Apple event: new MacBook Pros and AirPods expected to launch on October 18

Latest laptops are expected to mark the return of MagSafe connectivity, a charging feature that will replace the USB connector

Apple, which launched its newest iPhone 13 series last month, did not disclose which products it is going to launch on Monday. AFP

Apple is expected to unveil its latest MacBook Pro models and AirPods at a launch on October 18.

The event will be streamed online from the iPhone maker's Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California, the company said on Tuesday.

“Unleashed! These next six days are going to speed by,” the company’s senior vice president of marketing Greg Joswiak said on Twitter.

Apple, which last month launched its newest iPhone 13 series, Apple Watch 7 and new iPads, did not disclose which products it would release on Monday.

The company is expected to unveil redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, industry sources say. They will come with a flat-edged design that resembles the iPad Pro.

Return of MagSafe connectivity

New MacBook Pros are expected to mark the return of MagSafe connectivity, a charging feature that will replace the USB connector. It will let the company to create an ecosystem of accessories for easy attachment and faster wireless charging, industry experts said.

First introduced in 2006 with the company’s laptops, the feature was completely phased out by mid-2019. However, the technology was incorporated into the iPhone 12 series smartphones last year.

New high-end Mac mini to target professionals

Last year, the company launched its Mac Mini computer with Apple-made silicon processor, the M1, and not an Intel chip.

On Monday, the company is expected to announce a new high-end version of the Mac mini computer — that comes without a monitor — aimed at professional users. The new model, which will also come with MagSafe power connector, will completely replace the Intel models that the company is still selling.

New AirPods

Industry experts said Apple is likely to launch entry-level AirPods with an active noise cancellation feature.

“AirPods is [currently] about 4 per cent of overall revenue … and expected to grow at 18 per cent next year,” the US venture capital firm Loup Ventures wrote in a note to clients.

It expects the devices announced last month and the new gadgets coming on Monday to account for up to 50 per cent of Apple's revenue over the next 12 months.

How to watch Apple's event?

Apple’s event will start at 9pm UAE time on Monday. Viewers can tune in through apple.com

You can also watch the event on YouTube and through the Apple TV application on your iPhone, iPad and Mac.