Apple's Upcoming 15-Inch MacBook Air: What We Know

[jav6454]

before you said




So is it early next year or late next year? TMSC last week or so said this year

From TMSC website

3nm Technology - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited

TSMC’s 3nm technology (N3) will be another full node stride from our 5nm technology (N5), and offer the most advanced foundry technology in both PPA and transistor technology when it is introduced. N3 technology will offer up to 70% logic density gain, up to 15% speed improvement at the same...

www.tsmc.com

"N3 technology will offer complete platform support for both mobile and HPC applications, which is expected to receive multiple customer product tape-outs in 2021. In addition, volume production is targeted in second half of 2022."


Do you have a citation for either of your claims?

I used recollection from the roadmap, I mentioned it in a post. If I made a mistake, it's my bad. But the date TSMC gave for starting mass production is late this year.

 

[Biofreak12]

They should've started with 15inch MBA, my wife is waiting for this to replace her 4 year old 15inch mbp!
Come on apple!

 

[Technerd108]

Who knows Apple does some crazy things with their lineup. I think a lot of people would love a 15” air.

I highly doubt they will put a pro chip in anything but a pro laptop. They like clear delineation of their models. If they put a pro chip in a regular MacBook then why would anyone buy a MBP?

If they release a 15” model and that is a big if it will have a normal M2 chip, 2 thunderbolt ports, MagSafe, lcd screen with 500 nits brightness and no mini led or promotion.

But right now if you want a big screen laptop then your only option is a 16” MacBook Pro and I bet there is a big amount of people who upgrade just for the screen. So it pushes people up the product line into a more expensive product which Apple loves to do.

However I think it makes profitability sense because more people would buy a 15” MB air who don’t really need a pro. It would open up a market share for them and ultimately people who want a bigger screen but don’t need all the bells and whistles would be much happier with a large screen air MacBook. So happier customers, more customers and more price points to profit from.

I think this might just happen and I would buy one in a heartbeat. I am most likely getting an M2 air but a 15” would be the sweet spot.

 

[Matt Leaf]

I bet a 15” Air comes next year when the M3 gets announced at WWDC.

M2 is like an S chip, just a slight bump. I think they might do this every other year - but the 3nm process is really exciting. We’ll see a big jump on battery life for sustained tasks on those models I think.

 

[swilson039]

I’d prefer a 12.5” 2 lb version instead.

Me too! Though, to be honest, if Apple designed iPhones to allow a full desktop experience when connected to an external monitor & Bluetooth peripherals, I would actually have no need for a MacBook.

So long as we are indulging in fantastic speculation...
Imagine a pocket sized "MacMini." When you are mobile, connected to Apple glasses. When docked at home for charging, the full desktop experience.
Some might argue that Apple would never do that because homogenizing their computers into essentially "one product" would decrease the revenue generated by separate product lines. However, I posit that such a device would be as disruptive as the iPhone originally was. An ideal mobile/desktop hybrid (best of both worlds); "one computer to rule them all."

 

[ghanwani]

Me too! Though, to be honest, if Apple designed iPhones to allow a full desktop experience when connected to an external monitor & Bluetooth peripherals, I would actually have no need for a MacBook.

So long as we are indulging in fantastic speculation...
Imagine a pocket sized "MacMini." When you are mobile, connected to Apple glasses. When docked at home for charging, the full desktop experience.
Some might argue that Apple would never do that because homogenizing their computers into essentially "one product" would decrease the revenue generated by separate product lines. However, I posit that such a device would be as disruptive as the iPhone originally was. An ideal mobile/desktop hybrid (best of both worlds); "one computer to rule them all."

For many people, that is already their phone.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I bet a 15” Air comes next year when the M3 gets announced at WWDC.

M2 is like an S chip, just a slight bump. I think they might do this every other year - but the 3nm process is really exciting. We’ll see a big jump on battery life for sustained tasks on those models I think.

Nah. MBA has no real need to be built on a new 3nm process. It is not worth waiting half a year and costing more due to new, lower-yield M3 chips just to improve on battery life that is already quite good. Demand for 15" MBA is obvious and Apple just needs to give a minimally-expensive 15" laptop to lower-end buyers ASAP.

I also disagree with the idea that M2 is nothing more than "like an S chip, just a slight bump," but that is another discussion.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I have a feeling people who brought the 16-inch (and then 15-inch) were often used as desktop replacement, the size and weight might not be top of the list. Yes, these were the only models with better graphics over the 13-inch during the Intel era. I had the 2016, now 2017 and 2018 13-inch MacBook Pro. The keyboard on 2017 and 2018 are far better than the 2016.

Certainly I meet your expectations, having bought the the 16" partially because it is often used as desktop replacement. But now that I own the 16" M2 MBP I find I am loving on all the upgrades of the M2 MBP Max, in particular the display visual quality and screen real estate.

 

[Allen_Wentz]

M3 and 4 ports plz

Wrong thread. This is MBA. You need to go to the MBP thread.
/s

 

[Allen_Wentz]

I prefer my Intel 16 MBP to my 2022 16 MBP/M1. Sad actually.

Have you tried the 16" M2 Max MBP? Coming from a 2016 15" MBP and 17" before that, I never owned 16" before and am absolutely loving it.

 

[doggystyle101]

Hope they put A fan in it.

 

[TobiasLeRoy]

I think you hit the nail on the head.

A 15" Air would be perfect for those of use who need a screen larger than 13" but have absolutely no need for the power/performance (and price) of the Macbook Pro models. Nothing exists in the current lineup.

It's why I'm still working on a 2015 Macbook Pro (15") and would love to upgrade but nothing meets my needs. I think there would be immense demand for a 15" Air.

I second that. It could be my perfect laptop, depending on the price. Apple's marketing strategy is fickle at times, if they think going into it they've got a real winner they may go for the throat price wise. I don't need 1TB, 512 will work, but I would like to see the 16GB. Priced somewhere around $1200-$1500 and I'm in.

 

[chucker23n1]

I second that. It could be my perfect laptop, depending on the price. Apple's marketing strategy is fickle at times, if they think going into it they've got a real winner they may go for the throat price wise. I don't need 1TB, 512 will work, but I would like to see the 16GB. Priced somewhere around $1200-$1500 and I'm in.

A 13-inch is $1600 with that config, so a 15-inch with it will be more like $1800.