A display industry analyst, Ross Young, claims that Apple intends to introduce a new MacBook Air with a larger 15-inch display in April. The M2 chip is anticipated to power the laptop, supporting Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.
We have reviewed five new features that have been rumored or are most likely to be included in the new MacBook Air while we wait for its announcement.
15-Inch Display
The 15.5-inch display on the next MacBook Air will be the biggest one ever for the notebook. The laptop was previously available in an 11-inch size, but the new MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch display.
The 15-inch MacBook Air is anticipated to use a conventional LCD, despite rumors that a new 13-inch MacBook Air with an OLED display will debut in 2024.
M2 Chip
The 15-inch MacBook Air will be offered with the M2 chip, just like the 13-inch variant. According to Apple, the M2 processor is up to 18% quicker than the M1 chip in CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine performance.
A 15-inch MacBook with M2 and M2 Pro processor options will be delivered in the second quarter of 2023 or later, according to a prediction made by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last year. Kuo stated that this MacBook might not have Air branding, which is interesting. Apple will likely introduce a 15-inch MacBook between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Apple’s plans are still unknown.
Longer Battery Life
The new MacBook Air would have a larger chassis with a 15-inch display, enabling a bigger battery and longer battery life.
The 15-inch model might be closer to the 20-hour threshold, given that Apple claims the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 CPU lasts up to 18 hours on a single charge. Apple silicon chips continue to have performance per watt that leads the industry.
Wi-Fi 6E
The 15-inch MacBook Air will be upgraded to Wi-Fi 6E, whereas the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip will only support Wi-Fi 6. The M2 processor and Wi-Fi 6E were added to Apple’s Mac mini last month.
Wi-Fi 6 uses the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands for operation. Wi-Fi 6E operates simultaneously over the 5GHz and 6GHz bands, enabling faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference. To take advantage of these advantages, the device must be linked to a Wi-Fi 6E router, which companies like TP-Link, Asus, and Netgear offer.
Many Apple products, including the most recent iPad Pro, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini, now support Wi-Fi 6E.
Bluetooth 5.3
The 15-inch MacBook Air might be the next to get support for Bluetooth 5.3 after Apple added it to several of its most recent products.
The Bluetooth SIG, responsible for developing the standard, claims that Bluetooth 5.3 has advantages like increased dependability and power economy. Should Apple decide to use it, Bluetooth 5.3 could also pave the way for the next MacBook Air to eventually support LE Audio for better audio quality, longer battery life, and other benefits.
Apple submitted a new Bluetooth 5.3 product listing earlier this week. No specific products are mentioned in the filing. Yet, it refers to an earlier macOS-related item, indicating that the file may be connected to impending Macs.
