Kuo: 2022 MacBook Air to Feature M1 Chip, More Color Options and All-New Design

Following today's event that saw the introduction of the Mac Studio, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has provided some detail on the MacBook Air, another Mac product that we're expecting to see refreshed later in the year.

macbook air rounded mock orange
According to Kuo, the 2022 ‌MacBook Air‌ will have an all-new form factor design and more color options. Previous rumors have suggested the new ‌MacBook Air‌ will not have a tapered design, with Apple instead favoring a more MacBook Pro-style look.

It is expected to be thinner and lighter, and it could come in color options similar to the 24-inch iMac color options, like blue, green, pink, silver, yellow, orange, and purple. It is also rumored to feature off-white bezels and a matching off-white keyboard rather than black.


Kuo says the ‌MacBook Air‌ will feature an M1 chip, which is not in line with any of the rumors that we've heard about the machine so far.

Everything we've heard previously about the ‌MacBook Air‌ says that the machine will use an updated M2 chip with an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, and there have even been signs of such a chip in macOS Monterey. Despite this, Kuo has confirmed to MacRumors that he believes the next ‌MacBook Air‌ will still be an ‌M1‌ chip, although he suggests it could be a modified version of the existing ‌M1‌ that is used.

As expected, the ‌MacBook Air‌ will not feature a mini-LED display, with Apple reserving that feature for its higher-end MacBook Pro models.

Kuo says that we can expect mass production to begin on the ‌MacBook Air‌ late in the second quarter of 2022 or in the third quarter of the year.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Related Forum: MacBook Air

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 Mass Production Timeframe Revealed as Launch Gets Closer

Wednesday October 23, 2024 9:38 am PDT by
Apple suppliers will begin mass production of the fourth-generation iPhone SE in December, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today in a blog post. The fourth-generation iPhone SE is expected to have a similar design as the base iPhone 14, with rumored features including a 6.1-inch OLED display, Face ID, a newer A-series chip, a USB-C port, a single 48-megapixel rear camera, 8GB of RAM...
airpods pro 2 pink

Apple Releases New AirPods Pro, AirPods, and AirPods Max Firmware

Tuesday October 22, 2024 11:39 am PDT by
Apple today released a new firmware update for the original AirPods Pro, the AirPods 2, the AirPods 3, and the Lightning version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 6F21, up from the prior 6A326 firmware that these devices were previously running. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but given that these are all older models, it is likely that the new...
M4 Mac mini Silver Perspective

5 Reasons to Get Excited About the New Mac Mini

Wednesday October 23, 2024 6:55 am PDT by
Apple's Mac mini has long been a powerhouse in a compact form, offering impressive performance in a small package. With rumors swirling about a completely overhauled new model that is likely just days away from being announced, anticipation is building for what Apple has in store. From enhanced connectivity to major hardware upgrades, the upcoming Mac mini promises to bring significant...
apple vision pro orange

Report: Apple May Stop Producing Vision Pro by the End of 2024

Wednesday October 23, 2024 6:11 am PDT by
Apple has abruptly reduced production of the Vision Pro headset and could stop making the current version of the device completely by the end of 2024, The Information reports. Citing multiple people "directly involved" in making components for the headset, the report says that the scaling back of production began in the early summer. This indicates that Apple now has a sufficient number of...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These U.S. States Next

Wednesday October 23, 2024 1:41 pm PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Below, we outline which U.S. states offer the feature, and additional states that have committed to rolling it out in the feature in...
15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.1

Monday October 21, 2024 1:44 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.1 on Monday, October 28, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks the first significant step forward in Apple's AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a ...
apple oct 2024 mac tease

Apple Teases M4 Mac Announcements Next Week

Thursday October 24, 2024 9:19 am PDT by
Apple's Greg Joswiak today made it clear that Apple plans to reveal new products next week, teasing refreshed Macs. In a social media post, Joswiak said to "Mac your calendars" because there's an exciting week of announcements that start on Monday morning. With Joswiak's announcement, it appears that there will not be a dedicated October event for Macs this year, with Apple instead...
m3 mbp space black

What to Expect From Apple's 'Exciting Week of Announcements'

Thursday October 24, 2024 10:36 am PDT by
Apple's marketing chief Greg Joswiak today teased that the company has an "exciting week of announcements" planned next week. Joswiak said to "Mac" your calendars, and the post includes an animated icon for the Finder app on the Mac, so it is clear that at least some of next week's announcements will be related to the Mac. Subscribe to MacRumors on YouTube for more videos! Below, we have...
Tim Cook Vision Pro

Tim Cook Admits Truth About Vision Pro Following Lackluster Sales

Monday October 21, 2024 8:21 am PDT by
The Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen this summer interviewed Apple CEO Tim Cook about the Vision Pro, innovation, Apple Intelligence, and more. Image Credit: Vanity Fair Cook admitted that the Vision Pro headset is not a mass-market product due to its high price. "At $3,500, it's not a mass-market product," said Cook. "Right now, it's an early-adopter product. People who want to have...

Top Rated Comments

windowsblowsass Avatar
34 months ago
GIVE ME iBOOK COLORS COWARDS
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nismo73 Avatar
34 months ago
Lol wut? They release it with a M1 in nov 2020 and in later 2022 it’s gonna be redesigned with the same chip when an iPad Air will also have the same chip???
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lounge vibes 05 Avatar
34 months ago
Quo was wrong twice in the last 5 days.
First he said the new iPhone SE would have MM Wave.
It does not.
[MEDIA=twitter]1499721483907907586[/MEDIA]
Secondly, he said the Macpro wouldn’t be out until 2023.
Apple once again reiterated during their event today that the Mac transition would be “two years” and even said the Macpro by name would be the next computer.
[MEDIA=twitter]1500507564148400128[/MEDIA]
So I’m taking everything that he says with a grain of salt.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
34 months ago

Makes you wonder if they will bring out model below the Air, the “MacBook”

This would align with iPad category
I wish Apple would make an M series 12" Macbook. :D
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ian87w Avatar
34 months ago
All I want is 16GB RAM as a pre-configured base model.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
antiprotest Avatar
34 months ago
MBA is the most practical for most people.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)