MacBook Air: a larger model than the current one is on the way

Apple currently offers two models of MacBook Air (13 inches) for sale. The first is the device powered by an M1 chip, available from 1,199 euros and compatible with macOS Ventura. The second has a design revisited for the first time on the range, with a notch that cuts out the camera as well as an M2 processor also designed by Apple in partnership with the foundries of TSMC. As for the edition with an 11-inch panel, its marketing stopped in 2016.

But Apple is secretly preparing another version of the MacBook Air, this time even bigger. More specifically, the beast would then be equipped with a display of 15.5 inches, which is quite close to the 15-inch MacBook Pro since replaced by the 16-inch. This is Ross Young, an analyst at Display Supply Chain Consultants, who has just shared this rumor to its paying subscribers on Twitter.

For next year?

For the moment, it is therefore impossible to verify this information because Apple does not communicate details on its future projects. Young, however, believes the 15.5-inch MacBook Air could see the light of day in spring 2023. The period stretching from March 20 to June 21, this coincides with the release date of previous apple products. The third-generation iPhone SE, in particular, arrived at a similar time in 2022. Same for some iPads previously.

With this, Young suggests that the production tiles for this new MacBook Air would start in the first quarter of 2023. It’s a bit tight for a market launch the following quarter, but we’ve already seen Cupertino meet such deadlines in the past.

Worse than MacBook Pros, but still on top of performance

Of course, this supposed new MacBook Air won’t come with a spec sheet capable of beating the power of a MacBook Pro. But Apple could integrate a chip M2 Prosunder the hood, while current MacBook Airs make do with slower hardware. This same M2 Pro processor that the firm is probably also developing for the 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro which should arrive in the next few weeks.

Moreover, we should be able to count on a connection MagSafe for charging, on an HD camera and on a large trackpad for interface control. The price, on the other hand, is sure to be higher than the almost 1,500 euros that the purchase of a MacBook Air M2 asks you today.

December 16, 2022