Apple Readies MacBook Ultra and iPad mini for Late October

MW Contributor · 2026-10-07T13:36:32+08:00

Apple is preparing two separate rounds of product launches this month, according to a report citing multiple sources familiar with the matter. The first round is set for 13 October. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple will use the date to unveil its long-rumoured smart home hub, widely known as the HomePad, alongside a new HomePod mini and a new Apple TV 4K. Apple has not confirmed the date. The second round would follow in the final week of October. MacRumors reported on 5 October that Apple plans to announce further new products in that window, though the exact list is not yet known. The likely candidates are Macs. Apple is expected to introduce a base 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip and a new 24-inch iMac with the same processor. The iMac currently sold in Malaysia still runs on the M4 chip, released in October 2024. The report also points to the rumoured MacBook Ultra, a redesigned high-end laptop with an OLED touchscreen, a Dynamic Island-style cutout and a thinner body. Gurman said the touchscreen MacBooks are being tested with macOS 27.1, which is scheduled for release in late October. None of these products have been announced. One item in the window is already confirmed. Apple said in August that a high-end Mac Studio configuration with the M5 Ultra chip and 512GB of unified memory will be available in late October. Most Mac Studio configurations reached Malaysia on 22 September, with local listings starting from RM10,999. The 512GB option is expected to cost well above US$10,000 in the United States, and Apple has not announced Malaysian pricing for it. Some reports suggest orders for the high-memory configuration could slip beyond October. The new iPad mini may also appear this month. The tablet is expected to receive an OLED display, an A20 Pro chip, a landscape front camera and a redesigned speaker system. It would be the first major update to the iPad mini since 2024. Apple has not announced a release date or Malaysian pricing. Any new Mac will arrive at a time when Apple products cost more in Malaysia. In June, Apple raised prices across its Mac and iPad range locally. Lowyat.NET reported increases of several thousand ringgit on some models, including a RM2,500 rise for the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max chip. Apple attributed the increases to higher component costs, particularly memory chips, amid a global shortage that has also delayed parts of its Mac roadmap. It is not yet clear how Apple will present the launches. The company has used both events and press releases for October announcements in the past, including its multi-day Mac rollout in October 2024. No invitations have been sent for an event this month. If the reported schedule holds, October will bring new hardware across Apple's Mac, iPad and smart home ranges, with the first products landing in Malaysian stores ahead of the year-end shopping season.

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October 7, 2026 at 1:36 pm
MW Contributor
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Apple is preparing two separate rounds of product launches this month, according to a report citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The first round is set for 13 October. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple will use the date to unveil its long-rumoured smart home hub, widely known as the HomePad, alongside a new HomePod mini and a new Apple TV 4K. Apple has not confirmed the date.
The second round would follow in the final week of October. MacRumors reported on 5 October that Apple plans to announce further new products in that window, though the exact list is not yet known.
The likely candidates are Macs. Apple is expected to introduce a base 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M6 chip and a new 24-inch iMac with the same processor. The iMac currently sold in Malaysia still runs on the M4 chip, released in October 2024. The report also points to the rumoured MacBook Ultra, a redesigned high-end laptop with an OLED touchscreen, a Dynamic Island-style cutout and a thinner body. Gurman said the touchscreen MacBooks are being tested with macOS 27.1, which is scheduled for release in late October. None of these products have been announced.
One item in the window is already confirmed. Apple said in August that a high-end Mac Studio configuration with the M5 Ultra chip and 512GB of unified memory will be available in late October. Most Mac Studio configurations reached Malaysia on 22 September, with local listings starting from RM10,999. The 512GB option is expected to cost well above US$10,000 in the United States, and Apple has not announced Malaysian pricing for it. Some reports suggest orders for the high-memory configuration could slip beyond October.
The new iPad mini may also appear this month. The tablet is expected to receive an OLED display, an A20 Pro chip, a landscape front camera and a redesigned speaker system. It would be the first major update to the iPad mini since 2024. Apple has not announced a release date or Malaysian pricing.
Any new Mac will arrive at a time when Apple products cost more in Malaysia. In June, Apple raised prices across its Mac and iPad range locally. Lowyat.NET reported increases of several thousand ringgit on some models, including a RM2,500 rise for the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 Max chip. Apple attributed the increases to higher component costs, particularly memory chips, amid a global shortage that has also delayed parts of its Mac roadmap.
It is not yet clear how Apple will present the launches. The company has used both events and press releases for October announcements in the past, including its multi-day Mac rollout in October 2024. No invitations have been sent for an event this month.
If the reported schedule holds, October will bring new hardware across Apple’s Mac, iPad and smart home ranges, with the first products landing in Malaysian stores ahead of the year-end shopping season.
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