Apple to unveil new M4 MacBook Air models this week

Apple is set to unveil new M4 MacBook Air models this week, as hinted by CEO Tim Cook in a teaser video stating, “there’s something in the Air.” The announcement follows a pattern of recent product launches, notably the iPhone 16e.

The new MacBook Air will be available in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, maintaining the general design aesthetics of the current models, which were last refreshed in 2022 with no significant updates expected. The devices will continue to utilize Liquid Retina Display technology rather than adopting mini-LED technology, which remains a premium feature for the MacBook Pro.

The M4 chip, which has been previously integrated into multiple Apple products including the MacBook Pro, iMac, iPad Pro, and Mac mini, will feature a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU, along with a 16-core Neural Engine. Built on TSMC’s advanced 3-nanometer process, the M4 chip is anticipated to deliver modest improvements in performance—up to 25 percent—over its predecessor, the M3 chip.

RAM capacity will begin at 16GB for the new MacBook Air models, consistent with a change made last year. Battery life is expected to improve due to the efficiency gains from the M4 chip; the M4 MacBook Pro, for instance, offers up to 24 hours of video streaming and 16 hours of web browsing.

Upgrades may also include a 12-megapixel front-facing camera, similar to the latest MacBook Pro, featuring Center Stage and Desk View capabilities for enhanced video conferencing experiences.

The forthcoming MacBook Air models are likely to include three Thunderbolt 4 ports, upgrading from the current two Thunderbolt 3 ports, which would enhance both speed and connectivity options.

The current M3 MacBook Air starts at $1,099, and no pricing changes have been reported for the upcoming models. While Apple still offers an M2 MacBook Air starting at $999, there is speculation about the M2 model’s discontinuation, presumably to make way for the new M3 MacBook Air instead.

Although an official spring event is not anticipated this year, pre-orders for the M4 MacBook Air are expected to open soon, potentially by the weekend, with retail sales projected to commence on March 14. Tim Cook’s recent tweet serves as a strong indicator of an imminent product launch.

Following a ten-month delay since the M4 chip’s release in May 2024, the new MacBook Air will be the final macOS laptop to adopt the M4 chipset, aligning it with the current generation ahead of the anticipated M5 launch at the Worldwide Developers Conference in May.

Featured image credit: Apple