New laptop expected at Apple event

Apple Inc has set the date for a media event to unveil the first redesign to its MacBook Pro laptop in five years: Oct 18.

The event, which was announced with the tagline “Unleashed,” will be Apple’s second of the autumn device launch season.

Last month, the company held an online event to introduce the iPhone 13 line, new iPads and the Apple Watch Series 7.

The new MacBook Pro will be the biggest change to the product since the current design was introduced in October 2016.

The new models will be the first highend MacBook Pros to replace Intel chips with Apple-designed processors.

The Mac — once Apple’s flagship product — remains a steady seller for the Cupertino, California-based company, generating about 10% of sales.

The latest models will include a new design, a MagSafe magnetic charger, and revamped displays in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes.

The devices also will return the HDMI port removed in the last redesign and and remove the controversial Touch Bar touch-screen strip from the keyboard.

Apple last upgraded the low-end MacBook Pro at the end of last year with its M1 processor. The high-end MacBook Pro hasn’t been updated in two years.