Apple has sent us a digital invite to an upcoming virtual launch event on November 10, all but assuring that their final reveal of the year will be a new set of MacBooks, and possibly the long-awaited ARM-based 12-inch MacBook.
The invite, which cryptically begins with "One More Thing.", is light on details beyond the date and time for the event, which is set for November 10 at 10am PST / 1pm EST.
Given that the new iPhones 12 series has already been announced and that the rumor mill around the new 12-inch Macbook has been swirling as of late, this is almost certainly the announcement we've all been waiting for. It could also be the last call for anything we haven't seen yet – like the long-rumored AirTags.
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Is the new ARM-based A14 Macbook finally here?
While Apple has already stated that it will be shifting it's MacBooks away from Intel to its own silicon, based on the ARM-architecture. There has been a lot of talk about ARM processors in recent years, with a smattering of new Windows 10 systems running on ARM processors, like the recent Lenovo Flex 5G.
The ARM-architecture has by and large stuck to mobile devices, powering a host of handsets and tablets for the past number of years, so they are built to be especially energy efficient, though not quite as powerful as Intel or AMD offerings.
Still, the move to ARM by Apple might change all of that by putting the resources and expertise of one of the world's foremost tech giants behind lightweight.and battery-efficient processors.
Since the ARM systems we've seen from other manufacturers have been promising – but not quite competitive – Apple's commitment to ARM could be a game-changer in the CPU world if they can pull it off. If they do, we could see a substantial price drop for MacBooks across the board, which in and of itself would be a huge win for Apple.
It remains to be seen, of course, but hopefully we'll begin to get a real sense of the future of the MacBook in just under two weeks.
AirTags: rumored for years, here in November?
The One More Thing event might feature the reveal of something we've heard rumors about for years: the AirTags, which are Tile-like accessories you clip on objects to track them using your Apple devices.
We expected them to come out earlier this year given AirTags references appearing in iOS 14 code snippets, but when both late-year events launching the Apple Watch 6 in September and the iPhone 12 in October came and went, we assumed that Apple simply wouldn't be releasing the accessories this year. The 'One More Thing' event is almost certainly the last chance to reveal them on a hyped-up stage.
Even if the event focuses on the ARM-powered MacBook, it could still use the AirTags as an accompanying announcement to pad out the event. Either way, we'll find out in just over a week.
