Apple may launch a groundbreaking new Mac in a few weeks

By Alex Blake February 14, 2023

This spring could be a momentous one for Apple fans, with a top-secret mixed-reality headset and new Apple silicon Mac Pro lined up for release. We’ve also heard whispers that Apple is planning to launch a 15.5-inch MacBook Air, and that idea just received a major boost from a well-known industry expert.

That’s because display industry analyst Ross Young has just claimed in a post to his Twitter subscribers that screen panel production for the larger MacBook Air has already begun, with Apple lining up an early April release date for the device. If he’s correct, that means there are just a couple of months to wait. It follows previous reporting from Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman and Young himself pointing toward a spring release.

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The idea of a 15-inch MacBook Air is significant because it will mark the first time since 2016 that Mac users have had a choice of two different MacBook Air sizes. The larger display could be attractive to people who like the increased screen real estate of the 16-inch MacBook Pro but either don’t like its price or don’t need its power.

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Speaking of power, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has previously alleged the larger MacBook Air could come equipped with an M2 Pro chip, which would be a step up from the M2 found in the current 13-inch MacBook Air. Ross Young didn’t offer any comment on that in his latest report, so we don’t have any corroboration for Kuo’s assertions just yet.

Still, we can make some deductions based on Young’s projected release window. The 15-inch MacBook Air is one of the devices rumored to appear at Apple’s upcoming spring event. If Young believes this laptop is launching in early April, then it follows that the spring event could also be set for that time.

Apple previously sold an 11-inch MacBook Air, and the company heading in the opposite direction by bringing out a larger MacBook Air could disappoint users who were hoping for a more portable device. However, there are rumors that Apple is working on bringing back the 12-inch MacBook with an Apple silicon chip, which could scratch that itch for many people. There’s been precious little info on that device, though, and it’s not expected until late 2023 or early 2024 at the earliest.

With the 15-inch MacBook Air apparently due out much sooner, we might not have long to wait before Apple’s lightest laptop line gets a new addition to the family. If it impresses, it could help 2023 be the MacBook Air’s best year ever.

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