Apple says "Welcome home" on 13 October. Here is everything it is expected to launch

"Welcome home. October 13."

That was the whole announcement. Greg Joswiak, the head of marketing at Apple, posted those four words with a short video on Thursday 8 October. No product names, no pictures, no prices.

It was enough. Searches for "October 13 Apple event" jumped within hours, from the US to Canada. People wanted to know what time it starts, what is coming and whether they should hold off on buying something.

Apple has not said more. But Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has called most Apple launches correctly for years, has already laid out the plan in detail. This is what has been reported so far, and what it means for your wallet.

What time is the Apple event on October 13?

Apple has not given a start time. What we do know is that Apple invited some reporters to an "Apple Experience" in Tribeca, New York, starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday 13 October, MacRumors reports.

That is very likely when the news drops. Here is 9 a.m. in New York in other places.

Apple could still post its news a little earlier or later than the New York session.

Is there a livestream of the Apple event?

Probably not in the usual way. MacRumors says this will not be a traditional Apple event, with a stage, a crowd and a long keynote.

Gurman calls it an "online home event". Bloomberg says the launch will include an online video presentation and hands-on time for the press. Most people will likely see the news as press releases and product videos on Apple's website and its Newsroom page.

The easiest way to follow it is to open apple.com and the Apple Newsroom just after 9 a.m. New York time.

What is Apple launching on October 13?

Three products, all for the home, according to Gurman and MacRumors. The big one is brand new.

First comes a smart home hub. This is a small screen for your kitchen counter or wall. It is Apple's answer to Amazon's Echo Show and Google's Nest Hub. Reports describe a display of about 6 inches, in two versions. One hangs on the wall. The other sits on a round speaker base, like a HomePod mini with a screen on top.

It is expected to run a new home system built around the new AI version of Siri. MacRumors says it will have a camera for video calls, sensors that notice when someone walks up, and face recognition. That means it could show each family member their own calendar and reminders.

MacRumors also reports the hub has been "ready to ship" for months. Apple was waiting for the smarter Siri to be ready.

Next is a new HomePod mini. It keeps the same look, with new colours, a faster chip and Apple's N1 wireless chip, which adds Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread. Thread is the low-power network that smart home gadgets use to talk to each other.

Last is a new Apple TV 4K. It gets a much faster chip, rumoured to be an A19 or A19 Pro, with 8GB or 12GB of memory, the same N1 chip and the full new Siri.

Photo: Seasider53 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

How much will the Apple home hub cost?

Gurman has reported that Apple targeted a price of around $350 for the hub. Apple has not confirmed it, and earlier reports said Apple was still looking for ways to cut costs.

For comparison, these are the prices on Apple's US store as of 10 October for the two products that are getting updates.

Nobody has reported new prices for the HomePod mini or Apple TV yet. If Apple keeps them the same, the hub would sit well above both.

Is Apple making a smart lock and doorbell with LG?

Yes, according to Bloomberg. On 6 October, Gurman reported that Apple has been working with LG Electronics on a whole family of smart home gadgets.

They will carry LG's name, not Apple's. LG builds them and handles support. Apple helped shape the design and features. Filings with the FCC, the US agency that approves anything with a radio, list seven products.

MacRumors dug into the filings. The lock runs on four AA batteries and comes with two normal keys. It uses ultra-wideband, the same tech that helps an AirTag find your keys, to tell where your phone is before it opens. The thermostat has a 60 GHz radar, which could let it wake up when you walk past.

Do not expect them next week, though. Gurman says the LG gear could take "at least a few more months" to reach shops.

Photo: AzureSaturn / Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Why is Apple suddenly so interested in your home?

Because its rivals got there first. Amazon has sold Echo speakers and screens for over a decade, and Google has its Nest range. Both know a lot about the homes they sit in. If you have ever wondered how much, our look at what Amazon really knows about you is an eye-opener.

Apple's pitch is likely to be privacy and simplicity. Everything works with your iPhone, and Siri runs the show. The LG gadgets carry the Matter logo in their filings. Matter is the shared standard that lets smart home devices from different brands work together.

Big tech is chasing new markets everywhere this autumn. SpaceX just moved on phone networks, which sent Verizon and AT&T shares tumbling. Apple's move into your living room is the same kind of bet.

Is the touchscreen MacBook coming on October 13?

No. It gets its own launch day.

Bloomberg reports that Apple will launch its first touchscreen Mac on or around Tuesday 27 October, two weeks after the home launch. It is expected to be a new MacBook Pro in 14-inch and 16-inch sizes, with an OLED screen you can touch and a Dynamic Island, the pill-shaped cut-out from the iPhone.

The same launch may bring an M6 14-inch MacBook Pro, an M6 iMac and a new iPad mini with an OLED screen, according to Bloomberg. MacRumors expects the touchscreen MacBook Pro to cost more than today's models.

Gurman described it as the MacBook Pro people know, with touch added as a bonus. You keep the keyboard and trackpad.

Photo: Premeditated / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Should I wait to buy a Mac or smart home gear?

Yes, for nearly everything.

If you were about to buy a HomePod mini or Apple TV, wait until Tuesday. New models are days away, and older stock often gets cheaper once they land.

Building a smart home? See the hub first. And if you plan to buy an Apple-friendly lock, doorbell or thermostat, the LG range is coming in a few months.

Buying a MacBook Pro or iMac? Give it about two more weeks. The 27 October launch could bring the biggest MacBook change in years. Even if you do not want touch, an M6 model could arrive the same day.

If you need a cheaper laptop right now, the MacBook Air is not part of either rumour, so there is less reason to hold off.

Two launches in two weeks. For anyone with an Apple purchase on their list, this is the best time all year to be patient.