Apple will launch an all-new MacBook Air 2022, but it might not run on the new and more efficient M2 chip after all.
That’s the latest claim being made by Apple Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. According to a tweeted list of predictions from Kuo, a MacBook Air with an “All-new form factor design” and “More color options” will launch in the second or third quarter of 2022.
It won’t have a mini-LED display, and it won’t be powered by the M2 chip that had previously been predicted. Rather, it will run on the M1 chip that powers the current MacBook Air, as well as most Macs and a good chunk of iPads.
According to Kuo, the M2 “may not come this year” at all.
If you haven’t read our M2 guide, then you should know that the M2 is said to focus on efficiency improvements for entry-level Macs, so it won’t be outstripping the M1 Max or the M1 Pro (let alone the recently unveiled M1 Ultra) on performance.
It is expected to be built using a smaller 4nm process, however, so it would have seemed perfect for a refreshed MacBook Air 2022 M2.
As for the new form factor, we’ve heard previously that the forthcoming MacBook Air would feature a squarer design, bringing it into line with the iPad Pro and the iPad Air.
It sounds like the display won’t receive the same Micro-LED boost as the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro received, which perhaps isn’t a huge surprise. The MacBook Air has always been the more accessible and approachable option in the range, so it doesn’t tend to have too many ‘Pro’ features.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
