Apple’s OS X Lion and new MacBook Airs likely coming Wednesday

By Trevor Mogg July 18, 2011

Apple fans wondering when on earth OS X Lion will be released, or when the MacBook Air refresh will finally see the light of day, will be delighted to learn that a new round of rumors is pointing toward something happening this week.

Apple Insider is claiming that Wednesday could be the big day. Its source? “People with proven track records who would be in a position to know.” They go further: “Specifically, one person said the products would be released on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.”

9 to 5 Mac is adding to the rumor mill – it says that according to “multiple retail sources across the world,” employee overnights will be held starting Tuesday evening. The report speculates that it’s in preparation for a Wednesday release of OS X Lion.

The same report isn’t quite so sure about the new MacBook Airs though, saying that they’re “expected to launch alongside Lion, but nothing from the retail channels confirms this timing.”

It’s thought that the refreshed 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch Airs will be equipped with Intel’s latest-generation Core i-series Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt ports, for high-speed data transfer. Also, it could come with 4GB of RAM (up from 2GB) and feature solid state drives with a minimum of 128GB. Some believe that that the Air’s backlit keyboard will make a return, a feature missed by many when it was removed from the 2010 MacBook Air.

Apple’s new Lion operating system will incorporate around 250 new features, including multi-touch gestures through trackpads on the Cupertino company’s laptops, as well as through its Magic TrackPad for iMacs. The new OS, which will replace Snow Leopard, will be available as a download from the Mac App Store for $29.99.

OK, so let’s see if this is the week for Lion. It has to be soon, after all, Apple’s website says Lion is due out in July, and the days are ticking by…

Image: Robek

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Computing

Here’s everything we know about the M4 MacBook Pro so far

An open MacBook Pro on a table.

With the launch of the M4 iPad Pro, you might be wondering what’s in the cards for the MacBook Pro. Is it following hot on the heels of Apple’s flagship iPad, or will we have a significant wait before Apple’s laptop gets an upgrade?

We’ve scoured the rumor mill to find the answer, as well as worked out what sort of performance, features and designs we can expect. If you’re interested in learning more about the upcoming M4 MacBook Pro, you’re in the right place.
Price and release date

Computing

This 13-inch MacBook Air deal cuts the price by $150

The screen of the MacBook Air M2.

For those who are on the hunt for MacBook deals, you may want to check out Best Buy's bargain for the 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air M2. The model with 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM is down to $849, following a $150 discount on its original price of $999. We don't think this offer will last long though, so if you want to take advantage of it, there should be no hesitation on your end -- add it to your cart and proceed with the checkout process as soon as you can.

Why you should buy the 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air M2
The 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air M2 isn't the latest model of the laptop, but it's still featured in our list of the best MacBooks as the MacBook for everyone. That's because with its reduced price -- which is even lower with Best Buy's discount -- the machine is a relatively budget-friendly option for those who are planning to switch to a MacBook or to upgrade from an older model to enjoy Apple's own silicon. The Apple M2 processor, combined with an eight-core CPU, eight-core GPU, and 8GB of RAM, provides incredible performance that will be able to handle even the most demanding tasks for work or school.

Computing

The new iPad Pro would be perfect, if only it were a Mac

A person gaming on the M4 iPad Pro and playing Diablo Immortal.

It’s no secret that I’ve been cheering on Apple’s gaming advances over the last year or so. Long-suffering Mac gamers have gone from being the forgotten also-rans of Apple’s ecosystem to feeling on top of the world, all in a very short period of time. But there’s one vital piece missing from the puzzle, and Apple’s new M4 iPad Pros have made it incredibly obvious.

I’ll admit, Mac gamers have been treated well in recent times. Not only have we had phenomenal hardware advancements in the form of the M3 Max chip -- which is a genuine gaming chip so cool and quiet that you’d be fooled into thinking it’s not -- but there’s also been a slate of top-tier games arriving on Apple’s platform, including my beloved Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s a good time to be a Mac gamer.