Fans have been speculating about the MacBook Air 2022 since the end of 2021, especially since they hoped Apple would reveal the new product during its "Peek Performance" event on March 8. There's still hope that the new Mac could be unveiled at WWDC 2022, even though the event came and went without a new Macbook Air.
Apple's 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference will take place on June 6 and is expected to feature various product announcements, such as new Mac models, like the Mac mini 2022, with new M2 processors. According to reports, the 2022 MacBook Air will be available in a variety of bright colors, but its predecessors still have big shoes to fill.
It has maintained its top spot in both our best laptops and best Apple laptop guides since its release in November 2020 despite its age. It is impossible to know what features the new MacBook Air will have, but we can guess what Apple might keep from the original and what it might change.
Even if the company doesn't make any adjustments to the new MacBook model, it's more than likely that the 2022 MacBook Air will keep its silent, fanless design and the longest battery life of an Apple laptop. The design of the Air is expected to improve with the 2022 model, however. Based on the release of the 2021 iMac and 4th generation iPad Air and their classic iMac-inspired colors, it seems that there will be a complete redesign and new colors to choose from. The following table summarizes everything else we know to date about the Apple MacBook Air.
Design
Even if the new MacBook Air isn't announced until sometime in 2013, it will be worth the wait based on the huge amount of leaks and speculation. It was predicted back in April that the MacBook Air was overdue for a colorful redesign following the release of the 24-inch iMac during the Spring Loaded event when the new models were inspired by classic, colorful Mac designs. Apple leaker John Prosser claims the MacBook Air (2021) will come in the same seven colors as the iMac (2021). Blue, Green, Pink, Silver, Yellow, Orange, and Purple are the colors in this group.
It is also possible for these new MacBook Air laptops to feature white keycaps, larger function keys, and a smaller trackpad, based on renderings provided by Prosser. Furthermore, the chassis has become noticeably slimmer and 'boxier', as opposed to the current sloped edges to opt for a very modern, blunt edge instead. All these rumors suggest that this anticipated redesign will be the thinnest, lightest MacBook Air yet.
Ming-Chi Kuo and a number of other sources have indicated that the 2022 MacBook Air will feature a Mini-LED display since the 2022 MacBook Pros return to MagSafe charging.
Specifications
Here's some information on when expect to see the next generation M2 (not the M1X, which is only meant for Pro Mac devices). A new processor is on schedule to be released with the next colorful Macbook (Air) during the first half of 2022. There is a possibility that the MacBook Air (2022) will include some variant of Apple's M1 SoC, but it is unknown if this is the same chip used in the current MacBook Air or an all-in-one M2 SoC.
Apple's current laptop -- the MacBook Air (2020) -- features Apple's M1 system on a chip, which integrates a CPU, GPU, and other components into an 8-core processor with a stunning performance. An intel-powered version of 2020 is 3.5 times quicker than its predecessor, while GPU performance is 5 times faster. How would this new M2 chip affect gaming?
Apart from the chip, Apple will probably keep many of the other specifications the same as the current model. After all, this is the 'budget' laptop option, so any increase in power could drive the price up to and reduce the market share of the MacBook Pro.
This means there will be a choice of 8GB or 16GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of SSD, as well as established features like Magic Keyboard, and Touch ID. A 13-inch display (which is currently the standard) and a better 1080p webcam are also expected. The 2021 iMac features new webcam tech that Apple describes as "the best camera ever in a Mac", so we'd be surprised if it isn't extended across the entire range of MacBook devices given how bad the 720p webcam is currently.
This feature was available when the last Intel-based MacBook Air was released, so it's possible we'll see it again, especially since the newest iMacs and MacBook Pros have 1080p webcams. Apple's 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021) will have quite a few more ports, but the same might not happen with the MacBook Air (2021), which will likely stay with just two.
Release Date And Price
It was expected that Apple would reveal something at its Peek Performance event on March 8, but since there was no mention of this, the release date is somewhat uncertain. It's still plausible that we'll see it announced by the end of 2022, so keep your eyes peeled for any announcements near the end of the year.
It remains to be seen if the new MacBook Air will use the existing M1 SoC from the 24-inch iMac of May 2021, or use one of the new chips unveiled with the new MacBook Pros, or whether a completely new Apple M2 chip will be used.
With the M1 Pro and M1 Max being beefed-up versions of the M1 chip, it's unlikely the 2022 MacBook Air releases with the same, ultra-powerful Soc, so an M2 chip is more likely. There are currently no official murmurings on the price of the new MacBook Air, but we expect it to start at $999 / £999, just like the current model.
Will The Macbook Air 2022 Be At WWDC?
MacBook Air 2022 discussions began in August 2021, with predictions that the product would be unveiled midway through 2022 - that goal was not achieved, however, as the MacBook Air did not participate in "Peek Performance" in March 2022. Currently, it's estimated the new MacBook Air model will launch in the second half of 2022, so we should expect an announcement soon.
This year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) would be a great time to debut Apple's MacBook Air 2022, as it was missed at the March event. Despite speculation that MacBook production may slow down due to the Covid lockdowns in China, some supply chain reports indicate that production has accelerated in anticipation of hot sales of the upcoming MacBook Air models. The 2022 MacBook Air may not be featured at WWDC 2022 for one reason or another, but it is equally likely to appear there as well.