Apple's next-generation MacBook Air is going to be thinner and lighter than the current model, but will retain a 13.3-inch display, according to a new report from Bloomberg. The new notebooks will also reportedly go back to using MagSafe chargers.
Apple's MacBook Air has undergone three major iterations since its introduction in 2008 that made the laptop significantly sleeker. The latest generation MacBook Air running Apple's M1 system-on-chip inherited design from its Intel-based predecessor launched in late 2018 retaining its dimensions and weight. But the new version of MacBook Air featuring the company's upcoming SoC will finally get a highly-anticipated new design.
The next-generation Apple MacBook Air will preserve a 13.3-inch screen size, but will feature narrower borders around the display, which will make the laptop smaller. The machine is also said to be thinner and lighter, the report says citing two sources with knowledge of the matter.
Another innovation the new MacBook Air is going to have is a new MagSafe-like magnetic charging connector, the same one that is expected to be used with the upcoming revamped MacBook Pro notebooks. Apple previously used the MagSafe name for magnetic chargers prior to moving to USB Type-C for power.
The next-generation Apple MacBook Air is projected to be launched in the second half of 2021 or even in 2022, about a year after the company released its first MacBook Air and MacBook Pro 13 laptops powered by its own M1 SoC.
(Image credit: Apple)
It is noteworthy that Bloomberg's sources claim that the new MacBook Air will sit above the current model, which will remain in Apple's fleet as an entry-level machine. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether Apple plans to slash price of the current M1 MacBook Air once it launches the all-new version, or will just price the new one higher. Default configurations of Apple's current MacBook Airs cost $999 or $1,249. By contrast, Apple's existing pre-configured M1-based MacBook Pro 13 are priced at $1,299 and $1,499.
Apple is reportedly preparing to completely reinvent its PCs this year. Along with all-new MacBook Air, the company is said to be working on revamped 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, redesigned iMac all-in-one desktops, and a smaller version of its Mac Pro workstation powered by an in-house developed SoC.
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Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.
