Apple is expected to release a number of new Macs powered by the in-house M4 CPU next week, but it appears a MacBook Air will not be one of them if reports are to be believed.
Over at Bloomberg, Apple leak-monger Mark Gurman claimed that Apple is only just beginning production of MacBook Airs featuring M4 chipsets. That might mean we won't see a more powerful Air until early 2025.
Additionally, Gurman reported that the MacBook Air won't receive an external redesign and should look fairly similar to current models, which launched in 2022. It will once again come in two variants, one with a 13-inch display and a 15-inch version.
Unlike in previous years, Apple is taking the time to bolster every new product lineup with the most powerful currently available CPU. Like the iPhone 16 all featuring the new A18 chip, every Mac computer is expected to get some version of the M4 processor.
As with most things in 2024, these moves are being made so that Apple's latest devices can run artificial intelligence and Apple's take on AI, Apple Intelligence. The M4 chips should provide better efficiency and upgraded speed.
According to knowledgeable sources, new MacBook Airs will be released after a December software update, most likely macOS 15.2 which is bringing a number of Apple Intelligence features to the Mac lineup. Again, this does suggest a release date some time between January and March 2025.
The currently available M3 Macbook Air was released in March of this year. That said, the 15-inch version featuring the M2 chip was launched in June of 2022. So, there isn't a strict release schedule like the other Macs or the annual iPhone.
Gurman also reported that Apple is delaying the release of a new high-end Mac Studio, which does confirm previous rumors that we wouldn't see that computer until mid-2025. He adds that Apple is working on M4 versions of the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, which will add ray tracing and an enhanced Neural Engine, important for Apple Intelligence tasks. We most likely won't see either professional Mac until after March of next year.
This is yet more reason to believe there won't be any big Apple October event this year, but we'll just have to wait and see what the company has planned for Fall 2024.
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