Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is working on a “thinner and lighter” MacBook Air that the Cupertino firm plans to release during the second half of 2021 at the earliest or in 2022. The new model Air is also said to bring back the MagSafe power connector.
It will include Apple’s MagSafe charging technology and a next-generation version of the company’s in-house Mac processors. Apple has discussed making the laptop smaller by shrinking the border around the screen, which will remain 13-inches. The current model weighs 2.8 pounds and is just over half an inch at its thickest point.
The company considered building a larger version of the MacBook Air with a 15-inch screen, but Apple isn’t moving forward with this for the next generation, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private matters. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment.
Gurman says the new 13-inch MacBook Air model will also sport a pair of USB 4 ports. The current Apple Silicon MacBook Air model is expected to remain in the MacBook lineup as the entry-level offering.
While Gurman says the new MacBook Air release could happen late the year or as late as next year, Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously predicted a new MacBook Air release would occur at some point in 2022, indicating a refresh might not happen this year. Kuo said the new Air would boast a mini-LED display, as did a report from DigiTimes.
