ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Apple looks set to announce its touchscreen OLED MacBooks on October 28.
- The new MacBooks will have the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips.
- Another Apple device is also getting a refresh with an OLED display and M6 chip.
Rumors of an OLED touchscreen MacBook have been brewing for years, but it looks like it’s finally happening. Apple has begun inviting media to an “all-day product launch” in Los Angeles on October 28, where the new touchscreen MacBooks, refreshed iPad mini and M6 MacBooks will be unveiled, as reported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
First touchscreen MacBook
There appear to be two product lines of the new MacBooks: one with OLED touchscreens in 14- and 16-inch sizes in a redesigned, lighter form, and another 14-inch MacBook with the base model M6 chip in a largely unchanged build.
The new OLED MacBooks will have the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips, and they are reported to be “significantly lighter”, indicating some physical redesign to distinguish them from their predecessors. They are also rumored to have a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, and could support 5G connectivity, presumably as an optional add-on.
The M6 MacBook Pro will be essentially the same as we expect in the 14-inch model, probably with a focus on Siri and AI-powered features in MacOS. This upgraded configuration would match Apple’s release for Mac Mini in September, which launched with both the M5 Pro chip or the base model M6 (for half the price).
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Dividing the new MacBook offerings this way allows Apple to pursue a premium-tier line of cutting-edge, AI-powered MacBooks aimed at enthusiasts and power users with a flashy touchscreen, while maintaining the core laptop product line that the vast majority of users are more interested in. expensive, Gurman said, which is no surprise given the reality of the current market.
New OLED iPad Mini
Apple will also announce a new iPad Mini with an OLED display, the first refresh to its bite-sized tablet since 2024 with the A17 Pro chip. The new Mini will come with the M6 chip and will be “significantly more expensive”, probably starting at $799 (compared to the current starting price of $599).
Other upgrades to the Mini include a repositioning of the camera on the long end so it can be used in landscape mode instead of portrait, as well as an all-new speaker system. The 8-inch iPad Mini certainly sits in a unique position in Apple’s line-up now that we have the iPhone Duo, which, at 7.6 inches fully extended, is almost the same size. Apple may be looking to differentiate the device with its new OLED display, better speakers and camera, and revamped iPadOS.
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Apple would do well to upgrade its iPad lineup, as the tablet market is about to heat up. Amazon recently announced its new lineup of Alexa tablets, including a 12-inch Pro model with a nanomatte anti-glare display, along with kid-focused devices with increased durability and bright colors.
The new Alexa tablets have a more premium construction, Google Play Store support, and a multitude of integrations with the home assistant of the same name and Amazon’s sprawling ecosystem of smart home devices.
Along with the MacBooks and iPad Mini, Apple is also set to announce its new line of iMacs with the M6 chip. The new all-in-ones appear to be chip refreshes, with no major design updates other than (maybe) new colors.