What can we expect from the next-generation Airs?

[foxtictac]

I know, I know, the 15" is just out and all the rage, but realistically speaking we've not had an update on the 13" and if you're specifically looking for that size, then you may be holding off for a bit longer at this point.
In my case, I'm using an iMac for my day-to-day work and a 2019 Air for travel so I'm not in a rush or in dire need of a new laptop, I can afford to wait another half a year or longer.

But it makes me wonder... aside from the fairly obvious M3, what else can we expect to see on the next-gen Airs? Will they finally offer a better base model configuration with 16B RAM / 512 GB SSD? Will they finally add more Thunderbolt ports a la MacBook Pros? Will it get the better MBP screen? I feel like it has to be one of these at least, because the M3 upgrade alone – while rumored to bring a decent increase in battery life and performance – might not be enough to justify an announcement. Unless, of course, they do it via a press release and don't make a big fuss about it. But I feel like there must be something more out there.

Thoughts?

 

[Longplays]

Typical replacement cycle is 4-6 years.

So your 2019 MBA would be up for replacement between 2023-2025. Your MBA will likely receive its final Security Update in 2027.

The increase of memory and storage is doubtful as they renewed that during your 2019 Air. Apple tend to bump up the base every decade or so.

For more I/O or external screens I doubt it occurring this early at these price points.

 

[foxtictac]

Right, I'm aware of this regarding my MBA, hence why I'm in no rush.
That aside, my understanding is you don't really expect anything to trickle down to the Air?

 

[Rnd-chars]

I wouldn’t expect the Air line to go above 8GB/256GB for several years. That configuration works very well for a lot of folks and anyone else can bump up their config.

Apple’s also unlikely to add Thunderbolt (nor any other) ports — the Air is minimal (hence the name) 😉 — and I’m sure Apple has gobs of telemetry showing how many users exhaust their ports.

The screen is a possibility and it’s been rumored that an OLED version is coming, but a lot of the display related rumors keep getting pushed out so it’s possible but maybe not probable.

Considering they released the M2 MacBook Air less than a year ago and how stable/incremental the previous iteration was, I’m expecting we’ll see updates like:
- new max RAM (32GB)
- minor Wi-Fi improvements (eg., Wi-Fi 6e)
- OLED in M4 (maybe M3)
- minor Bluetooth improvements

 

[Longplays]

That aside, my understanding is you don't really expect anything to trickle down to the Air?

The trickle down you are looking for may occur around 2027.

The pre-config base models you see at Apple.com represents the more than 80% most popular SKUs for each screen size and product line.

While having 16GB & 512GB are nice to have it isn't a deal breaker for many.

I wouldn't be that stressed about it as it typically takes 19.5 months to move from M1 > M2 > M3.

Is your time worth waiting for a savings of $400 to the next memory or storage bump up?

3nm M3 is likely to be out by Q1 2024. M4 likely be out Q4 2025.

 

[foxtictac]

Is your time worth waiting for a savings of $400 to the next memory or storage bump up?

As I mentioned before, I'm not in the market for a new Air just yet, therefore I'm not actively waiting on anything. I'm merely interested to see what other forum members expect to see in a next-gen Air, I'm not asking whether I should be upgrading now or not, because I know for a fact that I won't, so no need to convince me otherwise

 

[foxtictac]

I wouldn’t expect the Air line to go above 8GB/256GB for several years. That configuration works very well for a lot of folks and anyone else can bump up their config.

Apple’s also unlikely to add Thunderbolt (nor any other) ports — the Air is minimal (hence the name) 😉 — and I’m sure Apple has gobs of telemetry showing how many users exhaust their ports.

The screen is a possibility and it’s been rumored that an OLED version is coming, but a lot of the display related rumors keep getting pushed out so it’s possible but maybe not probable.

Considering they released the M2 MacBook Air less than a year ago and how stable/incremental the previous iteration was, I’m expecting we’ll see updates like:
- new max RAM (32GB)
- minor Wi-Fi improvements (eg., Wi-Fi 6e)
- OLED in M4 (maybe M3)
- minor Bluetooth improvements

Fair enough, I'm also doubting about increased base storage and RAM, although with the iPhone 13 getting a bump in base storage last year, I was hoping we'll also be seeing a bump in Macs. Wishful thinking perhaps, but with the flak that Apple has been getting for the 256GB SSDs being slower, I'm still hopeful they make 512GB standard (even if base RAM stays the same).

 

[okkibs]

This is simple to answer: A next-gen Air will simply get handed down the hardware of the current MacbookPros.

1) Display - the Vision Pro has the first tiny microLED displays on the market next year, and eventually the rest of the lineup will follow with adapting this tech. Then once the MBPs have been upgraded from miniLED to microLED, then miniLED will be cheap enough to manufacture and the MacbookAir ...2028? might very well get that screen tech from the 2021 MBP.

2) Ports - the current Macbooks, both the Airs and Pros have as many port as their chips allow for (bandwidth limitations, that is why even the Pros only have 3 USB-C ports). In the future bandwidth will certainly increase, but so will the port speeds. So this will remain stable, at most each Macbook could gain a single USB-C port. This is to say that you won't get a Macbook Air that suddenly comes with 4 USB-C ports. And unless customers are really unhappy with the current port selection, I doubt Apple will spend much effort to increase that (as that additional bandwidth needs to be planned for in their chips). Especially considering how happy customers now are with the port selection, there aren't any complaints about that anymore since re-introducing Magsafe.

3) Weight and size - there have always been incremental gains over the designs and years, display bezels are a bit smaller, weight comes down a bit, for example if you compare any 15" MBP to the 15" MBA, then the weight decrease is noticeable.

4) Maybe some new tech gets ported over, like FaceID. The notch is bigger than it needs to be in all Macbooks, and rumours from day one have been that this would allow Apple to add FaceID hardware at a later point without requiring a notch size increase. Or eventually a touch screen with Pencil support.

5) Memory and storage, as long as MacOS works fine on 8GiB/250GB for simpler tasks that a MBA is meant for they won't change it. But perhaps 500GB SSDs end up so extremely cheap in the future that Apple will use this for marketiing to announce they are doubling it.

6) Overall design, I think a new design would merely be a revision of the current design. That is to say, the current aluminum unibody construction with the Macbook branding moved to the bottom plate, those things are here to stay. A redesign will see a miniLED screen, the same ports just faster (USB5 or whatever that will be then), and a bit weight shaved off.

But there isn't anything drastic Apple needs to do, the current design is solid. Performance, battery life and mobility on the current M2 Airs are all excellent. Any further improvements would just drive up cost.

And any new revised design is at least 5 years away, since it's so good right now they'll want to keep it as long as possible (reduces manufacturing costs). They could announce a SSD bump to 500GB anytime in between though, updating internal components will of course happen with the yearly M chip release cycle.

 

[Longplays]

Fair enough, I'm also doubting about increased base storage and RAM, although with the iPhone 13 getting a bump in base storage last year, I was hoping we'll also be seeing a bump in Macs. Wishful thinking perhaps, but with the flak that Apple has been getting for the 256GB SSDs being slower, I'm still hopeful they make 512GB standard (even if base RAM stays the same).

Personally at the current price points I'd like to see standard SKU Mac chips remain the same but memory & storage double.

With the same Mac chips the Mac mini & Mac Studio I/O be replicated onto the MBA & MBP.

That would increase the value of the Mac.

Like say a iMac 27" 5K would have

- M3 chip
- 16GB memory
- 512GB storage
- 1Gb Ethernet, three TB5 80Gbps, two USB-A 10Gbps & 3.5mm port
- $1799

 

[Surfsalot]

Fair enough, I'm also doubting about increased base storage and RAM, although with the iPhone 13 getting a bump in base storage last year, I was hoping we'll also be seeing a bump in Macs. Wishful thinking perhaps, but with the flak that Apple has been getting for the 256GB SSDs being slower, I'm still hopeful they make 512GB standard (even if base RAM stays the same).

I could never buy 256gb I have 200gb of photos/videos

 

[Alex Cai]

A bump in display refresh rate would do well
And also add the aluminum heat sink from the M1 MacBook Air

 

[foxtictac]

This is simple to answer: A next-gen Air will simply get handed down the hardware of the current MacbookPros.

1) Display - the Vision Pro has the first tiny microLED displays on the market next year, and eventually the rest of the lineup will follow with adapting this tech. Then once the MBPs have been upgraded from miniLED to microLED, then miniLED will be cheap enough to manufacture and the MacbookAir ...2028? might very well get that screen tech from the 2021 MBP.

2) Ports - the current Macbooks, both the Airs and Pros have as many port as their chips allow for (bandwidth limitations, that is why even the Pros only have 3 USB-C ports). In the future bandwidth will certainly increase, but so will the port speeds. So this will remain stable, at most each Macbook could gain a single USB-C port. This is to say that you won't get a Macbook Air that suddenly comes with 4 USB-C ports. And unless customers are really unhappy with the current port selection, I doubt Apple will spend much effort to increase that (as that additional bandwidth needs to be planned for in their chips). Especially considering how happy customers now are with the port selection, there aren't any complaints about that anymore since re-introducing Magsafe.

3) Weight and size - there have always been incremental gains over the designs and years, display bezels are a bit smaller, weight comes down a bit, for example if you compare any 15" MBP to the 15" MBA, then the weight decrease is noticeable.

4) Maybe some new tech gets ported over, like FaceID. The notch is bigger than it needs to be in all Macbooks, and rumours from day one have been that this would allow Apple to add FaceID hardware at a later point without requiring a notch size increase. Or eventually a touch screen with Pencil support.

5) Memory and storage, as long as MacOS works fine on 8GiB/250GB for simpler tasks that a MBA is meant for they won't change it. But perhaps 500GB SSDs end up so extremely cheap in the future that Apple will use this for marketiing to announce they are doubling it.

6) Overall design, I think a new design would merely be a revision of the current design. That is to say, the current aluminum unibody construction with the Macbook branding moved to the bottom plate, those things are here to stay. A redesign will see a miniLED screen, the same ports just faster (USB5 or whatever that will be then), and a bit weight shaved off.

But there isn't anything drastic Apple needs to do, the current design is solid. Performance, battery life and mobility on the current M2 Airs are all excellent. Any further improvements would just drive up cost.

And any new revised design is at least 5 years away, since it's so good right now they'll want to keep it as long as possible (reduces manufacturing costs). They could announce a SSD bump to 500GB anytime in between though, updating internal components will of course happen with the yearly M chip release cycle.

Some of these things will definitely show up in the MacBook Air line-up at some point in the future, but I was wondering about the next iteration specifically.
I've been buying Apple notebooks for the past 20 years and typically there's a somewhat predictable set of features that one can expect from the consumer line based on what can be found in the Pro line. And it's the first time I feel a bit puzzled by what the next-gen MacBook Air will bring other than the yearly M chip cycle upgrades (and sure, BT and WiFi), especially if they plan on keeping the same price.

 

[VaruLV]

I would expect M3 Air's to receive 32GB RAM treatment, not sure it would mean 16GB as base, given Apple will do anything they can to sell 8/256GB machines to mostly clueless masses.

 

[okkibs]

I was wondering about the next iteration specifically.

Oh, there will be nothing, except as you mentioned replacing the chips for the more modern versions, M3, Wifi and so on. That design is essentially brand new, there definitely won't be additional ports or display upgrades. And they won't have to do an announcement for it either, and if they do it can be just like the one they did for the M2 Mac Studio recently where they gave it a minute to tell that M1 was replaced with M2 and then moved on. They might discontinue the M1 Air and lower the price for both M2 Airs by $100. I expect that the M1 Air will be gone and the 13" M2 Air will then get that $999 spot. The 15" pricing might remain unchanged.

 

[Falhófnir]

I would expect M3 Air's to receive 32GB RAM treatment, not sure it would mean 16GB as base, given Apple will do anything they can to sell 8/256GB machines to mostly clueless masses.

I've wondered if they might go 12GB & 24 GB options at some point, lets them increase the base RAM, but not all the way to 16, and keep the optional RAM upgrade around. Not sure if this will come with M3, but at some point 8GB is no longer going to be viable for machines expected to last at least 5 years into the future if not 7-10.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

Doubt we'll get 16gb or 512 base

Hopefully M3 brings wifi 6E and doesn't limit it to pro devices

There were rumors about dual stacked OLED burn I don't see it coming before 2025 tbh . Same for 120hz , actually it might come at the same time as it will for iphones , aka iphone 17

It'll probably keep thunderbolt 3 as well

So yeah nothing fancy lol

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

I've wondered if they might go 12GB & 24 GB options at some point, lets them increase the base RAM, but not all the way to 16, and keep the optional RAM upgrade around. Not sure if this will come with M3, but at some point 8GB is no longer going to be viable for machines expected to last at least 5 years into the future if not 7-10.

Does apple care whether it's viable or not ?

 

[foxtictac]

With M3 supposedly being more efficient, my hunch is that they will focus on improved battery life and the additional benefits that come with that architecture. However, I'd really like a better screen, a right-side Thunderbolt port, and maybe, just maybe, 512GB base config.

 

[okkibs]

a right-side Thunderbolt port

Again, the chip does not have the bandwidth required to connect an additional TB port. Apple had that issue with 4 port Intel Macbooks where you didn't get the full speed if every port was in use. And some customers were not happy, there were threads in this forum as well, complaints that their ports were slower than advertised/expected.

It's also why the base model Mac Mini comes with just 2 Thunderbolt ports and the M2 Pro Mini comes with 4. The non-pro M1/M2/... chips cannot handle more than two of these at full speed.

 

[Algus]

haha just what I need after dropping the bones on the 15'' Air is the more efficient M3 that yet again increases battery life.

But the current machine is able to get me all day at work unplugged (and not the big a deal to toss in a power cable) so if I hold onto my 15'' Air as long as I held onto my 2014 13'' Pro, then by the time I replace it in 2030 or so the battery life should be insane.

 

[foxtictac]

haha just what I need after dropping the bones on the 15'' Air is the more efficient M3 that yet again increases battery life.

But the current machine is able to get me all day at work unplugged (and not the big a deal to toss in a power cable) so if I hold onto my 15'' Air as long as I held onto my 2014 13'' Pro, then by the time I replace it in 2030 or so the battery life should be insane.

Ah well it's just speculation at this point. But word on the street about the M3 is that the 3 nanometer process will bring not just more speed but also reduced power consumption.
Still, you should be happy with 18 hours of battery life. Typing this from my 2019 MacBook Air which has about 5-6h in it at this point, I'd be more than happy with 18 hours. Hell, I'd even be happy with 12.

 

[GianL]

I hope:
-TB5 with support for eGPU enclosure;
-no notch.