Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is scheduled for June 6, and I’ve been thinking about what I’d want to see from the company in the future. Even though it’s a software-focused presentation, I can’t help but think about Apple’s anticipated 2020 MacBook Air.
Even though we’ve been over two years since the MacBook Air M1 was unveiled, there was something about its outdated appearance that we couldn’t help but be disappointed with. Although it is an appealing laptop that packs a lot of power into a small box, it does not compare well to other of the finest Windows laptops, such the Dell XPS 13.
In addition to the processor update, Apple appears to have given the Air the cold shoulder as a product. In addition to the new M1 Pro and M1 Max CPUs, the MacBook Pro has been redesigned and now comes in both 14-inch and 16-inch versions. Add to that the rumoured Apple M2 chip-powered MacBook Pro 2022, and it seems that the MacBook Air is being overlooked in favour of swanky ‘professional-grade’ machines like the MacBook Pro.
Because of “higher than expected” shipment volumes of the MacBook Pro line, Digitimes(opens in new tab) reports that the MacBook Air will not be released until later this year(opens in new tab).
As a result, it would be unfortunate. As a green tech journalist covering phone announcements and Apple events when I was younger, I had the opportunity to use a MacBook Air for a while before switching to Windows.
There were still some 11-inch versions with large display bezels, but this was one among them. This newbie reporter, however, was transformed into a fast-paced news-gatherer thanks to the smooth macOS experience and a fantastic keyboard (which has since been eclipsed by the superb keyboard on the Microsoft Surface Laptop 4).
MacBook Air and subsequent models were not powerful machines, but they were near-perfect for everyday computing when you just want to get things done without the occasional quirks of Windows or the inconsistent experience of using Windows laptops. That being said, it is true that the switch to the Butterfly keyboard, which Apple thankfully decided to abandon, hampered the Air experience. Yet I’ve always liked the concept of a small but powerful MacOS laptop.
Since the M1-equipped MacBook Air doesn’t have the design aspects I want, I’ve put it off. I’d want to see the screen bezels reduced, the number of available ports expanded beyond USB-C, and the LCD Retina display undergo some sort of metamorphosis.
Rumors about the MacBook Air 2022 are claiming that it will include a display notch like the recent MacBook Pro models, maybe even bringing it in. There have been some indications about what the new Air may look like, including concept images, and the notion that it will be powered by the M2 CPU. Images of fake devices or prototypes haven’t been shared either.
As a result, the MacBook Air 2022 is still just a pipe dream to me. However, I truly hope that I’m shown to be completely wrong.
Despite the fact that the iPad Pro and the new iPad Air 2022 both contain M1 CPUs, the latter tablet is far from being a true laptop replacement that I had the pleasure of using over the weekend.
Likewise, I don’t see the point in spending upwards of $2,000 on the new MacBook Pros because their processing capability is much above my needs. Rather, I’m looking for a laptop that can manage many Chrome tabs and an ever-squawking Slack but yet having enough battery life to last a whole day without recharging.
Because of this, I believe Apple should make its announcement at WWDC 2022. Cupertino could not only wax poetic about the new features of macOS, but it could also demonstrate a low-cost laptop for users to test them out.
A summer debut of the MacBook Air 2022 would also avoid competition with the iPhone 14, which is expected to be unveiled in September. At the same time, students are gearing up for the start of another year of school or college.
Despite the fact that Apple seldom unveils new hardware at WWDC, I’m still holding out hope. As for the MacBook Air, I’m hoping that Apple will pay more attention to it this year… please Tim Cook… with an Apple on top…