Apple Teases Surprise ‘One More Thing’ Launch Event

Apple has teased another launch event to the media, with its “One More Thing” invite to reporters slated for Tuesday 10 November.

It is widely expected that Apple will use the event to showcase its first ARM-based Macs that run on in-house Apple silicon chips, instead of the Intel processors the firm has used since 2005.

It comes after Apple used its Worldwide Developer Conference in June, to officially confirm its plans to move its Mac computers to ARM-based chips.

ARM expertise

Apple said at the time that it planned to introduce the first ARM-based Macs by the end of the year and that it expects the transition to take two years.

But the move is also significant, as it means that apps created for the iPhone or iPad, will run natively on Macs.

Indeed, most apps “will just work”, Apple said back in the summer.

The move had been a long time coming.

In June 2019 Apple hired one of the top chip engineers from ARM Holdings, as it continued to quietly build up its in-house chip expertise.

It hired Mike Filippo in May 2019 for a chip architect position – a move noticed by reporters after a check on his LinkedIn profile.

When he was at ARM, Filippo was reportedly a lead engineer behind the chip designs that power the vast majority of the world’s smartphones and tablets.

He also led ARM’s push into supplying designs for computers.

And Filippo was previously a key designer at chipmakers Advanced Micro Devices and Intel.

One more thing

The ‘One More Thing’ event on 10 November is the third launch event for Apple in the past couple of months.

On 13 October Apple launched its delayed 5G equipped iPhone 12 range of smartphones, as well as its HomePod Mini smart speaker.

Prior to that on 16 September Apple launched the  Watch Series 6 that measures blood oxygen levels to help in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as new iPad models.

At that event, it also launched subscription bundle called Apple One, and a virtual fitness service to rival that of Peloton etc.

Meanwhile, the 10 November launch event is expected to see new Macbooks, and maybe even macOS 11 Big Sur, which was also announced at WWDC and has been in beta for months.