M2 MacBook Air Said to Be Among Most Likely WWDC Hardware Announcements, Apple AR/VR Headset Unlikely

[MacRumors]

Apple may unveil new Mac hardware at WWDC this year, with the redesigned MacBook Air being the most likely potential hardware announcement, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman explained his expectations for potential Apple hardware announcements at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

Signs of "realityOS," the long-rumored operating system believed to run on Apple's mixed-reality headset, were spotted in Apple source code earlier this year and there has been growing enthusiasm about Apple's AR and VR project finally "approaching liftoff" for launch this year. Rumors of Apple announcing its headset sooner rather than later were stoked earlier today when a trademark for "realityOS" surfaced, with a foreign filing date deadline of June 8, 2022, just two days after the main WWDC keynote. Despite these rumors, Gurman is wary of "a full-blown" announcement of Apple's headset at WWDC:

In terms of new hardware... though Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset is full steam ahead — underscored by the recent demonstration of the device to the company's board — I'd be wary of expecting a full-blown presentation for developers and consumers next week.

Gurman previously reported that the launch of the headset will likely be delayed until 2023 following a plethora of development problems, including issues with overheating from at least one chip on par with the M1 Pro, as well as camera and software challenges.

Mac-related announcements are reportedly more likely at WWDC this year, should Apple unveil any new hardware, according to Gurman. He believes that Apple planned to launch a new MacBook Air model with the M2 chip at WWDC this year, but supply chain issues seem to have complicated the timeline:

If there's any hardware at WWDC, it will likely be on the Mac side. The company has been aiming to launch the next MacBook Air with M2 chips at the conference. The recent supply chain crunch due to Covid-related closures in China has complicated that, but developers say that Apple employees are increasingly using next-generation MacBook Airs with their apps. That's a sign that the new Mac is close.

Beyond any potential hardware announcements, major new software updates for Apple's devices, including iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, tvOS 16, and macOS 13, are expected to be previewed at WWDC on Monday, June 6.

Article Link: M2 MacBook Air Said to Be Among Most Likely WWDC Hardware Announcements, Apple AR/VR Headset Unlikely

 

[dantracht]

Sorry, software only. Must we every year with this?

 

[MayaUser]

But but but...twitter account KUO said the next Macbook air will come with M1
I think Kuo retired from this, and his child made a twitter account and tried to do his father leaks but without any real background and sources

 

[Think|Different]

Yeahhhh, I wouldn’t bet on that. Sure fire way to be “disappointed.” Oh well, now other outlets will run with this and in a little over a week you’ll see “Here‘s why Apple didn’t announce any hardware this year…” articles everywhere.

 

[dantracht]

Yeahhhh, I wouldn’t bet on that. Sure fire way to be “disappointed.” Oh well, now other outlets will run with this and in a little over a week you’ll see “Here‘s why Apple didn’t announce any hardware this year…” articles everywhere.

EXACTLY. Every year it's the same thing.

 

[jz0309]

how many non-revealing anything Gurman related articles do we need on Sundays?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

So we might get a sneak peek at MacBook Air and availability will be this Fall?

I don't like the fact, that Gurman used the word “most likely”. I see what he did there... playing it safe 🤓

 

[MayaUser]

Yeahhhh, I wouldn’t bet on that. Sure fire way to be “disappointed.” Oh well, now other outlets will run with this and in a little over a week you’ll see “Here‘s why Apple didn’t announce any hardware this year…” articles everywhere.

The articles companies have to make some money somehow

 

[headlessmike]

Sorry, software only. Must we every year with this?

To be fair, they do release new hardware every few WWDCs (Mac Pro 2019, iMac Pro and HomePod 2017, Mac Pro 2013, MacBook Pros 2012, etc.).

 

[MayaUser]

So we might get a sneak peek at MacBook Air and availability will be this Fall?

I don't like the fact, that Gurman used the word “most likely”. I see what he did there... playing it safe 🤓

yes, its two ways Gurman speaks
When he said most likely or in my opinion...its a guess, playing it safe
when he said...i heard from sources/close sources then its for sure

 

[mnsportsgeek]

Sorry, software only. Must we every year with this?

You’d be wrong a decent portion of the time with that attitude based on history.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Sorry, software only. Must we every year with this?

I mean I’d love to agree with you, as it does seem like we deal with this every year.
But Apple *did* file three new Mac models in the Eurasian database back in February, one of them a laptop.
We got the two desktops, the M1max Studio and the M1Ultra studio.
We still haven’t got the laptop.
So it’s not like these rumors are from nowhere.
And it certainly wouldn’t make sense for Apple to file the new MacBook Air in the database in February, if they didn’t plan on releasing it until October.
Also, four of the last 10 wwdc events have introduced hardware.
2017 wwdc literally gave us updates to the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook, iMac, and the iMac Pro, the second generation iPad Pro, and the HomePod.
Apple dedicating 10 minutes to a MacBook Air that comes in colors and has a slightly faster processor really isn’t that impossible.
On top of all this, let’s not forget that Apple did invite some developers, and all of the regular media journalists and such, to their campus for the Keynote. I don’t think they would have done that if we were purely just getting software.

 

[jav6454]

This was a likely outcome that I have long predicted. October timeframe for M2s seems more plausible

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

The real question for me is price.
And how much I’ll be able to get for my current M1 MacBook Air.
Really hoping this thing doesn’t disappoint because it’s rumored to fix the biggest problem I have with my current, the dated design

 

[aeternitas]

No notch please. We are finally moving away from it on the iPhone, don't add it to new Macs.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

No notch please. We are finally moving away from it on the iPhone, don't add it to new Macs.

I’m sorry but the notch will be staying. Apple added the notch on the recent MacBook 💻 Pro 14”, 16” line up and it doesn’t even have the Face-ID. I guess Apple loves the notch.

Would you prefer the pill-shape factor on a MacBook?

 

[BWhaler]

Zero chance Of m2 air.

Mac Pro and maybe pro display update. At most.

these rumors are getting dumber and dumber.

 

[cigz]

not sure about Macbook Air but i've heard there *might* be a new Mac Mini (probably with M1 Pro to replace Intel mini) and Mac Pro coming

 

[contacos]

They can’t even ship last years Pro before August. Why would they announce a new Air with orders they probably can’t fulfill

 

[CrazyForCashews]

It’s going to be really disappointing if the redesigned MacBook Air ships with only white bezels and a white keyboard.

Options are good, and I hope Apple isn’t too dumb not to offer black bezels and keyboard with the new Air. But then again this is Apple we’re talking about and they like to do dumb stuff.

 

[dantracht]

It’s going to be really disappointing if the redesigned MacBook Air ships with only white bezels and a white keyboard.

Options are good, and I hope Apple isn’t too dumb not to offer black bezels and keyboard with the new Air. But then again this is Apple we’re talking about and they like to do dumb stuff.

Whenever this air comes out, my hunch is it will be along the lines of the M1 iMac, fun consumer colors, not really pro colors. I wouldn't bet on silver/black bezels.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Whenever this air comes out, my hunch is it will be along the lines of the M1 iMac, fun consumer colors, not really pro colors. I wouldn't bet on silver/black bezels.

So frustrating...

What are "consumer colors" vs "pro colors"?

Why does everything "pro" have to be such a boring palette of cold and depressing silver, gray and black?

 

[aeternitas]

I’m sorry but the notch will be staying. Apple added the notch on the recent MacBook 💻 Pro 14”, 16” line up and it doesn’t even have the Face-ID. I guess Apple loves the notch.

Would you prefer the pill-shape factor on a MacBook?

I would prefer the pill shape yes. Knowing how Apple thinks I would guess the notch will be made smaller for the 2022 MBP iteration and probably be replaced by a pill shape on the MBP by end of 2023. It's all about gradual changes to keep people buying new machines.

 

[Realityck]

They can’t even ship last years Pro before August. Why would they announce a new Air with orders they probably can’t fulfill

Considering how delayed manufacturing is, it’s as you mentioned just the wrong time to promote any new hardware. Last year he was busy promising MBP’s at the show, never happened.

 

[jav6454]

I’m sorry but the notch will be staying. Apple added the notch on the recent MacBook ? Pro 14”, 16” line up and it doesn’t even have the Face-ID. I guess Apple loves the notch.

Would you prefer the pill-shape factor on a MacBook?

The notch is a bother to some. Also, Airs have traditionally followed their own design path.