The Next MacBook Air Might Be the First With the M2 Chip - Gizmodo

Image for article titled The Next MacBook Air Might Be the First With the M2 Chip — Photo: Caitlin McGarry/Gizmodo

Apple announced the new MacBook Pros earlier this week, which means the rumor mill has already moved on to the next Mac in the lineup: The 2022 MacBook Air. And so far, it’s looking like there will be a number of changes for Apple’s entry-level MacBook.

This round of leaks comes from @dylandkt (via AppleInsider), who accurately predicted the M1 iPad Pro and 24-inch iMac specs. Purportedly, the new MacBook Air will arrive in mid-2022. The current M1 MacBook Air didn’t really change up the laptop’s design, but it appears the next one will. Like the 24-inch iMacs, it’ll reportedly come in a number of color options, with an off-white keyboard and bezels. @dylandkt also claims that the design will be similar to the MacBook Pros Apple announced at its Unleashed event, but thinner and lighter.

Spec-wise, the next-gen MacBook Air will supposedly run on the M2 processor. Previously, a Bloomberg report claimed that it would run on a chip codenamed “Staten” that was a faster version of the M1. The rumored M2 also reportedly ups the graphics cores to nine or 10, and may also be used in a forthcoming 13-inch MacBook Pro. Unlike the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, the new Air isn’t expected to have SD or HDMI ports and will stick with USB-C. Otherwise, it’s rumored to get MagSafe, a 1080p webcam, 30W power adapter, and will also be fanless. The 2022 Air may also support at least two external displays.

It’s expected the Air will also continue Apple’s Mini-LED streak, but @dylandkt said it was unclear whether the Air would also feature a notch. He did say, however, that ProMotion and Face ID aren’t in the cards and that the starting price will slightly increase from the current $999. Another unexpected rumor: Apple might drop “Air” from the name entirely.

As always, rumors are rumors. If the iPhone 13 event was any indication, they don’t always pan out. However, a number of these are pretty credible. Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been banging on about a Mini-LED MacBook Air coming in 2022 for quite some time. DigiTimes also recently corroborated that a Mini-LED display was likely, citing industry sources. Similarly, Apple’s been on a colorful streak over the last year, adding new color options to the 24-inch iMac, iPad Mini, the iPhone 13 lineup, and even the HomePod Mini. MagSafe has also been making a comeback ever since its surprise return with the iPhone 12 lineup. In any case, it’s not likely we’ll see another Apple event this year, so we’ll likely have to wait until 2022 to find out more.

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