MacBook Air Likely Apple's First Product Update of 2025: What to Expect

There is a good chance that Apple's first product announcement of 2025 will be updated 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models with the M4 chip.

MacBook Air 15 Inch Feature Blue
Last month, Apple released macOS Sequoia 15.2, and in doing so it accidentally confirmed new MacBook Air models are coming this year (unsurprisingly).

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the new MacBook Air models will be announced "earlier" than some other devices rumored to launch this spring, such as a new iPhone SE and iPad 11. He has repeatedly said the new MacBook Air models are already in production, so a release as early as January or February rather than March or April seems possible.

Below, we recap rumors about the next MacBook Air models.

The new MacBook Air models are expected to be equipped with Apple's already-released M4 chip, which has a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU.

Apple already updated the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini with M4 chips in late October. Geekbench 6 results showed that the M4 chip is up to 25% faster than the M3 chip in terms of multi-core CPU performance.

Apple recently increased the minimum RAM included in all MacBook Air models from 8GB to 16GB.

Following in the footsteps of the MacBook Pro, the next MacBook Air models will likely have an upgraded 12-megapixel camera with support for Center Stage, a feature that automatically keeps you centered on video as you move around. The camera should also support Desk View, which shows both you and an overhead view of your desk.

Center Stage is available in video calling apps like FaceTime and Zoom. The feature was previously limited to newer iPad models and Macs connected to Apple's external Studio Display. The new MacBook Pro and iMac models were the first Macs to support Center Stage without needing to rely on a Studio Display.

The new MacBook Air models will likely be equipped with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, whereas the current models have two Thunderbolt 3 ports. And the new models will likely support up to two external displays, even when the lid is open.

The latest MacBook Pro and iMac models can be configured with a nano-texture display, which has a special coating that better scatters light to further minimize glare on the screen. It is possible that Apple will extend this option to the new MacBook Air models, but it might opt to keep the option exclusive to the MacBook Pro for differentiation.

No major external design changes have been rumored for the next MacBook Air models. Apple last redesigned the MacBook Air in 2022.

Related Roundup: MacBook Air
Related Forum: MacBook Air

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Top Rated Comments

Jovinyl Avatar
9 months ago
I just wish that they would release the Air with the same colour options as the iMac. It would be epic.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Corefile Avatar
9 months ago
Would be cool if they put the on/off switch on the underside of the new MBA.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
VisceralRealist Avatar
9 months ago
This would be an instant-buy for me if it had a mini-LED/120Hz display (though mini-LED matters more to me than the refresh rate). I've found I really don't need the computing power offered by the Pro and Max chips. I think an Air would do it for me as far as I what I need from a computer. But now that I've been using mini-LED/ProMotion for three years, the Air's display seems inadequate to me. Unfortunately, it will likely be years before the display on the Air is upgraded significantly (if ever).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lazyrighteye Avatar
9 months ago
My 15" M2 MBA is freaking badass. A boggling combo of impossibly svelte and shockingly capable. Putting an M4 in this chassis is just stupid. I've been using Macs since the 90s and this M2 MBA is, without question, the Mac I have enjoyed using the most. Makes my corp-issued MBP feel like a cinder block whose slight performance gains (and extra ports) are not at all worth the extra heft. For me. YMMV of course.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dmr727 Avatar
9 months ago
I'm not holding my breath, but I'd love to see the nano-texture come to the Air.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
9 months ago

I’m very tempted to trade in my M1Pro 14” MBP for one of these. I don’t do any productivity work on my laptop like I thought I would. Mostly I’m using it for email, web browsing, YouTube and writing. A lighter 13” MBA sounds appealing, especially if Apple gives it a 3rd usb-c port.

Not sure how much I’d miss the MBP screen though ?
For those needs you could probably go iPad with a bluetooth keyboard case, basically creating a laptop-like tablet. Those can do those 4 things just fine... and double as a tablet too. iPads are lighter than MBair.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)