MacBook Air and 'MacBook' With M2 Chips Slated for Launch Later This Year - MacRumors
Skip to Content

MacBook Air and 'MacBook' With M2 Chips Slated for Launch Later This Year

Apple is working on the successor to the M1 chip, expected to be called the M2, and multiple rumors have already suggested that these chips are going to be used in machines that include a refreshed MacBook Air and a new version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro.

macbook air rounded mock purple
A new report today from 9to5Mac once again reiterates these rumors, with the site claiming that Apple will introduce a ‌MacBook Air‌ and a 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ with ‌M2‌ chip later this year. Notably, 9to5Mac says that Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo's recent prediction that the next-generation ‌MacBook Air‌ will use either the ‌M1‌ or an updated version of it is incorrect.

While analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that the new MacBook Air will have an updated M1 chip, our reliable sources have told us that the machine is being developed with the new M2 chip.

Codenamed J413, the next generation MacBook Air is expected to be released in a single version featuring M2.

As for the 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌, 9to5Mac claims that Apple could drop the "Pro" labeling, referring to the new machine as just "MacBook" as it has done in the past.

We've already heard plenty about the next-generation versions of the ‌MacBook Air‌ and 13-inch ‌MacBook Pro‌ from sources like Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has confirmed that the new ‌MacBook Air‌ will see a complete redesign. Gurman has also provided details on the ‌M2‌ chip, which is expected to feature the same 8-core CPU as the ‌M1‌, but with 9 and 10-core GPU options.

There is no word on a release date as of yet, but ‌M2‌ machines are likely to come out in the later months of the year.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Air (Caution)
Related Forums: MacBook Pro, MacBook Air

Popular Stories

iPad mini 7 Review Thumb 1 sans text

Apple Raises iPad and Mac Trade-In Values

Monday October 26, 2026 8:17 am PDT by
Apple today updated its U.S. trade-in estimates, raising maximum values across the iPad lineup and for most Macs following today's announcement of the new iPad mini. Every iPad category has gained value, although the increases are relatively modest. The iPad mini and standard iPad both rise by $20, while the iPad Air gains $15 and the iPad Pro increases by $10. The revised maximum estimates...
imac holiday

OLED MacBook Air and iMac Remain in Testing

Sunday October 25, 2026 8:40 pm PDT by
Apple is testing OLED displays for future MacBook Air and iMac models, though both upgrades remain some way off, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman in his latest "Power On" newsletter. The next refreshes of the devices are expected to retain LCD displays. Gurman anticipates a new iMac to arrive this week and a MacBook Air refresh in early 2027, but offered no time frame for either model's...
apple pro tell logo

Apple Launching Five New Products This Friday

Monday November 2, 2026 1:22 am PST by
Apple is releasing five new products this Friday, November 6, following pre-orders that opened last week, including its first touchscreen MacBook Pro models. The following new products will be available from Friday: iPad mini with OLED display and A20 Pro chip iMac with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 chip 14-inch MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen 16-inch MacBook Pro with OLED...

Top Rated Comments

CrazyForCashews Avatar
61 months ago
Dear Apple,

Don't be dumb and make the bezels white or any other colour other than black.

From: Everyone
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
61 months ago
We need a 15 inch MacBook Air. Yes, I’m going to die on this hill.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
61 months ago

I'm guessing the rumor mill echo chamber is dead wrong on M2 in 2022.

I would also guess there are zero first party sources on these rumors. Just people looking at historical upgrade cycles and adding 1 to M1 and saying it's coming. Pure conjecture.
Why am I seeing this so many times?
Apple updates the iPhone CPU, the lowest end CPU, every year.
It makes sense that their lowest end Mac chip would follow a similar trajectory.
Why on earth would they brag about switching to new silicon, how it would stop the product line stagnation that happened under Intel… and then go three years without updating the CPU on their most popular Mac.
That makes absolutely no sense.
According to Apple at their event just two days ago, the ultra is the last processor in the M1 Family.
Now we move on to M2, starting with their lowest end chip just like they did with M1.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️ Avatar
61 months ago
Looks like MacBook Air will be the product of the year in 2022. They will sell like hot cakes. Can't wait to see the new gorgeous colors.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
61 months ago
Called it.
Given that the old MBP design is almost 6 years old, it’s much cheaper to produce at this point.
If they remove the Touch Bar, they can drop down the price even more.
So my prediction is that the thicker, heavier, silver and gray, thick bezeled MacBook will slot in at that $999 price point, replacing the old MacBook Air.
Than the new MacBook Air which is thinner, lighter, colorful, with thinner bezels and a notch will be priced at $1299.
So it would literally mirror the iPad lineup with the obvious exception of the mini.
iPad/MacBook: cheapest, thicker, heavier, silver and gray only, LCD display, thick bezels.
iPad Air/MacBook Air: thin, light, colorful, midrange.
iPad Pro/MacBook Pro: top-of-the-line, best CPU, mini LED, 120 Hz
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bigchungus Avatar
61 months ago
It's possible that they'd just retire the 13 inch MacBook Pro, replace it with this new M2 MacBook, and keep the old Air in the lineup.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Everything New in the iOS 27.3 Beta
Everything New in the iOS 27.3 Beta
4 hours ago
Apple Music's New Selfie Sing Feature Lets You Record Karaoke Videos
Apple Music's New Selfie Sing Feature Lets You Record Karaoke Videos
5 hours ago
iPhone Jailbreak Gets Past Lockdown Mode and Survives an Update
iPhone Jailbreak Gets Past Lockdown Mode and Survives an Update
7 hours ago
iPadOS 27.3 Expands Siri Mode to Camera App
iPadOS 27.3 Expands Siri Mode to Camera App
8 hours ago
Veterans Day Apple Watch Activity Challenge Launches November 11
Veterans Day Apple Watch Activity Challenge Launches November 11
9 hours ago
Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals: Save Hundreds on MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and More
Best Early Black Friday Mac Deals: Save Hundreds on MacBook Air, Mac Mini, and More
9 hours ago
Apple Fitness+ Gets Gym Strength Plans in iOS 27.3
Apple Fitness+ Gets Gym Strength Plans in iOS 27.3
10 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Adding New StandBy Mode Features to iPhone 11 and Newer
iOS 27.3 Adding New StandBy Mode Features to iPhone 11 and Newer
10 hours ago
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
Apple Releases New AirPods Beta Firmware
10 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Apple Intelligence to China
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Apple Intelligence to China
10 hours ago
iPhone Duo Gets Reachability in iOS 27.3 Beta
iPhone Duo Gets Reachability in iOS 27.3 Beta
10 hours ago
Siri AI Gets More Capable in iOS 27.3
Siri AI Gets More Capable in iOS 27.3
10 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Adds Vertical Tabs and Adaptive Dark Mode to Safari
iOS 27.3 Adds Vertical Tabs and Adaptive Dark Mode to Safari
10 hours ago
watchOS 27.3 Brings Live Rewind and Siri Recap to Apple Watch
watchOS 27.3 Brings Live Rewind and Siri Recap to Apple Watch
11 hours ago
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Back Apple's Redesigned Health App
iOS 27.3 Beta Brings Back Apple's Redesigned Health App
11 hours ago
Apple Releases First macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Beta
Apple Releases First macOS Golden Gate 27.3 Beta
11 hours ago
Apple Seeds First iOS 27.3 Beta
Apple Seeds First iOS 27.3 Beta
11 hours ago
Apple Releases First watchOS 27.3, tvOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3 Betas
Apple Releases First watchOS 27.3, tvOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3 Betas
11 hours ago
iPad Mini 8 Reviewer Dissatisfied With Apple's Excuse for Lack of 120Hz Display
iPad Mini 8 Reviewer Dissatisfied With Apple's Excuse for Lack of 120Hz Display
11 hours ago
iPad Mini 8 Review Claims Battery Life is Way Better Than Apple Says
iPad Mini 8 Review Claims Battery Life is Way Better Than Apple Says
12 hours ago
B&H Photo Launches Early Black Friday Sale With Discounts on Macs and Accessories
B&H Photo Launches Early Black Friday Sale With Discounts on Macs and Accessories
12 hours ago
iPhone Duo Could Take Nearly 30% of Foldable Market in 2027
iPhone Duo Could Take Nearly 30% of Foldable Market in 2027
12 hours ago
Apple Watch Automatically Identifies Songs Playing Around You
Apple Watch Automatically Identifies Songs Playing Around You
13 hours ago
iPhone 18 Rumored to Get Larger Battery and Potential Price Increase
iPhone 18 Rumored to Get Larger Battery and Potential Price Increase
13 hours ago
Apple Store in UK Permanently Closing Later This Month
Apple Store in UK Permanently Closing Later This Month
14 hours ago
Apple's Annual R&D Spending Jumps by More Than $11 Billion
Apple's Annual R&D Spending Jumps by More Than $11 Billion
15 hours ago
Will Apple Ever Merge iPadOS and macOS? John Ternus Responds
Will Apple Ever Merge iPadOS and macOS? John Ternus Responds
15 hours ago
MacBook Neo Gets Rare $30 Amazon Discount
MacBook Neo Gets Rare $30 Amazon Discount
15 hours ago
Hands-On: The OLED iPad Mini is Almost an iPad Pro Mini
Hands-On: The OLED iPad Mini is Almost an iPad Pro Mini
15 hours ago
tvOS 27.2.1 and macOS 27.2.1 Likely Coming Soon
tvOS 27.2.1 and macOS 27.2.1 Likely Coming Soon
16 hours ago