Production for display panels for Apple’s much-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air kicked off in February, increased in March, and is expected to increase again in April, says display analyst Ross Young in a tweet to subscribers earlier today. Young says that while production is underway, he does not know the new laptop’s “precise launch timing” but believes it could happen as early as late April or early May.
Young had previously indicated that we’d see a possible April launch for the 15-inch MacBook Air. However, that estimated timeline may be a bit too ambitious. It looks as if we will not see a spring Apple event this year, and a new version of the MacBook Air seems like too much of a big deal for Apple to debut via a simple press release.
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2023) kicks off less than two months from now, so it would be logical for Apple to debut the 15-inch MacBook Air during the WWDC keynote on June 5, with the new laptop hitting stores later in the month.
The new, larger MacBook Air model is expected to share a design with the current M2 model, which could also receive a refresh alongside the new-sized version. We’re not sure exactly which chip will power the new MacBook Air, but options include the current M2 and M2 Pro chips, as well as the M3 chip series if the chip is ready for launch by June.
No matter when the exact launch date, the larger-screened MacBook Air appears to be readying for a first-half-of-the-year launch, to be sold alongside the current 13.6-inch version. Many rumors have said the new MacBook Air will sport a 15.5-inch display, which would be slightly larger than the no longer available 15.4-inch MacBook Pro, falling in between the 13.6-inch MacBook Air and the 16-inch MacBook Pro. The machine will be an excellent option for users in search of a larger screen but that do not want to spring for a “Pro” notebook.
(Via MacRumors)