Blocked from holding its usual live product announcements by the pandemic, Apple is turning to a virtual event for the third time this fall.
The company, which introduced a new watch and iPad in September and new iPhones last month, didn’t specify what products it may unveil during the online event on Nov. 10 at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. But Apple has previously promised to announce by year-end new Macintosh computers powered by its own processor designs instead of those from Intel.
In an emailed invitation, Apple offered the tagline “One more thing,” a reference to late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, who used that expression at the end of events when he wanted to surprise the audience with a final new product. During Apple’s quarterly call with analysts last week, CEO Tim Cook said the company was “in the midst of our most prolific product introduction period ever,” hinting that more big announcements were to come.
Apple has used Intel chips to power its Mac line of laptop and desktop computers since 2006. But Intel’s manufacturing effort has stumbled for the past several years, delaying the introduction of faster chips. In June, Apple said it would dump Intel in favor of its own design, which relies on a basic chip architecture from ARM and is already used in iPhones and iPads.
Switching to its own chips could enable Apple to introduce faster computers more quickly, help lower its costs, and allow for new features like laptops with cellular modems and multiday battery life.
Several other rumored Apple products could also premiere at the Nov. 10 event. For months, rumors have circulated that Apple has developed small tags that could be attached to other items and provide a tracking capability. Dubbed Airtags by the rumor mill, the tags would communicate wirelessly with iPhones and other Apple products to keep track of their location.