Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference is typically all about the software, but this year we’ve been hearing a lot of rumors about potential hardware announcements — MacBooks in particular.
Will it happen? Well the Apple Store website just went down, ahead of the WWDC 2022 keynote, which suggests we might see a product launch today.
The Apple Store didn’t go down during WWDC 18, WWDC 19, WWDC 20, or WWDC 21 - all the years we got no hardware. #WWDC22, the store is down. We’re getting hardware.June 6, 2022
Anyone who's followed Apple events closely will know that the Apple Store typically takes a breather ahead of hardware announcements. Or more specifically, the announcement of hardware that will be on sale shortly after the official unveiling.
WWDC 2019, for instance, featured the unveiling of the then-new Mac Pro 2019 — the one with the cheese grater design. But that product didn’t go on sale until the fall of the same year, so the Apple Store stayed online throughout the proceedings. The fact it’s down now not only suggests something is coming, but that it’s also coming soon.
WWDC 2022: What hardware could Apple announce?
There has been word about a possible unveiling of the Apple VR/AR headset, which is currently expected to arrive sometime in 2023. But recent reports have dampened our expectations there, no matter how much we want to see the long-rumored headset come to fruition.
Meanwhile, we have been hearing a lot of rumors about new Mac hardware. More specifically the rumors tipped a redesigned MacBook Air 2022, the Mac mini 2022 and possibly even a 13-inch MacBook Pro 2022 — all powered by a next-gen Apple M2 chip.
The latest rumors suggest that the MacBook Pro 2022 may have been delayed. Apparently COVID-19 lockdowns in China have affected production and means it may not turn up at WWDC 2022 after all. Meanwhile, the MacBook Air 2022 is still expected to be on the way, though it may not have as may color options as some rumors have suggested.
But what could we expect from this machine? Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims that the MacBook Air 2022 will be "the biggest revamp to the device in over a decade."
The screen is still expected to measure in at 13 inches, but apparently the webcam will now live in a notch rather than big chunky bezels, just like the MacBook Pro 2021. The new MacBook Air is expected to keep at least two USB-C ports, but MagSafe will takeover charging duties.
Should it appear, the MacBook Pro 2022 is also set to follow the footsteps of the 2020 MacBook Pros. That means a similar design, but with an internal specs boost.
Less is known about the Mac mini 2022, beyond the fact it will likely run on the M2 chip. However, leaks suggest it will have the same magnetic charger as the 24-inch iMac 2021, four Thunderbolt USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, ethernet and HDMI. Meanwhile, the M2 is said to be less powerful than the M1 Pro and M1 Max, and will instead focus on balancing efficiency and power.
Thankfully we don't have too long to wait to find out for sure, and you can see all the latest news and announcements in our WWDC 2022 live blog.
