Updated MacBook Air could launch at WWDC 2022
Apple will probably introduce new hardware at WWDC 2022, a report claims, with a MacBook Air update potentially up for launch at the developer event.
Apple will be holding its 2022 Worldwide Developer Conference from June 6 until June 10, with the main focus being on its software updates. However, one Sunday rumor proposes that Apple could show off multiple new pieces of hardware during its keynote address.
According to Mark Gurman's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Apple is preparing to launch new Macs within the coming months. Gurman reasons "what better place to do so than WWDC? That's the same venue where Mac's transition from Intel to Apple's own chips was announced two years ago."
Sources of Gurman say two new Macs are set to arrive either in the middle of 2022 or in the second half. One of those two inbound models is thought to be an update to the MacBook Air, a model that Gurman previously said was delayed to the second half of 2022 on March 20.
Along with the MacBook Air, Gurman points to updates of the Mac mini and 24-inch iMac that could be on the way, as well as a new low-end MacBook Pro that will supposedly replace the existing 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Gurman was among the first to make predictions claiming a Mac mini update and a new 13-inch MacBook Pro would appear at the spring event, though neither were ultimately featured.
Desktop Macs are also candidates, with Gurman name-checking the iMac Pro and Mac Pro. For the latter, Apple has confirmed it is working on new hardware, and teased as much during the Peek Performance special event.
Read on AppleInsider
Apple will be holding its 2022 Worldwide Developer Conference from June 6 until June 10, with the main focus being on its software updates. However, one Sunday rumor proposes that Apple could show off multiple new pieces of hardware during its keynote address.
According to Mark Gurman's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Apple is preparing to launch new Macs within the coming months. Gurman reasons "what better place to do so than WWDC? That's the same venue where Mac's transition from Intel to Apple's own chips was announced two years ago."
Sources of Gurman say two new Macs are set to arrive either in the middle of 2022 or in the second half. One of those two inbound models is thought to be an update to the MacBook Air, a model that Gurman previously said was delayed to the second half of 2022 on March 20.
Along with the MacBook Air, Gurman points to updates of the Mac mini and 24-inch iMac that could be on the way, as well as a new low-end MacBook Pro that will supposedly replace the existing 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Gurman was among the first to make predictions claiming a Mac mini update and a new 13-inch MacBook Pro would appear at the spring event, though neither were ultimately featured.
Desktop Macs are also candidates, with Gurman name-checking the iMac Pro and Mac Pro. For the latter, Apple has confirmed it is working on new hardware, and teased as much during the Peek Performance special event.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Even if they don’t, the next best option is putting M2 Pro/Max in the Mini lineup to allow more ports. It’s the only thing that’s made me hesitant to upgrade.
The Mini will get the M2 at the same time as the Air and the iMac. It should get a redesign, but it won’t get more Thunderbolt ports than the Air and the iMac. It’s hard to imagine that being more than two, but you never know. They will, however, certainly be Thunderbolt 4. I suppose the iMac and the Mini could have two or three additional USB-C 3.2 10Gb/s ports, like the Studio Display does.
Yes, when has Apple not had a couple of new Macs announced in a span of 8 months from June to December?
The battle between the product marketers and the finance guys is never ending too. A Mac mini and iMac 24 with an M1 Pro seems like a big easy win for the Mac mini to fill the $1000 to $2000 hole in the headless desktop lineup and the $2000 to $3000 hole in the iMac lineup. And, the product guys are probably pulling their hair out with the MBP13 still in the lineup. Hopefully they show up at WWDC, but if they don't, the finance guys are messing things up trying to get as much upsell as possible.
Apple likes to hew to a minimum viable product as much as possible, and this applies to entire product lines. As such, they have rather frustrating holes in the product lineups. Currently, there isn't a headless Apple Silicon desktop with SKUs from $1000 to $2000. There are Intel Mac mini models in that price range, and they appear content with it, or perhaps really patient, as it upsells the base model Mac Studio. There isn't a 27" iMac at all right now, and a lot of customers would buy it for $2500 rather than Mac Studio. There isn't a "MacBook Air 15", while Apple is offering a M1 MBP13 at the $1500 to $2000 price tier for what seems to be pure upsell reasons. This isn't really a lot more machines. It's basically offering a product at every price tier for each class of machine.
Every major product line has these frustrating holes. Apple always choose less than more in terms of how many products they have in their product lines. The iPhone mini should be kept in the lineup, but it looks like that will disappear this Fall. Their reticence to add a lot of software features in the iPad Pros seems more folly than discipline. They can't sell an iPad with a 14 to 15 display without those software features. I'd even go for a 47 to 48 mm Watch.