Apple Might Launch New, Colorful MacBook Air With M2 Silicon At WWDC 2022
In October 2021, Apple introduced the redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with souped-up versions of the ARM-based M1 silicon. Meanwhile, the MacBook Air, which received the M1 treatment a year prior, has also been speculated to get a refreshed design with new iMac-like pastel colors. Leaks around the vibrant MacBook Air have been lingering on the internet for a year, and the latest leak suggests it could be launched as early as the second week of June 2022 at WWDC, with the second-gen Apple Silicon.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple could finally unveil the long-due colorful MacBook Air design refresh at WWDC 2022. He added the MacBook Air will come with Apple's new ARM-based M2 chip, which is set to be an upgrade over the current M1 line-up of custom chipsets. The upgraded MacBook Air with the M2 chipset has appeared to be on the horizon since early 2021 but has been grossly delayed due to supply chain constraints owing to COVID-19 and the global silicon crunch.
External factors impeding progress
Gurman's leak corroborates seasoned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's earlier prediction about the redesigned MacBook Air (via 9to5Google), which said that the revamped MacBook Air would come in mid-2022. Notably, the M2 chipset has reportedly been in production since April 2021. Besides relying on Taiwan's TSMC to produce the M2 chips, it's been reported that Apple is sourcing the flip-chip ball grid array (FC-BGA) from Samsung.
The specifications of the Apple M2 silicon have also been teased for quite some time. Although the numeral increment may suggest so, the M2 chip is not supposed to succeed the M1 Pro and the M1 Max chips that power the 2021 MacBook Pro lineup. Instead, the M2 silicon is rumored to come with improvements over the older M1 chip, including newer and more efficient cores.
Improved processing, better graphics
As per previous reports, it's rumored that Apple's M2 silicon continues to be based on a 5-nanometer manufacturing process. Like its predecessor, the updated chipset is rumored to feature eight CPU cores, but the number of GPU cores has been upgraded to ten.
As per a previous report by Gurman, it's suggested that Apple has been testing the performance of third-party apps on up to nine different Mac models using four different variations of the M2 chipset. It's reported that these new machines include the speculated MacBook Air with an eight-core CPU configuration, a Mac Mini with the same specifications as the MacBook Air, a Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chip, and an "entry-level" MacBook Pro (presumably the upcoming 13-inch model) with the same configuration as the MacBook Air.
In addition, Apple is reportedly testing newer 14-inch and 16-inch models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips and testing a new Mac Pro and second-gen Mac Studio with an M2 Ultra chip. Lastly, Apple might also launch an iPad Pro featuring the M2 SoC.
Better and brighter display
Besides upgraded internals, Apple has also been reported to be working on better displays for the new MacBook Air. Firstly, the older LED-backlit LCD display on the MacBook Air will be replaced by displays backlit with Mini LEDs, just like the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2021) and the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. For a quick refresher, Mini LEDs – as the name suggests – are miniature LEDs almost a thousand times smaller than conventional LEDs. The grid of tinier LEDs placed behind the LCD substrate allows for more precise control of the backlighting, making way for more vibrant colors, better contrast, and deeper blacks. Despite their quality comparable to OLEDs, Mini LEDs are relatively economical and offer better brightness than OLEDs.
Other than the improved display, it remains to be seen if the upcoming MacBook Air also comes with Apple's ProMotion technology that allows for a 120 Hz refresh rate, like the iPad Pro. It's likely we'll see more starting as early as June 6, 2022.