Apple sent out press invitations that confirm a rumored October 16^th event, where iPads, OS X Yosemite, and perhaps a Mac or two are expected to be unveiled.

The invitation continues the Apple tradition of simple artwork and a short line of text to hint at what will be presented at the event. The October 16^th invites include a stylized Apple logo and a line of text that says, "It's been way too long."

With those meager clues, we pundits are busy trying to decipher Apple's meaning. So far, I've heard that the Apple logo appears to be in the style of iOS 8, suggesting iOS devices and iOS updates. Of course, that bit of wisdom doesn't cover the "It's been way too long" bit of text, which doesn't mesh with iOS 8 because it was just announced last month. But the iPad Air and iPad mini are both coming up on their first birthday, which is the equivalent of about 10 technology years.

But that's still not really long enough for the tag line on the invitation. That leaves two product lines that could see updates based solely on the time since the last revision: the iPod shuffle and the iPod nano, both of which are over a year old. However, if Apple did update any of the current iPod lineup, I don't think it would merit a press event; more likely a press release at best.

That leaves Macs as possible candidates for the items that have been ignored for too long. Among the Macs, there are a couple of candidates.

The oldest Mac currently still being sold is the non-Retina version of the MacBook Pro, which last saw an update in June of 2012. But I don't believe Apple intends to update the 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro, and instead will let it die off as the cost of Retina displays continue to drop.

That leaves the Mac mini as the next oldest Mac still being actively sold by Apple. It was last updated in October of 2012, and it's multiple generations behind in both processors and graphics. The Mac mini is a product I think Apple is going to keep around, so a replacement is both expected and long overdue.

The other Mac that gets mentioned when talking about updates is the iMac. Yes, a new 21.5-inch iMac was released in June of 2014, but it was by no means an update; it was actually a step backwards, to create a lower-cost configuration for the education and office market.

The rest of the iMac family definitely needs an update, with the last refresh in September of 2013. Most rumors point to a 27-inch iMac with Retina display; while this may happen, I think it's more likely that a Retina display will be a build-to-order option on the high-end models, and that the whole iMac family will be getting processor and graphics updates.

So, what do I expect to see?

• The few pieces of iOS 8 that weren't released earlier will be made available as an iOS 8 update. This includes Apple Pay and the missing Continuity features; HandOff (the ability to move between iOS devices and Macs and pick up right where you left off); iPads and Macs being able to place and take calls via your iPhone; and iPads and Macs supporting SMS and MMS messaging.
• OS X Yosemite will be released; barring any last-minute issues. Apple just released a second golden master for Yosemite, along with a new version of the public beta (beta 5).
• New iPads: This may be in the form of a second-generation iPad Air and a third-generation iPad mini.
• iMac updates: At a minimum, new 27-inch models, with 21-inch models possibly announced but not available until later in the year. A Retina version of the 27-inch iMac is highly anticipated, but please remember, Retina iMacs have been mentioned at every update of the iMac since the first Retina MacBook Pros appeared. If there is to be a Retina iMac, it's going to come with a price premium, which is why I expect it to be a custom build option and not a feature seen across the product line.
• Mac mini: I'm expecting new Mac minis with new designs all around; not just a processor and graphics upgrade, but a whole new look to the Mac mini. I hope this will be part of the October 16^th event, but while it certainly fits the "It's been way too long" catch-phrase, I think there's a chance it's going to be even longer.