Ahead of Apple’s surprise event this evening, with the title “One more thing” – a catchphrase used by Steve Jobs ahead of particularly significant announcements – we take a look at what’s likely to be announced.
The special event will be broadcast from Apple Park at 6pm UK time, and the company is expected to announce its first MacBooks running on Apple Silicon chips rather than Intel CPUs.
An augmented reality event teaser, included within the invitation Apple emailed to iCloud users, was also suggestive of the opening and closing of a MacBook.
The event comes a month after Apple released four models in its new iPhone 12 range – all of which are 5G compatible – and two months on from the company’s first September event in years not to feature an iPhone.
Back in September, Apple introduced its most powerful-ever chip, the A14 Bionic, which is available in the new iPad Air 4, as well as the new iPhones.
The chip was described as “by far the most advanced we’ve ever made” with transistors so small they “challenge the laws of physics” – and about 11.8 billion packed into a single chip.
“We’re talking about a scale so small, they’re measured in atoms,” the company said.
Now, in Apple’s third event this autumn, this chip is now expected to give the company’s Macs and MacBooks a boost in performance.
The event is also likely to introduce the new version of Apple’s macOS operating system, macOS 11 Big Sur.
Also rumoured are Apple’s new over-the-ear headphones, called Studio Pods.
Perhaps the most novel addition to the company’s line-up – Apple AirTags – similar to the Tile Bluetooth trackers, could be announced this evening.
These are physical tags that can be clipped on to a keyring or another item and then located using an app.
Particularly exciting is the idea of an augmented reality tracker, which would enable users to open their iPhone and get an overlay of where the tag is located.
It could be particularly handy for the age-old problem of not knowing where you left your keys.
But even if the tag has been left further afield, there are suggestions it could be located by other iPhones through Apple’s “Find My” app mesh network.