Apple Announces “Hi, Speed” Event for 13 October 2020
Apple’s next product announcement event will be held on 13 October 2020 at 10 AM PDT from the company’s Apple Park headquarters. As with the last event, Apple lets you add it to your calendar with one click. We anticipate that it will once again be filmed in advance, which lends both high production values and a relentless pace to the announcements.
iPhones were completely absent from last month’s “Time Flies” event, which focused on the Apple Watch Series 6 and new iPads (see “Apple Unveils Apple Watch Series 6 and Apple Watch SE” and “Apple Redesigns iPad Air, Updates Base-Model iPad” 15 September 2020). We don’t have a crystal ball, but we’d bet money on at least one new iPhone debuting at this event. Given the “Hi, Speed” tagline, it’s possible the next iPhone will be compatible with high-speed 5G cellular networks.
Since Apple also promised Macs built on high-performance Apple silicon before the end of 2020, the tagline might suggest an announcement or update on that front as well (see “Macs Make the Move to ARM with Apple Silicon,” 22 June 2020).
Updates to the HomePod and AirPods lineups could also be in the cards. Apple recently dropped Bose, Sonos, and other competing audio makers from its store, fueling rumors that it is set to unveil a smaller HomePod and full-size Apple-branded headphones.
Other, less likely possibilities include updates to the aging Apple TV lineup and the iPad Pro, which looks increasingly long in the tooth compared to the less expensive, but similarly capable iPad Air.
Who knows what we’ll see! But you can find out with us by joining us in the #events channel of our SlackBITS group. We’ve been chatting with our readers during the events for a few years now, and it’s always a good time. To join the group, go to slackbits.herokuapp.com, enter your email address, and agree to the code of conduct. You’ll receive an invitation in email right away.
Press reports say four iPhone 12 models with at least some of them supporting 5G.
I’m quite excited about this event. If all goes well, my wife and I will be ordering two new iPhone 12" minis. Should be a worthy successor to the SEs we got in 2019 form Apple’s clearance store right before they stopped shipping them altogether. Looking forward to a compact but still high-end iPhone. I don’t care about more lenses, AR, or mm wave right now, so the 12 mini seems like it should be exactly what I’ve been begging for for a couple years.
I am also hoping the mention of ‘speed’ on the invite teases the first AS Mac, but unfortunately, I believe it really just alludes to 5G (and possibly the new iPhone 12’s A14) .
All the reports I’ve seen seem to agree that all new iPhones will support 5G. It’s mm wave vs. sub-6 GHz 5G that’s being debated with some reports saying that only the 12 Pro Max (still can’t get over that name) would come with mm wave, while the other iPhone 12s supporting just sub-6 GHz 5G.
Since mm wave is still hard to find (and easy to lose due to range and issues of obstruction indoors), I’d be perfectly OK getting sub-6 GHz only. I guess in countries where mm wave is much farther along (China, Korea?) customers might see this differently. Also, I would assume there’s presently still quite a power/size penalty related to mm wave chipset and special antenna so it could make sense to only include it on a physically large phone with ample battery at this point. But that’s of course just my speculation.
Latest rumors say the two 6.1" models ship first (Oct 23), while the mini/Max won’t ship until Nov 13/20. Those of us looking for 128 GB will have to go for the middle model on the non-Pro 12s. No 1 TB option on the Pros. Supposedly only US models with come with support for mm wave 5G. Some magnetic case charger thingy by the name of “MagSafe” is also being rumored.
The “real” Mag Safe connector saved the life of MacBook Pro a few times, and I wish that Apple would bring it back to life.
Just finished watching it - so boring it was hard to stay awake!
Home Pod Mini
iPhone 12 & iPhone Mini come in 5 colors: black, white, red, white & green; A14 Bionic chip. Prices start at $699 for Mini, $799 for 12.
iPhone 12 Pro & iPhone 12 Pro Max four colors: silver, gold, graphite, “Pacific Blue” Prices start at $979 for Pro, $1077 for Max
Looks like the line-up is iPhone SE, iPhone 10r, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 & Mini, iPhone 12 Pro & Max
Oh, no iPad Mini which is what I’m interested in.
You can now watch the entire thing if you want.