39) – £1,549 ($1,877.84)
MacBook Pro 14″
- £2,149 ($2,605.22) – £3,349 ($4,059.98)
MacBook Pro 16“
- £2,699 ($3,271.98) – £3,749 ($4,544.89)
MacBook Air 13″ (M2 chip)
- £1,149 ($1,392.93) – £1,449 ($1,756.62)
MacBook Air 15″ (M2 chip)
- £1,399 ($1,696) – £1,599 ($1,938.46)
The latest MacBook Air models contain the newer M2 chip
Veteran Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts the event will see the launch of the M3 series MacBook Pro, although he previously suggested that release was unlikely before 2024.
Additionally, tech writer Mark Gurnman pointed out that the iMac and all three sizes of the MacBook Pro were showing longer than normal delivery times on Apple’s website – a common sign that a product refresh is imminent.
However, MailOnline has today confirmed that UK delivery times are now a normal two working days.
While a Mac-related launch is the most common theory, there are indications that a new iPad could also be on the release schedule.
Earlier this month, rumors began circulating that a new range of tablets would be launching on an upcoming release date.
However, there was only the announcement of a new Apple Pencil that day, leading some to speculate that the iPad’s release may have been delayed to coincide with the Halloween event.
This event follows the less-than-smooth launch of the new iPhone 15 range, which saw issues plague the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max models.
Most significantly, some users reported that their phones reached temperatures of up to 48 degrees during normal use.
The problem was so bad that Apple was forced to issue a software update to fix a bug that allegedly caused the overheating.
The new iPhones also experienced discoloration on the new titanium frame and in some cases appeared to crack slightly in users’ hands.
A review posted on YouTube appeared to show that the iPhone 15 Pro Max flexes and snaps into place under even slight pressure.
More recently, several users on social media reported that their new phones were showing signs of severe “screen burn,” leaving ghostly images on the display.