Apple is planning to launch a 15.5-inch MacBook Air as soon as spring 2023 in a move that could expand the MacBook Air line and offer more options to potential buyers. That’s according to display industry expert Ross Young, who shared the news with his paid super followers on Twitter.
Right now, Apple only offers one MacBook Air: the 13.6-inch model. That stands in contrast to the MacBook Pro, which comes in two sizes. Apple might be hoping that extending the MacBook Air line-up to also include two versions could satisfy customers who want a laptop with a larger screen without shelling out for the expensive 16-inch MacBook Pro.
The larger MacBook Air is expected to offer many of the same features as the current smaller model. That includes the same flat-edged design, the same large trackpad, the same keyboard design with function keys, and more. It’s also likely to come with a 1080p webcam, mirroring both the existing MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. However, it is not expected to get the MacBook Pro’s mini-LED display with ProMotion technology.
On the inside, the 15.5-inch MacBook Air is likely to come with an M2 chip. There’s also a possibility it will come with a more powerful M2 Pro chip, which is currently unavailable in the 13.6-inch MacBook Air.
That stands in contrast to the MacBook Pro, where both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro can be configured to come with the same top-end M1 Max chip. However, Apple might choose to outfit the 13.6-inch MacBook Air with an M2 Pro chip as well when that chip is released.
Young has previously predicted Apple would launch a larger MacBook Air, However, the 15.5-inch display is a slight increase from his previous estimation, which stood at 15.2 inches. Interestingly, fellow tipster Ming-Chi Kuo has also claimed Apple is working on a 15-inch laptop, although he believes it might not be a MacBook Air. What it is, then, remains up in the air (so to speak).
When it comes to Apple rumors, Ross Young is one of the most reliable voices out there, sitting at the top of AppleTrack’s leaker leaderboard. Of course, that doesn’t mean he can’t be wrong, so take this latest prediction with a grain of salt.
Apple is also rumored to announce a mixed-reality headset as soon as spring 2023, so we could be in for quite a product reveal in a few months’ time. Watch this space.
