Apple Possibly Releasing New MacBook Air, iMac This Year; New Pencil Features For iPad Pro Expected Next Year

Apple is already expected to announce the iPhone 7 this September and the new version of the MacBook Pro this fall. Now, it’s being reported that the tech giant is also working on a refresh for the MacBook Air and iMac, as well as new features for the iPad Pro’s Apple Pencil.

Sources have indicated that Apple will be refreshing its MacBook Air and iMac which may be announced as soon as October. The updated MacBook Air is said to come with USB Type-C, while the updated iMac will likely come with new options for AMD graphics cards, according to Bloomberg.

Earlier this year, Apple discontinued the 27-inch Thunderbolt Display. Now, the Cupertino giant is said to be working alongside LG Electronics on a new monitor with a high-resolution 5K display. Apple currently sells an iMac with a built-in 27-inch 5K display, so selling a standalone 5K monitor seems like a logical replacement for the old Thunderbolt Display.

As for the iPad Pro, it’s expected to receive new software features that will be included in iOS 10. The new features are said to arrive sometime in the first half of 2017. However, one of the sources said that it’s possible that Apple may hold off the new features until iOS 11 later in the said year.

The sources have indicated the upcoming software update will most likely come with improvements and new features for the Apple Pencil, the stylus-like accessory for drawing and writing on the iPad Pro. The same sources said that the tech giant is considering to allow users to annotate objects within Apple’s first party apps like Mail, iMessage and the Safari web browser.

In addition, Apple is expected to update its whole iPad lineup sometime next year. The new iPads are said to come with faster display technology, which would produce smoother animations on the screens. A new 10.5-inch model of the iPad Pro is also expected to be announced in 2017. It will replace the current 9.7-inch model.

Apple just announced that it will be holding its Sept. 7 event at the Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are expected to debut at the fall event along with the Apple Watch 2 and, possibly, the new MacBook Pro.