Skip to main content

A major change may be coming to the MacBook Air next year

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 MacBook Air on a table in front of a window.

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.

Editors' Recommendations

Alex Blake
In ancient times, people like Alex would have been shunned for their nerdy ways and strange opinions on cheese. Today, he…
The next MacBook Air could come with a major disappointment
A MacBook Air on a desk with an open book in front of it.

It’s something of an open secret that Apple is working on a couple of fresh MacBook Air models, including an all-new 15-inch MacBook Air. Many details about these devices have been shrouded in mystery, but a prominent analyst has just shed some much-needed light on them -- and it’s not all good news.

Posting on Twitter, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo updated his previous predictions for Apple’s lightweight laptop. In the new post, Kuo outlined a slate of ideas for what could be coming next.

Read more
9 new Apple products that could launch in 2023
The back of the iPhone 14 Pro Max.

As it currently stands, 2023 has already been a busy year for Apple. The company launched a new yellow iPhone 14, brought back the HomePod, and refreshed its Mac lineup with an M2 Mac mini and M2 MacBook Pro. But what else is on the docket? As it turns out, a lot more. From new iPhones, an upgraded Apple Watch, and possibly an AR headset, here are nine products we still expect from Apple in 2023.
iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro

If there is any Apple product with an upgrade cycle that’s literally like clockwork, it’s the iPhone, which is always out in the fall. This year, we can expect the iPhone 15 lineup to include an iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, it is rumored that the iPhone 15 will have a bigger 6.2-inch display this year, but the rest of the lineup will have the same sizes as before.

Read more
Your next MacBook Air could be even faster than expected
The Apple MacBook Pro 14 laptop propped up at an angle on a desk.

Apple’s upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air could be launching sooner than expected, which is encouraging for anyone who has been waiting for this much-rumored device. But the good news doesn’t end there, as it could also get a sizeable chip upgrade that would leave rival devices in the dust.

For months, it had been suggested that Apple was working on a new 15-inch version of the MacBook Air that was going to be released at a spring event. However, now that Apple has announced it will host its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) -- but not a spring event -- it seems that the latter isn’t happening. That suggests the 15-inch MacBook Air will have to wait until WWDC before seeing the light of day.

Read more