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Surprise: Apple event on Halloween Eve!

Surprise: Apple event on Halloween Eve!

Or not: Weirdly, the invite spoils revelations

Leander Kahney
October 24, 2023

As rumored yesterday, Apple will hold a surprise “Scary Fast” event at 5 p.m. Pacific on Halloween’s Eve — next Monday, October 30.

But there are two strange things about the announcement today:

The timing: I can’t remember an Apple event so late in the day, ever. Apple’s events are always held in the morning. An event at 5 p.m. is very unusual. Perhaps Apple wants lots of regular working stiffs to tune in, and is hoping that staging the event outside normal working hours would help? The event is at 8 p.m. in New York — which seems a good time for East Coasters — but midnight in London, which is way past everyone’s bedtime. Plus the event stream is available on demand anyway. Or maybe it’s because it’s Halloween and Apple wants to hold it in the dark? I’m stumped.
The other unusual thing is that the invite totally gives the game away. Apple’s website page for the event shows the Apple logo morphing into the Mac Finder. You don’t have to be a genius to figure that one out. Apple’s invites are always super cryptic. Half the fun is decoding the invites for nonexistent clues. This is a massive spoiler — and it’s coming from inside Apple’s HQ!

But what Macs exactly will Apple likely reveal? Hit this link to find out!

Also in today’s newsletter:

New in iOS 17 is a feature called Check that’s like Apple Maps’ ETA on steroids — it’s something every parent should know about.
This is a great deal on Microsoft Office 365 for just $20 for a year, plus you can pick up Windows 10 Pro for as little as $17 and more.
Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon is killing at the box office. Our review says it’s a grueling but important movie.
Ted Lasso is now a Barbie doll!
Today’s the day in Apple history that Steve Jobs launched the NeXT Computer — his revenge machine for getting kicked out of Apple.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

Apple drops big hint October event will be Mac-focused

Apple invited the world to a product launch event on October 30. And the invitation basically says that new Macs will be on the agenda.

Killers of the Flower Moon bags big box-office numbers

Poised for a strong run in theaters before it airs on Apple TV+, it placed third among Scorsese's biggest opening weekends.

Pencil in new iPads for March 2024

Spring 2024 could bring array of new iPad models. This might include models from the smallest iPad mini to the largest iPad Pro.

^{A message from CdkeySales}

Scary-good deal: Microsoft Windows 10 only $13 in CdkeySales Halloween sale

Boo! Surprising bargains on Microsoft Windows, Office and more lurk in the Halloween Sale at CdkeySales.com.

Amazon moves away from passwords to passkeys instead

Customers can shop online or in Amazon's apps without passwords. Passkeys are considered safer and easier.

Cupertino plans major redesign of Apple TV app

A TV app revamp could come along with a tvOS software update in late December to simplify offerings and give users one place for video.

^{A message from Cult of Mac deals team}

Give the Apple lover in your life a lifetime of iOS management for under $20

Through October 31st, you can get AnyTrans, the one-stop content manager for iOS devices, for only $19.97 (reg. $79).

3 Ted Lasso cast members become Barbie dolls

Mattel trotted out three new dolls Tuesday based on characters from the show -- Ted Lasso, Rebecca Welton and Keely Jones ($50 each).

Today in Apple history: The world prepares for the NeXT Computer

October 24, 1988: Three years after leaving Apple, Steve Jobs prepares to launch the NeXT Computer, a machine he hopes will cement his reputation as a

Check In: Every parent should know this essential iOS 17 feature

How do you use Check In, the new iOS 17 feature that tracks your ETA during your travels? You no longer have to count on remembering to text someone when you make it home safely — your iPhone will let everyone know for you.

Tweetz o’ the day

ChatGPT roasts Apple leadership.
— Steve Moser (@SteveMoser)
9:35 AM • Oct 23, 2023

me until 2015: fk apple it's an evil overpriced company and only iSheep would fall for their scams and schemes, my android is runinng a custom ROM and my linux distro has everyt-
me now:
— kitze 🚀 (@thekitze)
5:14 PM • Oct 23, 2023

hear me out...
— Spigen (@SpigenWorld)
1:00 PM • Oct 24, 2023

One more thing ...

❝

It took us three years to build the NeXT computer. If we'd given customers what they said they wanted, we'd have built a computer they'd have been happy with a year after we spoke to them - not something they'd want now.

— Steve Jobs, 1988.

Today’s poll

What will Apple unveil at the "Scary Fast" event on October 30?

Results from yesterday’s poll: Did you have an iPod back in the day?

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