Apple $AAPL sent invitations Monday for a "Pro and Tell" event in Los Angeles on Oct. 28, where a touchscreen MacBook is expected, according to CNBC.
The invitation's wording hints that the event will be about top-tier Pro products powered by Apple's own in-house silicon, according to CNBC. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, told clients in a Monday research report to look for new Macs this fall, "including a touchscreen notebook," according to CNBC.
The all-day event should center on the Mac and iPad, according to Engadget. Apple is expected to show off MacBooks with touch screens, additional Macs running M6 chips and an OLED-equipped iPad mini.
Touchscreen MacBooks are rumored to be powered by M5 Pro and Max processors, with 14-inch and 16-inch screen options, a lighter build than today's Pro lineup and OLED panels, according to Engadget. A refresh of the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the iMac, both running M6 chips, is expected as well, according to Engadget.
In August, Apple brought new chips to its Mac mini and Mac Studio desktops, and in the spring it refreshed the MacBook Pro and introduced a low-cost MacBook Neo, according to CNBC. Apple last updated the iMac in October 2024. Mac sales represented roughly a tenth of total revenue during the latest quarter.
The Los Angeles event will be Apple's third under CEO John Ternus, according to CNBC. The first, at company headquarters, was devoted to new iPhones, among them the foldable Duo. The second, in New York, focused on hubs for the smart home and a screen-equipped speaker named HomeView.
Reitzes called the pace a "meaningful shift" from two events a year, according to CNBC. Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook last month, had floated moving away from traditional spring and fall launch windows in favor of releases spread throughout the year.
Apple has long resisted touchscreen laptops. Software chief Craig Federighi said in 2018 that the ergonomics would be tiring for users.
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