According to reports, Apple is also working on a new 12-inch MacBook. (15-inch MacBook Air release window, M2 Max core count)
Bloomberg reports that Apple is working on a 15-inch MacBook Air and a new 12-inch MacBook, citing persons familiar with the company’s plans. The insiders also divulged information regarding the M2-family processors that will use in Apple’s high-end MacBook Pro devices.
The 15-inch MacBook Air will have the same overall design as the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, which was unveiled at Apple’s WWDC address on Monday. This means an ultra-slim design with no tapered corners, as well as a notch in the screen and a keyboard with function keys and Touch ID. The laptop is believed to be powered by the same M2 CPU as its smaller sibling.
According to the reports, the next laptop might appear as early as spring 2023. They also claim that Apple is working on a 12-inch MacBook that will release in late 2023 or early 2024. But that date is so far off that Apple could abandon its plans at any time.
While it’s unclear who a 12-inch laptop would market for, the 15-inch model might fill an apparent void in Apple’s portfolio for people who want a larger screen. But don’t need or want to spend close to $3,000 for the most powerful model.
Bloomberg’s sources
On the other hand, have some good news for those who do want the quickest MacBook. New MacBook Pro models based on Apple’s second-generation M2 processors could debut as soon as this fall. But they could delay until early 2023. They will, however, offer enlarged relatives to the M2 when they arrive, just as the previous versions did with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.
The M2 Max will contain 12 CPU cores and up to 38 GPU cores, up from 10 CPU cores. And it will also contain 32 GPU cores in the M1 Max. Apple said at its announcement this week that the M2 offers a performance boost of slightly under 20% over the M1. While it’s impossible to say for sure based on core counts alone, the specifications in the Bloomberg story suggest that the next MacBook Pro laptops will have a comparable speed boost.
Apple is also testing a Mac mini and Mac Pro model, according to Bloomberg’s sources. But they don’t go into detail about the items.
Meanwhile, Apple’s 13.6-inch MacBook Air schedules to begin delivering next month, at least a month after the product’s WWDC debut. The delay is due to global supply chain limitations, which have been widely reported.
