Apple will reportedly launch two M2-powered MacBooks this year, including a MacBook Air and a 13-inch MacBook Pro. Rumors leading up to this week's 'Peek Performance' event suggested that Apple could launch a new MacBook on that day, but that didn't turn out to be the case. Instead, Apple announced the Mac Studio desktop alongside the iPhone SE (2022), a new iPad Air, and the Studio Display monitor.
The Apple M2 is expected to be the company's next-generation desktop processor that will succeed the Apple M1. In its various iterations, it is expected to power a slew of Apple devices in the near future, including Mac desktops and MacBooks. The chip is expected to include an octa-core CPU like the M1, but is said to feature up to 10 GPU cores instead of the 8-core unit found in the original M1.
A new report from 9to5Mac claims that Apple is working on at least two new MacBooks powered by the M2 chip, and that they will be released later this year. According to the report, one of these devices will be a MacBook Air, while the other one will be a 13-inch MacBook Pro. The report is in direct contrast to an earlier claim from noted TF Securities analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, suggesting that the next-generation MacBook Air will use either the M1 or a newer, more powerful version of it.
Next-Generation MacBook Air And MacBook Pro
The new report further claims that the next-gen MacBook Air is codenamed 'J413' and is expected to be released in a single version featuring the M2 chip. As for the next-gen MacBook Pro, the report says that it is being developed under the codename 'J493.' Interestingly, the report adds that Apple could drop the 'Pro' labeling from the device and simply refer to it as 'MacBook,' as it has done in the past. Either way, it is also expected to be offered in a single-SoC flavor like the MacBook Air, which means it might not have more powerful versions powered by the M2 Pro or other versions of the chip.
There's no new information on either of the upcoming devices, but according to an earlier report from noted tipster John Prosser, the upcoming MacBook Air could feature a complete redesign. This would include white bezels, a white keyboard, MagSafe charging, and a notch up front. As pointed out by 9to5Mac, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also recently claimed that Apple could introduce new Mac models at this year's WWDC event in June.
Source: 9to5Mac