Apple's October 2019 Event: 5 Products We Expect to See

It may seem like just a few days ago that it was. But there could still be an even in October.

You may have thought Apple's Sept. 10 "By Innovation Only" event pushed enough new Apple gear towards retail shelves just in time for the holiday shopping season. After all, Apple gave us a trio of new iPhones, the Apple Watch Series 5 et un 10.2-inch iPad. That's not even counting the new subscription services the company is planning to launch – Apple Arcade on Sept. 19, Apple TV + on Nov. 1 – or the watchOS, iOS and iPadOS updates rolling out this month.

As Apple has been reported to have been made, it has not been possible that Apple is reportedly ready to unleash. So it makes sense that October Apple would be in the works, even if Apple is sticking to its normally tight-lipped ways and not even hinting that such an event is planned.

But there's no need to wait for confirmation from Cupertino. Here's everything Apple could announce at a second press event in October if the company is so inclined.

Wait, Apple holding a second press event? In this economy?

It certainly would not be out of character for Apple to hold product launches in consecutive months. For evidence, all you have to do is cast your mind back to last year, when the company followed up on its new iPhones and an updated Apple Watch by New York. MacBook Air with Retina Display, brand new iPad Pros and a long-awaited Mac mini refresh.

That's a pretty Mac-centric slate of releases, so you can easily see the same pattern in 2019, with new Macs coming soon, especially with macOS Catalina slated for an October release.

Fine, but is there anything left for Apple to announce after all the phones, watches and tablets it just unveiled?

Oh my, yes. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo makes periodic predictions on what's going on, and while no analysts are infallible, Kuo's track record for these things is pretty good. Back in February, he outlined Apple's product road map for 2019. You can read a lot of items on the list – the iPhone 11, new Apple Watches, even a new generation of the iPod touch – but other items, like new Macs and iPads, have yet to emerge. Presumably, these are the things Apple would like to refresh in time for the holidays.

So what is Apple likely to announce at an October product event?

If Apple holds an event – and remember, we're still waiting for Apple to confirm that it will be – we're definitely not hurting for possible product unveilings. These are your best bets.

New MacBook Pros: Just like last year, the focus of any Apple will be laptops. And there's one laptop model, in particular, that Apple may concentrate on.

That would be the MacBook Pro, which could be coming out in a new size next month. Earlier this year, multiple reports suggests that Apple was planning a 16-inch version of its laptop, and the drumbeat around that particular rumor has only gotten louder in recent months.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

If a 16-inch MacBook does not work in October, it will be the first Apple's reviled butterfly-style keyboard for more-traditional scissor-style switches. Other Apple laptops are likely to make that transition in 2020. The new MacBook Pro is also expected to feature an LCD panel that improves the resolution of Apple's current Retina displays. And all signs point to Intel's 9th-Gen H-series processors powering the upcoming MacBook Pro.

Would that be the only laptop Apple unveils in October? AT more recent report suggests that a MacBook Air powered by Intel's 10th-Gen Comet Y-Series Lake chipset would start this year. That seems pretty close to the MacBook Air Apple update rolled out in July, but that was a pretty modest release, adding a True Tone display and a lower price.

An Apple tracking device: Just before Apple's Sept. 10 product event, rumors started popping up that Apple was working on a key finder, similar to the popular trackers offered by Tile, that would work with the new app Find My in iOS 13. Honestly, we're surprised that Apple's tracker did not debut at the recent Apple event, precisely because it makes it appear in the latest iPhones.

Apple does not make a big deal of it on stage, but the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max include a new Apple-built chip called the U1, which supports ultra-wideband technology. With the U1 chip, the latest iPhones will be able to more easily detect the location of other U1-equipped devices. For now, that means faster AirDrop transfers between iPhone 11 models, as your new phone will be able to find iPhone 11s within range and priority over other devices.

MORE: How to Preorder the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max

That's nice if you do a lot of AirDrops between your assorted Apple devices, but it's a pretty pedestrian way to make a new chip. A tracker that's also equipped with a chip, though, means the iPhone 11 could also pinpoint the location of anything attached to that tracker, such as wallets, keys and backpacks. And the use of ultra-wideband connectivity would mean more-precise tracking than what you get from the Bluetooth-connected trackers made by the likes of Tile and Chipolo.

More iPads: "Wait, did not Apple already give us this new iPads this year?" you're asking. Yes, besides the $ 329 model that debuted this month, Apple added the A12 Bionic chip and Apple Pencil support to the iPad Air and iPad mini lines this spring.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

But that still leaves the iPad Pro lineup, which last saw an update at the October 2018 Apple event. Reportedly, Apple's keeping the 11- and 12.9-inch sizes for its Pro Edition tablets, goal the new iPads will get upgraded processors and cameras. Presumably, that means the A13 Bionic chip debuting in the iPhone 11 lineup will make it to the iPad Pro, too. That could also mean that the cameras on Apple's updated tablets will be supported by the features that rely on computation photography. Such features could include the new Fashion capabilities for better low-light images and the upcoming Deep Fusion feature that blends multiple exposures for a more detailed shot.

New AirPods: Again, AirPods already got an update this year, with the AirPods 2 introducing wireless charging and hands-free Siri to Apple's popular line of wireless headphones. So, is there anything left to add six months later?

Quite possibly. Apple's AirPods are not water-resistant, so it would be a welcome new feature. Reportedly, Apple is also working with its suppliers to bring active noise cancellation to the company's earbuds, replacing the passive noise isolation currently available. That's going to be a challenge in an audio product as compact as the AirPods, and it's likely to cost a lot more than the current model's $ 149 asking price. So it's more likely that a new version of AirPods will not arrive until 2020.

Another HomePod: From the department of products you never really asked for, Apple could come out with a revamped version of HomePod, the company's oft-overlooked smart speaker. A report in Bloomberg claims that a cheaper version of HomePod is on the drawing board – the speaker currently costs $ 299 – though, like with the rumored AirPods update, Apple may not have the new HomePod ready until next year.

Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR: Apple already unveiled a pro-focused desktop and its eye-poppingly expensive companion display during the company's developer conference in June. Goal Apple neglected to give us a release date for the $ 5,999 Mac Pro gold $ 4,999 Pro Display XDR, saying only that they would ship in the fall. Well, the start of football season and the kids' back to school are so good that you're here, so Apple's desktop and monitor should be more shortly – better line up financing with your banker now.