Apple's reported Oct. 13 home launch still has no invitation
Apple had not sent invitations as of Wednesday for an Oct. 13 launch that Bloomberg reports will bring a smart home hub, a new HomePod mini and a new Apple TV. Shoppers weighing a speaker or streaming box may want to wait a few days. The foldable iPhone Duo opens for preorders Oct. 16 at 5 a.m. PT and reaches buyers Oct. 23.
Apple has a busy October ahead, but its next launch date is still unofficial. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports that Apple plans to unveil three home products on Tuesday, Oct. 13: an all-new smart home hub, a second-generation HomePod mini and a new Apple TV 4K. As of Wednesday, Apple had not sent invitations or announced an event, MacRumors and The Mac Observer reported.
Timing matters. In 2023, Apple sent invites for its October "Scary Fast" event six days ahead. Wednesday was six days before Oct. 13, MacRumors noted. In 2020, Apple sent invites seven days ahead, Gadgets Now reported. If there is no event, Apple could post press releases and short videos instead.
The home hub is the new product to watch. Reports describe a square screen of about 6 to 7 inches, Apple's Siri AI, FaceTime calls and smart home controls. It may come in a tabletop version with a speaker base and a wall-mounted version. It is expected to run a new system that trademark filings suggest may be called homeOS.
The HomePod mini and Apple TV are expected to keep their current looks but get faster chips for Siri AI and newer Wi-Fi 7 wireless parts, MacRumors reported. The HomePod mini may come in new colors, including pink and green.
Some things are already confirmed. The iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable phone, opens for preorders on Friday, Oct. 16, at 5 a.m. Pacific time in more than 70 countries, including the U.S. It goes on sale Oct. 23, according to Apple. U.S. prices run from $1,999 to $3,199, Gadgets Now reported.
The Duo ships with iOS 27.1. Apple also promised five more Siri AI languages in October, which are in the iOS 27.2 beta. A Mac Studio with 512 gigabytes of memory is due in late October.
More may come. MacRumors sources expect a second batch of products in the last week of October, likely including MacBook Pro models with OLED screens. A new iPad mini is also expected this month.
What we know: iPhone Duo preorders open Oct. 16, and Apple has not announced an October event.
What we don't: Whether Apple holds a live event on Oct. 13 or just posts press releases.
Where outlets agree MacRumors and The Mac Observer both report Bloomberg expects a home hub, HomePod mini and Apple TV on Oct. 13, and that Apple has not announced an event.
Where they differ Gurman says Apple plans an event that day, but MacRumors notes Apple could instead release the products by press release and video.