Apple iPad Air 2 and iMac event: What was announced and what wasn't

iMac with Retina display

You know what would be iDeal to show off that flat OS X 10.10 Yosemite paint job? The long-rumored iMac with a Retina display for 2014.

New iMac October 16 Apple Live event

iMacs likely to be next in line for Retina treatment

Apple's October 14 event may finally be the time and the place. Leaks have suggested it'll be a 27-inch display that's boasts a 5K resolution.

The Yosemite beta even includes references to 6400 x 3600, 5760 x 3240 and 4096 x 2304 resolutions. Not found in the code? The cost. You can, however, expect a Retina iMac price hike to be in the cards.

MacBooks and Mac Mini

MacBooks have gotten faster and cheaper this year, meaning we may not see the normal MacBook Air and MacBook Pro Retina October refresh on Thursday.

New Mac Mini October 16 Apple Live event

Two years old and in need of more mini display ports

Apple may be holding out for a redesigned 12-inch MacBook that's supposedly coming out in early 2015. That'd go nicely with the Apple Watch. Save up.

The Mac Mini is overdue for an update. Like the aging iMac, it hasn't seen a specs bump in two years. Is it too much to ask for a Mac Pro price drop to mark its one-year anniversary too?

Apple TV

Apple TV proves that even the most reliable rumor sources can be wrong, as a new Apple TV was supposed to launch almost a year ago.

We haven't heard much about it or the fabled Apple iTV in recent months, but the company's "It's been way too long" invite has us thinking about a fourth-generation Apple TV again.

New Apple TV October 16 Apple Live event

Long shot: Apple could turn on gaming switch for its TV set-top box

It's been more than a hobby box now ever since Tim Cook revealed over 20 million Apple TV sales. He could add to that big score with the first refresh since March 2012's 1080p update.

Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and Roku 3 may be newer, but AirPlay mirroring is something that none of these devices can match, and it's holding its own in the Apple TV vs Roku vs vs Chromecast comparison.

iPod Touch 6G

Nothing fits Apple's "It's been way too long" hint more than a new iPod. Sure, iPod Classic has been retired, but the iPod Touch is still alive and kicking in the Apple Store.

iPod Touch 6G October 16 Apple Live event

Remember this thing?

That said, the colorful iPod Touch 5th generation is now two years old and features dated specs, with a 4-inch Retina screen and 5-megapixel camera.

Without solid iPod Touch 6G leaks leading up to the October 16 event, the chances remain slim for one of Apple's longest-running and cheapest iDevices to be overdue for an update.

All eyes on Apple October 16

A mixture of iPads and Macs are almost guaranteed every October. Whether or not that "way too long" reference applies to either product category remains to be seen.

Apple starts its live stream today at 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern and 6 p.m. London time and we'll at the event to follow it in real-time through our live blog.

Gareth Beavis
Formerly Global Editor in Chief

Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grown with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.

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