Apple Store Down Ahead of M2 MacBook Air Pre-Orders

Apple's online store is down ahead of new MacBook Air pre-orders, which are set to begin on Friday at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States.

apple store down
The new ‌MacBook Air‌ has been redesigned with a slightly larger 13.6-inch display, a camera notch, a flat-edged chassis, and new Starlight and Midnight color options.

The notebook features MagSafe charging, an upgraded 1080p camera, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedance headphones, four speakers, and more.

According to Apple, the M2 chip has up to an 18% faster CPU, up to a 35% faster GPU, and up to a 40% faster Neural Engine compared to the M1 chip.

Thanks to the ‌M2‌ chip, the ‌MacBook Air‌ can also be configured with up to 24GB of unified memory, which is 8GB more than the ‌M1‌ chip supports. The notebook is available with up to a 2TB SSD.

Pricing for the new ‌MacBook Air‌ starts at $1,199 in the United States, and deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin on Friday, July 15. The previous-generation ‌MacBook Air‌ with the ‌M1‌ chip remains available for $999.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Related Forum: MacBook Air

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Touchscreen MacBook Feature

Here Are the Four MacBooks Apple Is Expected to Launch Next Year

Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop. Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...

Top Rated Comments

Nicole1980 Avatar
45 months ago
When apple would shut down the online store in the past to 'update' it, I would say its stupid - since sites like ESPN are making updates all day long without shutting down the site.
People here would claim its to "create anticipation".

Well obviously there's no secret or suspense to be had here, so that "create anticipation" argument is clearly wrong. It was a dumb argument anyway imo.

So it begs the question for real now: why in the hell does apple need to shut down their site for little updates when every news site in the world - (amazon, kroger (you name it) - does not?!?!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProfessionalFan Avatar
45 months ago

When apple would shut down the online store in the past to 'update' it, I would say its stupid - since sites like ESPN are making updates all day long without shutting down the site.
People here would claim its to "create anticipation".

Well obviously there's no secret or suspense to be had here, so that "create anticipation" argument is clearly wrong. It was a sumb argument anyway imo.

So it begs the question for real now: why in the hell does apple need to ahut down their site for little updates when every news site in the world - (amazon, kroger (you name it) - does not?!?!
I was in that camp of "anticipation" or "hype" but yeah, I am not anymore.

What finally convinced me was the other day when they shut the store down to add the $50 gift card for AppleTV purchases. There was no reason for hype there. This told me it is a technical limitation. And if so, they really need to just build the online store from the ground up.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProfessionalFan Avatar
45 months ago
I know I don't need it but that Midnight one is calling me especially with the gift card promo going on. Must resist.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
wanha Avatar
45 months ago
Got my credit card out already... let's do this transaction, Apple

EDIT: Transaction completed, awaiting delivery.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ProfessionalFan Avatar
45 months ago

Also, why are you so mad? It’s down for a few hours, you’ll live.
They didn't sound mad, you do though.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nicole1980 Avatar
45 months ago

Testing purposes, etc.

A lot of other websites just use the same web templates for all products, so for them it’s as simple as adding a few lines of info to a SKU database. Apple’s website on the other hand appears to be more curated per product on each page. Then they probably want to test the live version to make sure there are no bugs before unveiling it to the public.

Also, why are you so mad? It’s down for a few hours, you’ll live.
Its so 1990's. Kinda inexcusable for the most recognized tech company in the world - dont you think?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)