Apple tipped again to launch MacBook Air, MacBook Pro with M2 chip this year
India Today
Apple is still reportedly working on the M2 chip and there are high chances that the upcoming MacBook models will use it. The M2 chip is expected to be relatively faster than the M1.
Apple did not launch any new MacBooks at the Peek Performance event earlier this week, but rumours say at least two models are still coming. There could be a MacBook Air and a MacBook Pro lined up for launch. For a better part of last year and then this year, rumours have suggested that both MacBook models will use a new M2 chip. But renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently refuted them by saying that the MacBook Air will not get M2 but use a better version of M1. A new report has now said the M2 is still on the cards.
According to 9to5Mac, Apple is still working on the M2 chip and there are high chances that the upcoming MacBook models will use it. The M2 chip is expected to be relatively faster than the M1, especially in terms of handling graphics as there may be a 10-core GPU in it. The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, thus, will be able to offer a performance different from their M1-powered counterparts. While the MacBook Air will see an improvement, the MacBook Pro will offer customers a new affordable option.
The MacBook Air, codenamed J413, is expected to come in a single version with an M2 chip. The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, has an internal codename J493 and it will join the existing Pro lineup with an affordable price tag and a 13-inch display.
The difference between the upcoming MacBook Air and the 2020 model will be big, but that will not be the case for the MacBook Pro. That is because while the M2 will reportedly be better than the M1, it may not be as powerful as the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips that you get on the high-end MacBook Pro from last year. In the case of the MacBook Air, not only will there be a better processor but also a new design, including a notched display.
The report, however, does not talk about the launch date. “Both machines are in advanced stages of development,” the report said, citing sources close to the matter. This probably means what Kuo said is true. The MacBooks are still under development and may come out later this year. It is just that we do not know when exactly the launch will happen. Some rumours did, however, say that Apple may be looking to launch the new MacBooks at WWDC in June. That could turn out right because Apple has a long history of announcing new Mac hardware at its June developers conference. But if not in June, then maybe in October.
