15-inch MacBook Air Expected to Debut in April with These New Features
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Display industry analyst Ross Young says he expected that we’ll see a new MacBook Air with a 15-inch display, most likely sometime around April. The light laptop is expected to be powered by Apple’s M2 Apple Silicon chip, as previouly reported, and will also be equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 and WiFi 6E.
Young said he expects the new MacBook Air to launch in “early April” as display production is currently underway. we will likely see an announcement and the availability of pre-orders could come before April.
The new Air is expected to bring several new and improved features. We’ve listed below what we may see from the new MacBook Air.
Powered by an M2 Chip
The 15-inch MacBook Air is expected to be powered by the M2 chip. The M2 is said to boast an up to 18% faster CPU, a 35% faster GPU, and a 40% faster Neural Engine than the M1 chip.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last year that we could expect to see a 15-inch MacBook with M2 and M2 Pro options sometime during Q2 2023 or a bit later in the year. However, Kuo indicated that the MacBook model he was talking about might not carry the “Air” branding. This means we could see Apple release a 15-inch MacBook positioned between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Wi-Fi 6E
The 15-inch MacBook Air is also expected to have Wi-Fi 6E capabilities. Apple’s Mac mini recently received the M2 chip, as well as Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
Wi-Fi 6E works on the 6GHz band, compared to Wi-Fi 6 which operates on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands. Wi-Fi 6E supports faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference when connected to a Wi-Fi 6E router. TP-Link, Asus, Netgear, and numerous other router manufacturers offer Wi-Fi 6E routers.
Apple’s most recent iPad Pro, the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the Mac mini already provide support for Wi-Fi 6E.
Bluetooth 5.3
The 15-inch MacBook Air could gain support for Bluetooth 5.3.
When used with compatible devices the latest Bluetooth 5.3 specification offers improved reliability, more efficient energy usage, and an improved user experience. Bluetooth 5.3 also offers support for the new LE Audio specification, but Apple hasn’t made an announcement about any implementation of the specs.
The Low Complexity Communication Codec (LC3) included in Bluetooth 5.3 offers a much more efficient way to wirelessly transmit audio, offering a richer listening experience. This means that when integrated, we should enjoy higher-quality audio at the same bitrate.
While Apple has filed a new Bluetooth 5.3 product listing, it doesn’t mention using it in any specific product lines. The new listing contains references to a macOS-related listing, which indicates the new Bluetooth 5.3 standard may be on its way to new products in the Mac lineup.
Apple’s iPhone 14, new AirPods Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra already carries Bluetooth 5.3 support.
15-Inch Display
The new MacBook Air’s larger 15.5-inch display would make it the largest display ever for Apple’s ultra-light laptop lineup. The largest available display for the current MacBook Air is 13.6 inches.
The 15-inch MacBook Air model is expected to have a traditional LCD display.
Improved Battery Life
If the new MacBook Air does score a 15-inch display, it would mean the new laptop would sport a larger chassis, which would provide more space for a larger battery, resulting in improved battery life.
Also, Apple says its 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip has a battery that can last up to 18 hours between charges. This means the 15-inch model could have battery life closer to the 20-hour mark.
M3 On the Way?
We’ve also heard rumors that Apple is also preparing a MacBook Air with the M3 chip for release later this year. If this comes to fruition, there would be a mere six to eight months between MacBook Air refreshes – if Apple does release a new 15-inch model.
An earlier version of this article was published by Mactrast.
[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]
