The design of the MacBook Air has not changed since 2018. The current generation M1 based MacBook Air uses a three year-old design. According to sources such as Ming-Chi Kuo of TF-International Securities, the company will release a completely redesigned MacBook Air in 2022.
The upcoming version of the MacBook Air will be available in several colors, similar to the 24” iMac which comes in a palette of colors. Apple is making its non-Pro line of Mac computers be fun and colorful while keeping the Pro grade machines available in just a limited set of colors. The MacBook Air is a budget friendly and casual use laptop which would be popular if made available in more colors.
Ports make a return, new M2 chip
Apple released the 14” MacBook Pro and 16” MacBook Pro powered by M1 Pro and M1 Max. The interesting aspect of the new machines is that they fix the issues present on the previous generation MacBook Pro models. The MagSafe is back, the HDMI port is back, the SD card slot is back, and the function keys row is back.
It has been reported that the upcoming MacBook Air version will also have MagSafe charging support. While it is actually convenient to use USB-C, a charging port which is also similar to the port found on most smartphones, the MagSafe continues to be more intuitive. The magnetic charging connector helps the laptop from being damaged in case someone trips over the cable by automatically pulling the cable from the laptop.
The 2022 MacBook Air will be powered by Apple’s next generation M-series chip. The company unveiled the M1 chip – its first Apple Silicon chip back in November 2020. Next year, the M2 chip is expected to be in November 2022 – two years after the release of the first chip. The M2 Pro and M2 Max chips could launch sometime in 2023.
