Apple has announced an update to its MacBook range, with the launch of its second-generation M2 chip set to supercharge the latest iteration of the MacBook Air.
However, there could be more changes to its popular laptop range, according to reports, as it looks to expand its share of the market.
Here is what we know so far:
Release date: a 15-inch screen MacBook Air for 2023
Fresh from the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference at Apple Park in Cupertino, where a host of software updates were announced, attention is now on the future hardware the company will release.
While the iPhone 14 is expected in September, two new sizes of MacBook Air are reportedly in the pipeline for a release at a later date.
Bloomberg reported that Apple is working on a larger MacBook Air with a 15-inch screen for release as early as next spring, marking the first model of that size in the MacBook Air’s 14-year history.
This is a wider version of the 13.6-inch MacBook Air that Apple announced this week, and is considered to be the biggest overhaul to the device since it was introduced by Steve Jobs in 2008.
It is also said to be working on a smaller 12-inch version of the MacBook, which would be its smallest laptop since it discontinued the 12-inch MacBook in 2019.
Its last 12-inch laptop was released in 2015 but suffered from sluggish performance, and it is not clear if the forthcoming version will be part of the Air range, or more high-end MacBook Pro range.
Apple is also planning new high-end MacBook Pros with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips for as early as the end of 2022, although the release date may slip into early 2023, Bloomberg reported.
These new 14-inch and 16-inch models, code-named J414 and J416, will not be radically new products beyond offering the speedier chips. Apple is also releasing a new 13-inch MacBook Pro next month with the same M2 chip as the MacBook Air.
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Rare Apple collection in Dubai
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Jimmy Grewal sits in front of the incredibly rare Apple I, the first personal computer sold by Apple in 1976. Cody Combs / The National -
Apple's first attempt at a laptop, the Macintosh Portable, from 1989. It weighed 7 kilograms, but its battery lasted from 6 to 12 hours. Cody Combs / The National -
Left to right: Apple I, Apple II, Apple Lisa, Macintosh 512k. Cody Combs / The National -
A closeup of one of the first Macintosh models. Cody Combs / The National -
This Apple II (serial #92) has no vents on the casing, making it very rare, unlike the Apple II on the left. Grewal says only approximately a dozen of these ventless Apple IIs remain in existence. Cody Combs / The National -
This Apple II was purchased by the American School of Dubai in 1978. Cody Combs / The National -
This sticker, complete with typo, shows just how old this Apple II is. Cody Combs / The National -
The original 128k Macintosh sits on the top left of this portion of Grewal's Apple Collection. Also pictured just below is the 20th Anniversary Macintosh. Cody Combs / The National -
Grewal's collection is still growing, prompting him to move computers to different locatins to make room. Cody Combs / The National -
Some of Apple's first attempts at "tower" Macintosh computers, like the Macintohs Quadra, are also in Grewal's collection. Cody Combs / The National -
No detail was too small for Grewal in presenting his the Apple products. These cabinets were colour matched to correspond with the original rainbow Apple logo. Cody Combs / The National -
Grewal's collection of Apple laptops, ranging from the Apple Duo to the Apple PowerBooks continues to grow. Cody Combs / The National -
This unusually large Apple product is a rare Apple Network Server. These ran a Unix-based operating system. Cody Combs / The National -
The first Apple LaserWriter, manufactured in 1985, is one of several Apple printers in Grewal's collection. Cody Combs / The National -
This Apple Scribe printer utilized special thermal paper. The quality was poor and the printing was slow, but the thermal paper was an innovative idea at the time. Cody Combs / The National -
Also in Grewal's collection is an Apple Interactive Television Box from 1994. It was never released. Cody Combs / The National -
It's not technically an Apple product, but this NeXT Cube was the computer created by Steve Jobs' company, "Next", after he was fired from Apple in 1985. It's shaped almost perfectly like a cube, was very powerful, but sold poorly. Cody Combs / The National -
In Grewal's other office, Apple product cases are used to prop up a coffee table, and various Apple artefacts and photos are displayed on the wall. Cody Combs / The National -
This is a rarely used early rendition of the Apple logo. It's signed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, and the often forgotten co-founder Ron Wayne. Cody Combs / The National -
Inside this original Macintosh 128k, you can see the molded signatures from the original Macintosh team, including the signature of Steve Jobs. Cody Combs / The National -
An Apple Dot Matrix Printer, first introduced in 1982. Cody Combs / The National -
This rare Apple I was the first product shipped by Apple in 1976. This particular Apple I in Grewal's Dubai collection still works. Cody Combs / The National -
This is an original Apple Lisa in Grewal's Dubai collection. It was the first Apple computer to have a graphical user interface. Grewal says approximately 20 of the original Lisa computers remain in the world. Cody Combs / The National
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The new M2 chip
Built using the second-generation five-nanometre technology, M2 silicon comes with central processing unit that is 18 per cent faster than the M1.
It offers a graphics processing unit that is 35 per cent more powerful and a neural engine that is 40 per cent faster, the company said.
“M2 starts the second generation of M-series chips and goes beyond the remarkable features of M1,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware technology, while unveiling the new chip.
Apple said that the M2 chip is designed to dramatically speed up video workflows. It has also added a next-generation media engine and a powerful ProRes video engine for hardware-accelerated encode and decode, so systems with M2 will be able to play back more streams of 4K and 8K video than before.
The new MacBook Air has a larger display with thinner borders, giving users more screen real estate. The battery life allows for up to 18 hours of video playback.
What else was announced at WWDC 2022?
Apple unveiled iOS 16 — one of the biggest upgrades in the history of iPhones.
Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering, said iOS 16 was “a big release with updates that will change the way you experience iPhone”.
It features new personalisation features, iCloud photo sharing, updates to Messages, Apple Pay Later and a fitness app that does not require an Apple Watch.
Apple also unveiled macOS Ventura, the latest version of the desktop operating system, and the next generation of CarPlay, which will be able to provide content for several screens within the vehicle, creating an experience that is “unified and consistent”, Apple said.
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iPhone through the years
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The iPhone through the ages: Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone to the world in San Francisco, California, on January 9, 2007. It had a 3.5-inch screen and 2MP camera. Reuters -
The iPhone 3G was launched in 2008 with a faster 3G connection. It also added location services. Reuters -
The iPhone 3GS was released on June 19, 2009. It was twice as fast as its previous version. AFP -
The iPhone 4 was released on June 24, 2010. It featured FaceTime for the first occasion as well as a retina screen. Reuters -
A later release, this time on October 14, 2011, the iPhone 4S had a new dual-core processor. Reuters -
Apple CEO Tim Cook takes to the stage following the reveal of the iPhone 5 in San Francisco, California, on September 12, 2012. This was the first 4-inch screen and the phone was faster and slimmer. Reuters -
The iPhone 5C arrived on September 20, 2013 and was less expensive and very similar to the iPhone 5 except it came with colourful casing. Getty Images -
The iPhone 5s came at the same time as the 5C and introduced touch ID and a motion data processor as health and fitness apps started to come to the fore. Getty Images -
The iPhone 6 marked another double launch when unveiled on September 9, 2014. The 6 had a 4.7-inch screen, faster processor and improved camera. AFP -
The iPhone 6 Plus had a 5.5-inch screen and was $100 more expensive. Reuters -
The iPhone 6s came on September 25, 2015 with 3D touch and a camera that could shoot 4K video. EPA -
The iPhone 6s Plus is displayed at Tokyo's flagship store on September 25, 2015. Both new phones came in a new colour - rose gold. AFP -
Unveiled on March 21, 2016, the iPhone SE had the same design as the iPhone 5 and saw a return to the 4-inch screen which was preferred by some users. It was more affordable and hence lacked features such as Touch ID. AFP -
The iPhone 7 announced on September 7, 2016, said somewhat controversially goodbye to the audio jack. Reuters -
The iPhone 7 Plus had a dual camera added. AFP -
The iPhone 8 was released on September 22, 2017 and had a new glass and aluminium design, retina HD screen. Reuters -
A customer gets his hands on an iPhone 8 Plus on launch day in Tokyo on September 22, 2017. The launches also saw speakers that were 25% louder and the most powerful and smartest chip in a smartphone (according to Apple). AFP -
The iPhone X marked a decade of iPhones on September 12, 2017. It's main changes were an edge-to-edge super retina screen. Touch ID was removed with Face ID introduced. Reuters -
The iPhone XS was released on September 21, 2018 and had a Super Retina OLED screen with improved scratch and water resistance. Face ID was faster. Reuters -
The iPhone XS Max had the largest iPhone screen to date at 6.5 inches. It could handle 3 million pixels. Reuters -
The iPhone XR was slightly cheaper than the XS and came with a 6.1-inch screen. AFP -
A customer looks at the iPhone 11 at an Apple store in Dubai Mall on September 20, 2019. EPA -
A man tries out the iPhone 11 Pro in Cupertino, California, on September 10, 2019. AFP -
Midnight Green was introduced for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, while there was also a new three-camera system. Reuters -
Arriving on April 15, 2020, the iPhone SE was for budget-minded customers and was pretty much a replica of the iPhone 8. Its 4.7-inch screen felt rather on the small side compared to the big screens of its big brothers. Apple Inc. / AFP -
The iPhone 12 on October 13, 2020 introduced a new processor and a screen that offered four times better protection if dropped. Apple / AFP -
The iPhone 12 mini offered a 5.4-inch screen. Getty Images -
Mr Cook showcases the iPhone 12 Pro during an event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, on October 13, 2020. This upgrade saw a faster chip, 5G speed, a "camera system that’s killer in low light. A LiDAR Scanner for more realistic AR. And two great sizes to choose from — including our largest display ever". Apple / EPA -
The iPhone 12 Pro Max was categorised as a 'legacy phone'. Reuters -
The new iPhone 13 was unveiled on September 14, 2021. It has a smart data mode which helps battery life, more 5G bands and antenna lines that use material made from recycled plastic water bottles. AFP -
Apple CEO Tim Cook showcasing the third generation iPhone SE featuring 5G and the A15 Bionic chip on March 8, 2022. EPA -
The Apple iPhone 14, 14 Plus, Pro Max and the Apple iPhone 14 Pro were unveiled during an event on September 7, 2022. It didn’t raise its US prices during one of the worst years for inflation in decades. The biggest addition was emergency calling after a car crash. Bloomberg
