Apple's next-gen MacBook Air has reportedly been delayed and is now expected to launch in late 2022. Apple initially expected to refresh its MacBook Air line in late 2021, although that never happened. Rumors then suggested that the company would launch the device in early 2022, although that never materialized either. The latest report now indicates that potential buyers might have to wait several more months before getting their hands on the new laptops.
Online rumors and speculations suggest that the M2 chip might power Apple's new MacBook Air line. The processor isn't expected to be as powerful as the M1 Pro and the M1 Max that power the 2021 MacBook Pro models, but it will be a worthy upgrade over the M1. The company is also rumored to drop the 'Air' branding in favor of the standalone MacBook name, although whether that happens remains to be seen.
According to the latest edition of Mark Gurman's Power On newsletter, the upcoming MacBook Air has been delayed and is now tipped to be released later in the year. Gurman doesn't clarify why the launch has been postponed but reiterates some of his earlier claims about the upcoming device, including the assertion that it will ship with an all-new design. He further said that the device would be powered by the M2 chip and offer a MagSafe charging option. If the claims prove correct, the next-gen MacBook Air will have many similarities with the new MacBook Pro models, although the latter will still be more powerful.
In his newsletter, Gurman also revealed some information regarding Apple's upcoming MacBook Pro models. According to him, the updated versions of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros are only expected to arrive sometime next year. Gurman also claimed that those models would be powered by the M2 Pro and M2 Max processors. However, Apple will replace the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro this year with a new model powered by the Apple M2 chip.
Mark Gurman had earlier claimed that the company plans to launch no less than seven Macs this year. One of them, the Mac Studio, has already been released, but there's plenty more where that came from. Some of the impending launches include the three MacBook Pros mentioned above, which will reportedly be followed by the all-new Mac mini and the next-generation iMac. Finally, the new MacBook Air will likely be the last Mac launched this year.
Source: Power On/Bloomberg
