Apple expected to unveil new Macs: What we know so far

New MacBook Pros and an overdue iMac refresh are anticipated on October 30

Apple's iMac desktop computer was last updated in 2021, making it long overdue for a refresh. AP

Hot off the heels of the new and cheaper Pencil for iPads, Apple has sent out invitations to another event, at which the company is expected to introduce new Macs.

The company, which recently introduced the iPhone 15 line-up, aims to cap 2023 with a refreshed computer line-up.

California-based Apple does not comment on rumours and speculation – but here is what we know about its coming devices.

'Scary Fast' event

Apple tends to use flashy event titles and this time is no different. Called Scary Fast, the implication is that whatever will be announced will be just that.

Given Apple's timetable, we can expect that the Macs will be powered by a new M3 chip, the latest iteration of its in-house processors.

Apple has touted its silicon M chips as extremely fast – reviews have shown that – so it will be interesting to see how fast the new generation of Macs will be.

And, since it is just before Halloween on October 31, the “scary” part could be linked to that.

When will the event be held?

It is scheduled for Monday, October 30, at 5pm Pacific time, which is 4am in the UAE.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a reliable Apple insider, said this week that a surprise “Mac-centred product launch” was being planned by the company.

Ming-chi Kuo, another noted Apple tipster, also said Apple would be focused on the M3 chip.

What will be introduced?

Expected to be announced is a new generation of Apple computers – the MacBook Air, the MacBook Pro and, finally, after a really long time, the iMac.

For the MacBook Pro, the 14-inch and 16-inch versions are set for a refresh. The M3 architecture will obviously be the focus and there is little indication that a design change is in the offing.

What is more interesting is the iMac. The last refresh of the device was in April 2021, when it was fitted with the M1 chip, a game-changer for Apple at the time.

That it has taken this long to introduce a new iMac is surprising. Does this also mean the iMac will skip the M2 and jump to the M3?

Mr Gurman has noted that stocks of the three devices had begun to dwindle, with delivery times delayed an indication that a refresh was coming.

Also, there are no indications that a new MacBook Air will be released. Makes sense, since its latest iteration – an M2-powered 15-inch version – was unveiled at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference.

How much will the new Macs cost?

It is still way too early to tell the prices of the new Macs, and there are no indications for these as well.

However, given the recent trend Apple has been following – iPhones and iPads included – we can expect that the price tags will stay put from their previous generation, with Apple touting the more value-for-money philosophy.

We also cannot discount the possibility that Apple would eliminate the lowest storage option. The iPhone 15 Pro Max now starts at 256GB, the 128GB option having been removed, so everyone could soon start off at 512GB. However, a 256GB option is still available with the current 13-inch MacBook Pro.