Apple’s September event may be over, but the company might not be finished announcing new hardware in 2026.
Several products rumored for this fall were missing from the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo presentation, including a new Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini. In fact, The Apple Post reported before the event that Apple could have an entire second wave of products coming after its September keynote.
That immediately raises a familiar question: could Apple hold another event in October?
Apple has not announced another event, and there is no guarantee that one will happen. But recent history shows that October has repeatedly been used for a second wave of hardware announcements after the company’s September iPhone launch.
Apple has repeatedly launched products in October
In October 2021, Apple held its “Unleashed” event on October 18, introducing the redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro and M1 Max, alongside AirPods 3 and new HomePod mini colors.
A year later, there was no traditional October keynote. Instead, Apple used press releases on October 18, 2022 to announce the M2 iPad Pro, redesigned 10th-generation iPad and third-generation Apple TV 4K.
Apple returned to the event format in 2023 with “Scary Fast” on October 30. That presentation introduced the M3 family of chips, new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models and an M3 iMac.
Image: Apple
October 2024 again demonstrated that a keynote is not essential. Apple spread a wave of Mac announcements across several days at the end of the month, introducing M4-powered MacBook Pro, iMac and Mac mini models through press releases and product videos.
The pattern is useful because it shows two things: Apple regularly keeps hardware back after September, and an October product wave does not necessarily mean another full-scale event.
Why October 2026 looks particularly interesting
This year, there are still several unfinished pieces in Apple’s product roadmap.
The September event focused on iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, leaving Apple’s home hardware completely untouched. That was notable because Apple had reportedly been preparing new Apple TV and HomePod mini models for launch this fall.
There is also Apple’s much bigger smart home push to consider. Recent software leaks have pointed towards several unreleased Home products, while Apple Stores are reportedly being prepared for significant changes ahead of the new hardware arriving.
With September now out of the running, October suddenly looks much more interesting.
New Apple TV 4K
A refreshed Apple TV 4K is one of the strongest candidates for Apple’s next round of announcements.
The current model dates back to 2022, and reports have repeatedly pointed towards a new Apple TV arriving before the end of 2026.
The next generation is expected to receive a considerably faster processor capable of handling Apple’s latest Siri and intelligence features. Apple’s N1 networking chip has also been linked to the device, potentially bringing Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread support.
There is reason to believe the hardware may already be close to finished. Apple has reportedly had its next Apple TV in development alongside the new HomePod mini for some time, making an October or later fall announcement entirely plausible.
HomePod mini 2
HomePod mini is even more overdue for an update.
Apple announced the original speaker in October 2020, and the fundamental hardware has remained largely unchanged ever since. It still relies on the S5 chip, which originally appeared in Apple Watch Series 5.
The next generation is expected to receive a much newer processor, improved audio, upgraded Ultra Wideband capabilities and newer wireless connectivity. Additional colors have also been rumored.
References to what is believed to be a new HomePod mini were recently discovered in Apple’s own software, adding to the evidence that the hardware is on the way.
An October launch would also be fitting. The original HomePod mini was itself announced during an October Apple event six years ago.
Apple’s new smart home hub
This is the product that could turn a routine collection of updates into something worthy of another presentation.
Apple has spent years developing a dedicated smart home display, sometimes referred to unofficially as HomePad. Reports have described a roughly seven-inch screen designed to become a central interface for Home controls, Siri, FaceTime, calendars, reminders, photos and other information.
Apple’s smart home hub is reportedly targeting a launch window beginning in October, although that window stretches into early 2027.
Apple is believed to have developed two versions. One would sit on a rounded speaker-style base, while another could attach to a wall using a magnetic mounting system.
We have also started to get a better idea of how the software could work. Code discovered in macOS suggests HomePad could use Apple Watch-style faces, widgets and Smart Stacks, allowing information and controls to change depending on the time of day and who is nearby.
If Apple is ready to introduce HomePad this year, an October event starts to make considerably more sense. Unlike a faster Apple TV or HomePod mini, this would be an entirely new product category that Apple would probably want time to explain.
Could new Macs appear?
Macs are traditionally the other major October candidate.
Apple used October for major Mac launches in 2021, 2023 and 2024, but 2026 is a little different.
Apple already refreshed Mac mini and Mac Studio in August, introducing the M6 Mac mini alongside an updated Mac Studio with M5 Max and M5 Ultra.
That removes two obvious candidates from an October Mac announcement, although it does not rule out Apple having more computers ready.
The company still has several Mac projects in development, and October has become closely associated with Apple silicon announcements. But right now, the smart home lineup provides a clearer reason for Apple to return with another wave of products.
Apple’s home plans could be bigger than Apple TV and HomePod
There is another reason not to dismiss the possibility of a substantial announcement.
Apple’s smart home ambitions appear to stretch well beyond updating two existing products.
Apple could launch its first home security camera as soon as late 2026, potentially giving the company its own camera hardware designed around HomeKit Secure Video, Apple Intelligence and the upcoming HomePad.
That could eventually grow into something much bigger, with Apple reportedly planning a home security and monitoring service for 2027.
Put Apple TV, HomePod mini, HomePad and a possible security camera together and Apple suddenly has the foundations of a much broader smart home ecosystem.
That would make a dedicated Home-focused presentation much easier to justify than an event built around two routine product refreshes.
Will Apple actually hold an October event?
There is an important distinction between Apple launching products in October and Apple holding an October event.
The company has repeatedly shown that it is perfectly comfortable announcing significant hardware through Apple Newsroom releases and short product videos. If Apple only has a faster Apple TV and HomePod mini ready, that may be all they get.
HomePad changes the equation.
An entirely new Apple product built around Siri, Apple Intelligence and the smart home would need considerably more explanation than a processor upgrade. If HomePad is ready to launch alongside Apple TV, HomePod mini and potentially other Home hardware, another presentation becomes much easier to imagine.
The timing also works. The Apple Post reported before September’s event that Apple had at least 14 additional products in its pipeline for the months ahead, so “Surprise and shine” was never expected to clear Apple’s entire roadmap.
For now, there is no October event on the calendar.
But Apple’s recent history, the products still waiting to be announced and the growing evidence of a major smart home push all point in the same direction: Apple may have finished with its September event, but it probably hasn’t finished with 2026.