According to recent rumors, Apple’s 2022 MacBook Air will borrow heavily from the new MacBook Pro, with plenty – but not all – on current users’ wishlists for the ultraportable reported to be answered next year. The current MacBook Air was one of the first models in Apple’s computing lineup to use Apple Silicon, helping to launch the new M1 processor.
That system-on-chip (SoC) forewent Intel processors, a cornerstone of previous MacBook Air models, in favor of a strategy inspired by Apple’s iPad Pro chipsets. The merging CPU, GPU, and a unified memory architecture proved to be a substantial improvement, especially in terms of battery life.
Nonetheless, the new MacBook Pro, which was unveiled earlier this week, and the M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets within various notebook variants have revealed even more of Apple’s ambition to rebuild its Mac portable line-up completely. While professional users will be ecstatic about the increased CPU and GPU performance, the laptops also bring back old ports and connectivity, a revised appearance, and new screen technology.
It’s now believed that some, but not all, of those features, will be hand-picked for the next MacBook Air. dylandkt, a well-known leaker, took to Twitter to detail what they’d learned about 2022 ultraportable, which is expected to be released in the middle of next year. According to prior leaks, it’s wonderful news with a little disappointment for Air enthusiasts.
For example, the current laptop will include an Apple M2 processor, the second iteration of the M1 Apple Silicon chipset. This will likely result in improved processing and graphics performance, but perhaps not as dramatic as with the M1 Pro and M1 Max, as battery life and heat remain major concerns.
According to reports, the new MacBook Air will look identical to the current MacBook Pro but smaller and lighter. It will also remain fanless and include a 30W power adapter supporting Apple’s reintroduced MagSafe magnetic power connection.
However, ports will remain limited to USB-C. As a result, photographers and others will still have to use adapters and dongles for their memory cards, unlike the restored SD card port on the latest MacBook Pro. Likewise, there will be no HDMI output, even though the laptop will handle at least two external screens. The latest MacBook Air can handle a single external monitor with a resolution of up to 6K 60Hz.
The current tapering design will be replaced by a more uniform one, and the display will most likely be a Mini-LED panel. However, there will be no ProMotion 120Hz support, nor will Face ID be featured; the presence of a notch, as seen on the new MacBook Pro, is unknown. Instead, a FaceTime camera with a resolution of 1080p is most likely.
The iMac 24-inch, which debuted in various colors, will presumably feature the same appearance as the new MacBook Air. Apple is reported to be contemplating a variety of color options, with the bezels and keyboard being off-white. A full-sized function row key will also be included.
Interestingly, Apple is rumored to be thinking of changing its name or at least simplifying it. Instead of “MacBook Air,” the leaker speculates that it could just be branded “Apple MacBook.” Simultaneously, a minor increase in the starting price is likely. The current MacBook Air is Apple’s most cheap portable computer, with prices starting at $999.
Source: dylandkt
