Apple's long-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air is likely to be released this June at WWDC 2023, where we expect to learn more about iOS 17, the launch of Apple's AR/VR headset, and other updates. The laptop will feature a processor "on par" with the company's current M2 chip, according to internal App Store developer logs reviewed by Bloomberg.
The 15-inch MacBook Air could soon join its slightly smaller sibling, the 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air M2, among the best laptops on the market. Apple's purportedly been testing the laptop's compatibility with third-party apps, something it often does ahead of a new device's release. The chip in the new MacBook Air model spotted in the logs packed identical specs to the M2 chip: eight processing cores, ten graphics cores and 8GB of RAM.
That's disappointing given other rumors that the 15-inch MacBook Air would offer beefed-up specs alongside a larger screen. Instead, the laptop would share the same chip as the Apple MacBook Air M2. Sure, it's a significant boost in speed compared to the more affordable Apple MacBook Air M1. But rumors of a yet-unreleased Apple M3 chip have fueled speculation that Apple's larger version of the MacBook Air would come with an upgraded chip to match. That doesn't appear to be the case.
However, a new MacBook sporting the M3 chip is still in the cards for early next year. Bloomberg suggests that “higher-end versions of the M3 chip” are expected to follow for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro “in the first half of 2024."
While would-be 15-inch MacBook Air buyers may be disappointed, there is some good news in the report.
Firstly, the logs listed the tested laptop as running macOS 14, which is expected to be announced at WWDC alongside iOS 17. That strongly suggests that the new MacBook will ship with the new and shiny operating system when it releases.
The logs also listed a display resolution of 3024 x 1964, indicating Apple won’t just be stretching the current Air’s 2560 x 1664 display onto the new, larger screen. The 15-inch version would boast the same resolution Apple uses on its 14-inch MacBook Pro, though inevitably it's likely to lose a little sharpness on a larger, 15.3-inch display.
Of course, all of this information should be taken with a grain of salt without Apple's confirmation. But with just a few weeks until WWDC, we can be confident everything will become clear soon.
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