Apple Files Bluetooth 5.3 Listing Amid Rumors of New MacBook Air and Mac Pro

Apple this week filed a new listing in the Bluetooth Launch Studio database, a move that sometimes foreshadows the launch of new products. The filing does not mention any specific products, but it lists the latest Bluetooth 5.3 standard and references a prior macOS-related listing, suggesting the filing could be related to upcoming Macs.

Apple is rumored to be planning new versions of the MacBook Air and the Mac Pro for release in the first half of 2023. The new MacBook Air is expected to feature a larger 15-inch display and the M2 chip, while the new Mac Pro is expected to have the same design as the 2019 model with a new M2 Ultra chip. Both new Macs could be announced as early as March or April, potentially alongside the release of macOS 13.3. However, there remains a possibility that the new Macs will not be announced until WWDC in June or later.

Bluetooth 5.3 offers benefits such as improved reliability and power efficiency, according to the Bluetooth SIG, the organization behind the standard. Apple has added Bluetooth 5.3 to several recent products, including the iPhone 14 series, the latest Apple Watch models, the new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro and Mac mini, and more.

Apple typically goes back and adds new products to existing Bluetooth Launch Studio listings once they have launched. It's still unclear if Apple plans to hold a March or April press event this year or if new products would be announced via press releases.

Apple already updated the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip in July 2022, while the Mac Pro has not been updated since December 2019 and remains the last Intel-based Mac that Apple sells brand new. The new MacBook Air and Mac Pro could be the last models in the M2 series, as Apple is expected to transition to the M3 chip later in the year.