Apple Could Hold Two October Events With 12 New Products

Apple doesn’t usually have an October event, but rumours suggest that the company is planning more than one this year.

This comes after a very busy September, with Apple launching new iPhones, a foldable iPhone, new Apple Watches and AirPods. Now, it’s reportedly planning two more product launches in October.

That’s not how Apple usually works. The company typically saves its announcements for a handful of events each year. But this October could bring up to a dozen new products across two separate launches.

Everything Apple Announced: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro & MoreApple’s first foldable, the $1,999 iPhone Duo, led John Ternus’s first September event as CEO, and the regular iPhone 18 never showed up.

Why is Apple holding October events now?

The answer could start with Siri AI. Apple spent years developing a revamped voice assistant, which was delayed multiple times. Now that it has finally shipped, Apple may need devices that showcase it.

And the smart home could be that stage. Apple has trailed Amazon and Google in the category for years. The HomePod struggled, accounting for about 6% of the smart speaker market, while the HomePod mini sold reasonably well, with Apple shipping 4 million smart speakers in the third quarter of 2021, according to Strategy Analytics. But Apple never had a real answer to the Echo or Nest Hub.

The new home hub could be the answer.

Apple is also under new leadership with John Ternus. Reports have suggested that Ternus is shifting away from Apple's traditional, rigid spring and autumn product launch cycles towards a year-round, faster cadence of device introductions. These two reported October events could be the first sign of Ternus' new strategy taking shape at the company.

The October 13 event: What we know

Apple is reportedly planning an event on October 13 to unveil three products: a smart home hub, a new HomePod mini and an updated Apple TV 4K.

Home hub: A roughly 6-inch square display, with versions designed for countertop and wall mounting. It could recognise who is speaking or approaching, then display personalised content such as contacts, messages, calendars and notes. It is expected to have a FaceTime camera, microphones and speakers in the base, and run a new operating system that may be called homeOS. The device is designed to serve multiple household members, with a guest mode that hides personal information.

HomePod mini 2: A faster chip, Siri AI support, improved sound, Wi-Fi 7, and new colours, including pink and green. The design is not expected to change significantly.

Apple TV 4K (4th gen): A faster processor, more RAM, Siri AI support, Wi-Fi 7 and an updated Siri Remote. The design is expected to remain largely unchanged.

The second launch: The final week of October

MacRumors reports that Apple is planning another set of product announcements in the final week of October. The most likely candidates are all Macs.