Apple Announces ‘Scary Fast’ Oct. 30 Event to Roll Out New Macs

(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc. is poised to roll out new Macs on Oct. 30 in what will likely be the iPhone maker’s last launch event of 2023.

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On Tuesday, the company announced plans for a presentation next week, dubbing the showcase “Scary Fast.” The event will take place at 5 p.m. California time, airing on Apple’s website and online video services such as YouTube.

The logo for the event morphs into the icon for the Mac’s Finder — the application for managing files — in an clear indicator that new Mac computers will be the main introduction next week.

Bloomberg reported earlier that Apple has been planning to host a product launch event next week, the company’s second announcement of the month. Last week, it rolled out a cheaper Apple Pencil stylus for the iPad, aimed at students.

Inventory of existing high-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros — as well as the all-in-one iMac desktop — has dwindled at Apple stores as well as retailers like Best Buy Co. and Amazon.com Inc. Consumers trying to order models from Apple’s website are being told that they won’t be delivered until November. These are typically signs that a product update is looming.

The 5 p.m. timing for the event is unusual. The company typically hosts its launches in the morning. The “Scary Fast” branding, meanwhile, could imply that Apple is ready to unveil its M3 Mac chip, which will deliver significant performance improvements to the company’s computers. The theme and evening timing also could be a nod to Halloween, which takes place the following day.

Bloomberg News has reported that Apple is readying a new iMac with an M3 chip as well as new MacBook Pros with M3 Pro and M3 Max chips. At the top end, the next-generation MacBook Pro will include up to 40 graphics cores and 16 main processing cores. The company will likely showcase that update next week, with new high-end MacBook Pros already rolling off the production line.

M3 versions of the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air aren’t expected until next year, Bloomberg News has reported.

Though Apple usually launches new iPads in October, the company doesn’t plan changes to its tablet line until next spring, Bloomberg has reported. Apple is working on updates to the iPad mini, Air and entry-level models that focus on performance. The company is also developing a revamped iPad Pro with a screen that uses OLED technology — short for organic light-emitting diodes — for next year. That would match the display of the iPhone.

In January, Apple held a virtual event on its website to roll out other minor new products, including the current version of the MacBook Pro and Mac mini. But it didn’t announce that event ahead of time. That suggests this showcase may be a bit more significant.

(Updates with more on the event’s Mac theme in third paragraph.)

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