Apple has scheduled its next launch event for October 28 at 1PM ET in Los Angeles. The company calls it “Pro and tell,” and the name points squarely at the MacBook Pro. It has been barely two months since Apple’s “Welcome Home” event and the iPhone Duo launch. Now the company is back with another product cycle.
The headline rumor is a touchscreen MacBook Pro. Apple has reportedly explored the idea since at least early 2023. If the company ships it next week, it will be the first touchscreen laptop and the first OLED laptop Apple has ever sold.
A familiar name, a new screen
Some reports have floated the name “MacBook Ultra” for the new machine. A full rebrand of the flagship laptop line still looks unlikely. Apple tends to protect the MacBook Pro name because it carries two decades of recognition with professional buyers.
Do not expect the software to turn into an iPad. The touchscreen MacBook will keep macOS rather than adopting a tablet interface. Apple may add a magnification effect when a finger touches the screen. New gesture controls inside native apps are also on the table. That appears to be the limit of the interface change.
The internals should stay familiar. The new laptops are expected to use the M5 series of chips, specifically the M5 Pro and M5 Max. An M6 Pro or M6 Max may not appear at this event at all.
What else might show up
The M6 generation did debut earlier this year inside the Mac Mini, which arrived in August. That leaves room for Apple to refresh other models with M6 silicon during the same presentation. The iPad Mini is also due for an OLED upgrade, according to current rumors.
Apple has not confirmed any of these products. The company rarely previews hardware before an event, and it has not published a spec sheet for October 28. Everything above comes from supply chain reporting and the rumor mill, not from Apple itself.
What makes this launch interesting is timing. Apple refreshed the iPhone Duo just weeks ago and already faces questions about durability on that device. A new MacBook Pro gives the company a chance to talk about engineering rather than damage reports.
The touchscreen question matters beyond one product. Apple spent years arguing that laptops should not have touchscreens. A reversal would put the MacBook Pro directly against Windows machines that have offered touch input for a decade.
The event starts at 1PM ET on October 28. The Verge will cover the announcement live.
For more on how Apple’s hardware decisions are landing with regulators, read our report on Australia ordering Apple to open the iPhone to third-party app stores.
Source: The Verge — What to expect from Apple’s ‘Pro and tell’ event
The Netherlands, for internationals
One email a week: the week's news for internationals in the Netherlands, new practical guides and what changed in the cities. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
