Updated June 4; The article was originally published on June 3.
apple Your new Mac is ready to boot into Worldwide Developers Conference next week. The M2 Max and M2 Ultra Apple Silicon chipsets are based on the year-old M2 chipset, bringing more power and attractive upgrade options to consumers…unless you want to shell out for the new 15-inch MacBook Air.
Tim Cook and his team decided that if consumers wanted a bigger screen on their next macOS laptop, they should spend a lot of money on an outdated MacBook as soon as 2022.
Cupertino, CA – June 06: The new and redesigned MacBook Air laptops are on display during … [+]
Update: Saturday, June 3: Although the Apple faithful can expect to hear about the next MacBook Air at WWDC this week, Respected Apple Watcher Jason Snell It sounded like a cautionary note. WWDC has seen the release of Macs—notably last year’s M2-powered 13-inch MacBook Air—and it’s not a hardware guarantee. While the devices will launch this year, will Apple want to ensure as much media focus as possible on the new headset and drop the macOS laptop from the keynote?
The problem is, the headliner or two or three of the event will definitely be a shiny new headset, not some new Mac. Rumors have been swirling that Apple has a larger M2 MacBook Air laptop ready to ship, and since there’s an event, the company could release it. But is this a more effective strategy than waiting a few weeks, when the headlines around the headset have died down, in order to put a new product in the spotlight?
There has been a great deal of speculation on the MacBook Air. While Apple hasn’t confirmed anything, not releasing the larger MacBook Air would, after all the current coverage, be a brave choice.
CUPERTINO, CA – JUNE 06: Apple CEO Tim Cook takes a look at the brand’s new redesigned display … [+]
Update: Sunday, June 4. End of this week , Alex and Oro ask a question Many will need to find an answer… who needs (doesn’t want) a 15-inch MacBook Air? This has been something many Apple believers have called for over the years, but it hits the center of one of Apple’s largest laptop portfolios of all time.
“The answer is I don’t know, and that’s the feeling I had before when Apple unveiled a new MacBook… With Apple set to unveil up to three new MacBooks this week, I’m starting to lose my sense of what makes each one valuable and relevant.” Quite for specific needs… In a world where there’s a 13-inch and 15-inch Air alongside a 13-inch, 14-inch, and 16-inch MacBook Pro, all powered by some variant of the M2 chip, which one would you buy?”
If Apple announces its first 15-inch MacBook to consumers at WWDC, it’ll take time to explain the thinking behind the laptop and the difference it can make. This will take some time, and you have to wonder if Apple’s launch of Mixed Reality Headset is more important than explaining a new laptop. Will Apple downplay the new Air’s description, or will it simply skip the announcement and send it off with a press release later in June?
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JUNE 02: Apple CEO Tim Cook exits the stage after speaking during the Apple conference … [+]
So, let’s take it as read There will be a 15-inch MacBook Air unveiled at WWDC 2023; There is a lot of relevant information before the launch. The same goes for the rumored specs of the new macOS laptop, and that’s where the disappointment begins.
Because this 15-inch MacBook Air should not be considered a new MacBook Air. Last year’s WWDC saw Apple release the M2 chipset, part of which included a new M2-powered MacBook Air. Naturally, this was a 13-inch model, but it built very little over the M1 MacBook Air models. One year later, we have a 15-inch MacBook Air running M2. It would have been a compelling retail package if they were launched together. It was launched 12 months later, and it looks like, “Oh we forgot… will that do?“
If selling last year’s specs as “the future MacBook Air” wasn’t enough, Apple will release two new Macs. These chips will use the latest Apple Silicon chips with M2 Max and M2 Ultra chips to be brought on stage before shipping in the next Mac Studio release; And who knows, maybe we’ll finally see the first Mac Pro powered by Apple Silicon?
With laptop sales declining across the board, Apple will be looking to the 15-inch MacBook Air to boost sales. I’ve stocked up in anticipation, and no doubt many will decide that a 15-inch screen is enough to make this device a must-have. And I could see Apple adding a few more CPU or GPU cores to offer a little more than the 13-inch model.
Apple will introduce a “new” MacBook Air with last year’s specifications. It will show updated M2 Max and M2 Ultra chipsets intended for other models. And there’s no doubt that around this time next year, we’ll have the first appearance of the M3 chipset that will leave all 2022 and 2023 Air models behind in terms of specs and performance.
The 15-inch MacBook Air will be sold out; There are enough Apple believers to warrant that. But it’s not the big, high-end laptop that many consumers are hoping for. Given how long it’s taken for the 15-inch MacBook to reach consumers, it’s easy to get disappointed with the choices Apple made that brought us here.
Now read the latest Mac, iPhone and Apple Watch headlines in Forbes’ weekly Apple Loop news recap…