How to watch the Apple October 2021 event: will new MacBooks get unleashed?

The Apple logo formed out of a streaking starfield
(Image credit: Apple)

Apple's 'Unleashed' event took plance on October 18, at 10am PDT / 1pm EDT / 6pm GMT / 4am November 11 AEST, and it announced two new MacBooks; the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021), and MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021), as well as the new AirPods 3, and a better glimpse of macOS Monterey.

There were some big surprises as well, such as two new M1 chips, the Apple M1 Pro and M1 Max, which will be powering the new MacBooks, and look set to offer big performance improvements over previous MacBooks.

Head over to our Apple Unleashed event as it happened guide for the full run down of all the news and announcements as they happened.

How to watch the Apple 'Unleased' event live

Apple will be hosting the Unleashed event livestream on its Apple Events website. If you visit there early, you can add the event to your calendar, and also get reminders to make sure you don't miss out.

It looks like Apple is also broadcasting the event livestream on its YouTube channel. We've embedded the video below, so you don't have to leave this page to watch.

You'll also be able to watch the event through the Apple TV app on your Apple device.

What do we expect from Apple's Unleased event?

As we mentioned earlier, we expect to see new MacBooks and maybe even new Macs running on the next iteration of Apple's own 'Apple silicon', the rumored M1X chip that's based on ARM architecture. 

The reason why the rumors suggest this will be the M1X, rather than a more significant generational leap with the M2, is because it's likely that Apple is making a more powerful version of the M1 that's aimed at creative workloads, hence why the larger MacBook Pro 16-inch is rumored to get it.

There have also been rumors about a new set of true wireless headphones, the AirPods 3.

What we don't expect is anything to do with new iPhones or iPads. Apple has only just released the iPhone 13 line, so this will most likely be a Mac and MacBook focused event.

Because of this, we'll likely get a release date for macOS 12 Monterey, the new operating system that MacBooks and Macs will run on. Any new Mac announced at this event will come with it preinstalled, while older Macs will get a free upgrade (as long as they are compatible).

Matt Hanson
Managing Editor, Core Tech

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there's no aspect of technology that Matt isn't passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he's loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made.