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Apple Working on 15-Inch MacBook Air and 12-Inch MacBook for 2023
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While it may be essential for you - and monitor support indeed is a step backward from Intel CPUs to Apple Silicon - it’s by no means „essential“ for the average intended buyer and user of this device.
It’s at most a limitation that people should be aware of.
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MB 12" will be a lovely successor to my MBA 13" in ~1-2 year.
Perfect setup, light on the road and power at home.
Ridiculous! Return it or cancel the order if you still waiting.
I'd say they both have appeal, because the larger MBA would be perfect for people who simply want a desk-bound laptop with a big screen. Outside of students, I'd imagine that a huge amount of users leave their laptop in one place. I also think that 15" would actually be 15.2" to 15.6", so potentially 32% larger screen size than the 13.6" MBA.
That being said, I'd absolutely love a 12" M2 Macbook, and would buy one straight away.
They shouldn’t name as “Air”, it couldn’t fit in paper envelop.
Apple is working on a 15-inch MacBook Air that could be released as early as next spring, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The 15-inch MacBook Air would be close to the size of the larger-screened 16-inch MacBook Pro, and it would be Apple's largest MacBook Air to date. The current 2022 MacBook Air has the biggest display Apple has released so far at 13.6 inches.
The 15-inch MacBook Air would use the same design as the current 13.6-inch model, which eliminated the tapered frame that the MacBook Air used for years.
Alongside the 15-inch MacBook Air, Apple is working on a smaller 12-inch machine as well, though the naming of the tinier machine is unclear. Apple has not offered a 12-inch notebook since the 12-inch Retina MacBook that has since been discontinued.
The 15-inch MacBook Air could be released in early 2023 at a planned spring event, and the 12-inch MacBook could come at the end of 2023 or early 2024.
High-end MacBook Pro models equipped with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips are in the works and could launch at the end of 2022, though Gurman warns that the release date could be pushed back until 2023.
The M2 Max chip will feature a 12-core CPU and up to a 38-core GPU, up from the 10-core CPU and 32-core GPU in the current M1 Max. Apple is also already developing M3 chips for machines that will come out further in the future.
Finally, Apple is developing new 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models that are also expected to use the M-series chips, and these new iPads are planned for later in 2022.
Article Link: Apple Working on 15-Inch MacBook Air and 12-Inch MacBook for 2023
There's a lot of reasons why the 12" retina Macbook might have failed, such as the terrible keyboard, single slow port and high price point at a time when the Macbook Air was a lot cheaper, together the the MBA then being revamped into a retina MBA.
A revamped 12" Macbook / MBA which addresses these issues may or may not do well, it's complete speculation.
I think this is geared towards businesses. It's basically the perfect business machine, light but powerful enough for web stuff with a decently large screen.
I could see my workplace switching over to these, since I'm sure this new MBA is more powerful than what we currently issue.
I could see my workplace switching over to these, since I'm sure this new MBA is more powerful than what we currently issue.
I've used 15" MacBook Pros exclusively for creative work for around 20 years now.
For this Pro-laptop generation I decided to go for the 14" M1 Pro. (Took some ba**s to place that order — would 14" be enough?).
I stil can't believe how good it feels. The freedom of working on a laptop that actually feels portable is just sooo liberating. (I work mainly in the Adobe-CC-package + FCPX).
So I for one am actually not excited about a 15" air at all. The new 13" Air though — gonna order that for my wife as soon as possible.
For this Pro-laptop generation I decided to go for the 14" M1 Pro. (Took some ba**s to place that order — would 14" be enough?).
I stil can't believe how good it feels. The freedom of working on a laptop that actually feels portable is just sooo liberating. (I work mainly in the Adobe-CC-package + FCPX).
So I for one am actually not excited about a 15" air at all. The new 13" Air though — gonna order that for my wife as soon as possible.
It is ridiculous. They blame the shortage and there is no compensation.
15” MacBook Air will be great. Maybe the 12” MacBook might come in more colours. Looks like if Apple is going to launch the 12”, it is still quite some time away.
If a 15 inch macbook air with an M2 chip costs $1500 in 2023, Ill honestly save up a bit more for the pro with M1 ultra chip 
Same here, I gave it over to my wife who loves it as well. It’s now getting quite old as it was the first gen MacBook but she refuses to upgrade to anything bigger. Really glad they are releasing a new one.
I'm a 'pro' - a pro engineer. I don't need mountains of computing power to render complex textures or multi stream 8k video. But I do need to have 3 screens, for reviewing drawings or working on multiple spreadsheets while having teams or outlook open on another screen.
Its an active choice by apple to restrict the machines unnecessarily (as proven by the multi display capability over display link using the CPU to render) and its very annoying. I'll eventually end up spending 3 grand on a M1 or M2 pro machine when a MBA could do the jobs I need perfectly. I used to edit 4K videos on my 11 inch MacBook Air back in 2013.
There‘s „Pros“ that need mountains of computing power and there’s „Pros“ that don‘t.
Such as there’s consumers that need loads of computing/GPU power (e.g. gamers) and others don‘t.
I can definitely relate to how frustrating it must be to spend much more - and buy a computer that has much higher computing power than required - for this one feature only.
That said, working with three screens is definitely a „Pro“ feature though and…
I‘m not sure it’s an „unnecessary“ decision primarily for purposes of market segmentation.
The M1 - and probably M2 as well - are souped-up tablet SoCs. The line has been blurred: these chips may have grown to become fast and powerful enough for desktop usage. But Apple are restrictive in the (maximum) amount of RAM and connectivity they’re stuffing in them.
These are chips designed for consumer devices that only so much surpass the requirements for consumer tablets that they’re able to fit them into low-end desktop/notebook computers. By omitting things users of such devices typically don‘t need, use or require.
EDIT: in many ways, it’s the opposite of what Intel has been doing - and often struggling with:
Intel has been designing with the desktop market in mind. And then trying to shoehorn their architecture into smaller, lower-voltage processors that they’ve been trying to sell at a considerable premium.
Probably saves some power in the devices - and Apple some money (costs) by enabling higher yields in production of these chips.
It sucks for a few people. But I think it makes very good sense from a business and engineering perspective - even if you don‘t assume that „they’re only doing it to force people to buy more expensive Macs“. I don’t see it changing anytime soon.
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I guess they have their reason but at the same time it will push me back to Windows PC's. I picked up a M1 Mac Mini last year, it was my first Mac since I bought my 2012 MBA. The Mini when I bought it was the best value at the time but now I need to travel a bit more and still want to use 2 external displays when I am home. There is no way I will pay $2500 Canadian for a laptop just so that I can connect 2 displays.
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It really is ridiculous to not be supporting 2 external displays on MBAs
I know how popular the Air line is in executive circles and, perhaps surprising to some, those folks do actually enjoy multiple external monitors in their offices to really spread out documents, browser, email and messaging windows
I know how popular the Air line is in executive circles and, perhaps surprising to some, those folks do actually enjoy multiple external monitors in their offices to really spread out documents, browser, email and messaging windows
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
I just think that you're the one getting hung up on what "Pro" means to you, instead of how Apple uses it.
The iPad Pro is the Pro version of Apple's iPad/Air tablet, simply because its differentiating tablet features are directly aimed or aid in content creation that can be monetized or used in the professional space (this is true of all Apple Pro products, really).
For example, both iPads support the Pencil, but the sensitivity on the Pro is superior, something content creators will appreciate. Same goes for the camera setup, which is overkill for a merely-content-consumption device. The iPad's upcoming Reference Mode also speaks directly to Pros; the average Joe doesn't care about this.
When referencing its laptops, the same is true: more horsepower, more /different ports, better screens than the Air line. Same for desktops.
Thus, the Pro name has NEVER* been dumb to use, the way Apple uses it. Anyone can buy the Pro products, but they're AIMED at Pros. This was established very clearly when Steve Jobs came back to the company:
This Is The Super Simple Chart Steve Jobs Made To Save Apple From Extinction
A pivotal chart played a crucial role in Apple's resurgence, showcasing the power of data in business strategy.
www.businessinsider.com
The iPad (and pretty much every product since) has simply been added to his original matrix.
*(I concede the use of Pro in the AirPods line is silly, albeit consistent for the sake of familiarity)
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
Again, Apple positions its products according to a Pro/Consumer matrix, even if there is bleed on either side of the matrix on the customer side of things.
The Air (base, SE, etc.) line is clearly positioned by Apple as the consumer line.
Monitors today are so big/wide and such high resolutions, that perhaps Apple believes a multiple-monitor setup for consumers is unlikely and unnecessary in the consumer space. I certainly wouldn't need more than one (in addition to the built-in one).
The fact that the Pro line has multi-monitor support is consistent with their product positioning, and of course, their profit margins on both sides of the matrix.
We Apple fanbo... *ahem*... enthusiasts LIVE in that bleed area of the matrix. Which speaks to the capability and value of ALL Apple products.
Interesting, the last two 13" MacBook Pro's do NOT have multiple monitor support
It’s essential for anyone who does any serious work. I wasn’t saying it’s essential for browsing Facebook.
What is serious work? Your phrase is rather vague, subjective and based on personal bias.