Apple has been rolling out new hardware all week, one press release at a time. On Monday it unveiled an all-new iPad mini with an OLED display, and on Tuesday it followed up with a new iMac and a new 14-inch MacBook Pro, both powered by its new M6 chip. All three open for pre-order today, Wednesday, October 28, and start arriving on Friday, November 6.

And Apple may not be done: reports say its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models could be announced later today. Here is a guide to what is official and what is still expected.

iPad mini: the biggest update yet

Apple calls the new iPad mini its “biggest update ever,” and the spec list backs that up:

  • OLED display: A larger 8.5-inch screen with higher contrast and more than twice the peak brightness of the previous model, plus a nano-texture option.
  • A20 Pro chip with Neural Accelerators in each GPU core, aimed at on-device AI.
  • Thinner design: Just 5.4 mm thin, in midnight and starlight finishes.
  • IP67 water and dust resistance, a first for the mini.
  • Landscape front camera: A 12MP Center Stage camera on the long edge for video calls.

Price: From $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 for Wi-Fi + Cellular, in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB versions.

iMac with M6

The new iMac keeps the thin, colorful 24-inch design and upgrades what is inside:

  • M6 chip with up to a 12-core CPU, two more cores than before, and an up-to-12-core GPU.
  • AI performance: Apple says it is up to 5x faster at on-device AI than the M4 iMac, and up to 18x faster overall than the most popular Intel-based iMac.
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, optional 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet and storage that is up to twice as fast.
  • Seven colors: Blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange and silver.

Price: From $1,499 with a 10-core CPU and GPU, or $1,699 for the 12-core version.

14-inch MacBook Pro with M6

Apple also refreshed its entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro:

  • M6 chip with a 12-core CPU and a 12-core GPU that Apple says offers up to 30% faster graphics and up to 25% faster AI workloads than M5.
  • Up to 24 hours of battery life.
  • Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.
  • Same display: The Liquid Retina XDR screen, with a nano-texture option, in space black or silver.

Price: From $1,999.

What could come today: the touchscreen MacBook Pro

The headline act may still be ahead. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported that Apple will announce new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with touch-enabled OLED displays on October 28, tied to a private “Pro and tell” event in Los Angeles starting at 10 a.m. Pacific Time, according to MacRumors.

According to those reports, the machines would have thinner bezels, a Dynamic Island instead of a notch, a lighter design and Apple’s existing M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Reports also suggest they will be considerably more expensive than current models. None of this is official yet, so treat it as expected rather than confirmed until Apple makes an announcement.

Who should consider what

  1. Readers and travelers: The iPad mini’s OLED screen and water resistance make it the most compelling small tablet Apple has made.
  2. Families and home offices: The M6 iMac is a straightforward upgrade, especially for anyone still on an Intel model.
  3. Students and professionals on a budget: The $1,999 M6 MacBook Pro offers long battery life and strong performance without the premium of higher-end chips.
  4. Early adopters: If a touchscreen Mac is what you have been waiting for, it may be worth holding off a few hours to see what Apple announces today.

The bottom line

Apple’s October lineup is now mostly in place: a radically improved iPad mini, a faster iMac and a more capable entry MacBook Pro, all arriving November 6. Whether the week ends with Apple’s first touchscreen Mac is the last big question, and we may know the answer by this afternoon.

Image: Apple-desk-technology-computer (23699093503) by www.Pixel.la Free Stock Photos via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0