Apple October Event: The 3 Biggest iPad, MacBook, Mac Mini Announcements From Tim Cook

Midway through October, Apple announced it would close out Halloween month with yet another new hardware event, this time in Brooklyn. Apple’s event came and went on Tuesday morning, with CEO Tim Cook leading nearly 90 minutes of new hardware announcements.

These are the three big products Apple announced at its Brooklyn Academy of Music event.

A Big Update To The MacBook Air

After a few years without any major enhancements to Apple’s entry-level laptop, the firm will release a new MacBook Air on Nov. 7. Modernized and more powerful processors will bring the internal specs up to current standards, making the notably thin laptop faster and more useful.

It will also pack a 13-inch retina display with a much higher resolution than previous models. Apple promised “all-day battery life” on the new MacBook Air. It will also include Touch ID, louder speakers, space for more internal memory and a larger trackpad.

Of course, it is also slightly smaller and lighter. Finally, it has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, meaning it can connect to a wide variety of external devices. The new MacBook Air will start at $1,199.

A New Mac Mini For Desktop Users

Apple has become associated more and more with portable devices over the years, but the company announced a new Mac Mini for desktop users on Tuesday, as well. The computer, which starts at $799 on Nov. 7, is supposedly five times faster than previous Mac Mini models.

It can carry up to 64 gigabytes of internal memory and hold up to 2 terabytes of storage space. Like the MacBook Air, it boasts multiple Thunderbolt 3 ports, with four of them in total. It can also support 10-gigabit ethernet.

The New iPad Pro Was The Star Of The Show

Apple closed out the show with a performance from Lana Del Rey, but before that, the company devoted the most time to its new iPad Pro. The latest Apple tablet took some notes from recent iPhone models by ditching a home button so the liquid retina display can stretch out to the boundaries of the device.

It is thinner than previous models and can be unlocked with Face ID, just like the most recent iPhones. Its new A12X Bionic chip is more powerful than what was in older iPads, which Apple proved by showing a Photoshop app and an “NBA 2K19” demo. The Lightning port has been replaced by a USB-C connector, which widens the range of possible connected devices.

Apple demonstrated that by showing the new iPad Pro charge an iPhone with USB-C.

Apple emphasized increased Apple Pencil support for artists who need to create on the go. The electronic stylus now connects to the iPad via a magnet on one side of the device. Doing so will automatically pair the Pencil with the iPad, as well as charge the Pencil.

An 11-inch model will start at $799, while the 12.9-inch model will start at $999. Both will launch on Nov. 7.