Apple’s 2020 MacBook Air update saw a revolution on the inside, but landed with a familiar look on the outside. The thought process may have been that debuting an entirely new architecture and a new design at the same time would be asking for trouble.
However, now that the M1 MacBook Air is out in the wild with remarkably few teething problems, Apple is reportedly setting about giving the MacBook Air a chassis to match the powerful new engine.
A new Bloomberg report from the ever-reliable Mark Gurman claims Apple is working on a new MacBook Air with a thinner and lighter form factor, enabled partially by further thinning of the display bezels. The display will remain at 13-inches, the report says.
Gurman’s sources also say Apple is plotting a return of the MagSafe charging technology, which was ditched in 2018 for the convenience of the more ubiquitous USB-C ports and adapters.
Previous rumours have suggested the tech is coming to a MacBook Pro refresh, but this is the first we’ve heard of it coming to the Air range; potentially saving millions of future laptop users from the disaster of pulling their MacBook to the floor. Beyond MagSafe, the revamped MacBook Air will also provide a pair of USB4 ports (which feature the USB-C design), the report says.
The sources also say the new MacBook Air will have a next-generation version of the M1 processor and will be a higher-end version of the current option, carrying a larger price tag, among the best MacBook. The existing models will remain available, Gurman writes.
As well as the forthcoming MacBook Air, which should arrive towards the end of 2021 or the beginning of 2022, according to Gurman, the MacBook Pro refresh is also on the way.
Gurman says that the Touch Bar will be dropped from the next model, while an SD card slot could return, for the first time since 2016. The chances of Face ID and potential cellular connectivity, which Apple has reportedly been working on, appearing on the next MacBook Pro appear slim.
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Editorial independence
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.
Professional conduct
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.
