Apple plans to release a new MacBook Air in the second half of 2023, and it may be equipped with a 3nm chip, according to a report today from Taiwanese publication DigiTimes. This chip would likely be Apple’s next-generation M3 chip, which would offer faster performance and improved power efficiency compared to Apple’s current 5nm chips.
“The supply chain is more focused on the more affordable MacBook Air, which is expected to be updated in the second half of 2023 and may be equipped with a 3nm processor,” the report says, citing industry sources. The report does not provide any additional details about the MacBook Air or a more specific launch timeframe.
Apple’s chipmaking partner TSMC kicked off mass production of 3nm chips in late December. The M3 chip in the next MacBook Air could be one of Apple’s first 3nm chips alongside the A17 Bionic chip in iPhone 15 Pro models later this year.
Earlier this week, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro will also be updated with 3nm M3 Pro and M3 Max chips in 2024. This would be a familiar pattern for Apple, as the M1 and M2 chips debuted in the MacBook Air, followed by Pro and Max versions of those chips in the MacBook Pro later.
There’s a few caveats to consider with this report. First, these are the same DigiTimes authors who claimed that the just-announced 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips would be “delayed” beyond early 2023, which was incorrect. Second, display industry analyst Ross Young last month claimed that a 15-inch MacBook Air would be released in the first half of 2023. If today’s report is accurate, then perhaps both 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs with 3nm chips will launch in the second half of 2023 instead.
The current MacBook Air with the M2 chip was released in July and features an all-new design with a notch in the display, MagSafe charging, a 1080p camera, and more. Apple also continues to sell a MacBook Air with the M1 chip.
Popular Stories
Apple Rumored to Have Product Announcement Tomorrow
Apple will make its first product announcement of 2023 through a press release on its website tomorrow, Tuesday, January 17, according to Apple leaker Jon Prosser. MacRumors can corroborate an announcement is expected to take place this week. The announcement could be one of several products expected in the near future, including updated MacBook Pros and Mac mini models. The updated…
Apple Announces New HomePod for $299 With Full-Size Design, S7 Chip, and More
Apple today announced a second-generation full-size HomePod, available to order starting today for $299 in white and midnight color options. In-store availability and deliveries to customers will begin Friday, February 3 in select countries. The second-generation HomePod features a virtually identical design as the full-size HomePod that was discontinued in March 2021, with a backlit touch…
Apple Announces New MacBook Pros With M2 Pro and M2 Max Chips, Up to 96GB RAM, and More
Apple today announced the next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with faster 5nm-based M2 Pro and M2 Max chips, up to 96GB of RAM, an upgraded HDMI 2.1 port with support for an 8K external display, faster Wi -Fi 6E, and more. The new M2 Pro chip features a 10-core or 12-core CPU and offers up to 20% faster performance than the M1 Pro chip, according to Apple. The chip also has …
iOS 16.3 Coming Next Week: Here’s What’s New
Apple announced today that iOS 16.3 will be available for iPhone customers next week, bringing just a few new features and enhancements to iPhone customers around the world. In a press release today announcing new Apple Watch bands, Apple said iOS 16.3 will be available next week as a requirement for a new iOS 16 wallpaper. Alongside iOS 16.3, we also expect iPadOS 16.3, watchOS 9.3, and…
Here’s What’s New in iOS 16.3 for Your iPhone So Far
Apple released the second beta of iOS 16.3 earlier this week, and so far only one new feature and two other minor changes have been discovered in the software update. It’s possible that iOS 16.3 will also include various bug fixes and security updates. iOS 16.3 should be publicly released within the next month or so, and it is possible that more features will be added in later beta versions. …
Development on Augmented Reality ‘Apple Glasses’ Postponed Indefinitely
Apple has paused development on the augmented reality Apple Glasses that it planned to introduce after its mixed reality headset, reports Bloomberg. Work on the product has been postponed because of technical difficulties. Rumors suggested that Apple wanted to develop a pair of lightweight augmented reality glasses that would be similar to the Google Glass smart glasses. The glasses would…
Apple Called Out for ‘Brutal’ Mac Trade-In Values Following Launch of New Models
Apple is facing criticism online for offering poor Mac trade-in values following this week’s launch of new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models. Yesterday, MKBHD researcher David Imel tweeted that Apple offers just $970 in trade-in credit for a Mac Pro configuration that it still sells for $52,199. The viral tweet caused an uproar among Twitter users towards Apple’s trade-in program: “That’s a…
Apple’s Custom MicroLED Displays Likely Heading to iPhone, iPad, and Mac After Apple Watch Ultra
Apple is likely planning to bring custom microLED displays to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac after the technology debuts in a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra currently scheduled to launch by the end of 2024, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple has spent about six years developing microLED technology for what will…
What to Expect From the Next-Generation 14-Inch and 16-Inch MacBook Pro
Following a rumor that Apple has a product announcement planned for tomorrow, and the discovery of an unreleased MacBook Pro in a Canadian regulatory database, it appears that new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models might finally be imminent. Ahead of the potential launch, we have recapped everything that we have heard so far about the next-generation 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. M2…
.