Tag: MacBook Air

Apple recently unveiled its latest MacBook Air, and it’s turning heads for the right reasons this time. Before the new sky blue M4 MacBook Air arrived, there was another color that grabbed attention—but not in a good way.

Back in July 2022, the M2 MacBook Air debuted with a dark, almost-black shade called midnight. Its sleek aluminum finish was the closest thing to a black laptop Apple had ever made. But it came with a big downside: the surface picked up fingerprints and skin oils like a magnet.

Even if you handled it with care, the midnight M2 MacBook Air quickly ended up covered in smudges. For many, it was a trade-off worth making for such a stylish, dark design. Fast forward nearly two years, and Apple tackled the issue. With the M3 MacBook Air, they announced a special “anodization seal” to cut down on fingerprints for the midnight color. It worked pretty well—for that model, at least.

The catch? The fix didn’t cover every MacBook Air. Apple kept selling the older midnight M2 version for $100 less than the M3. If smudges drove you crazy, that cheaper option was still a headache. Now, things have changed. This week, Apple stopped offering any midnight MacBook Air without the fingerprint-fighting seal.

Messy, smudge-covered laptops are mostly history. In their place, Apple rolled out the M4 MacBook Air. It comes with a cool new sky-blue shade, an improved midnight finish, and a starting price of $999. The new lineup replaces both the M2 and M3 models, giving fans a cleaner, fresher choice.

Apple has made a small change to its latest MacBook Air that might not grab big attention but will make picky Mac fans happy. After 26 years, the company has finally fixed a little keyboard mix-up that’s been around since 1999.

The Mute key, which first showed up on the PowerBook G3 ‘Lombard,’ has been updated on the new MacBook Air with the M4 chip. According to iCulture, it now has a simple speaker icon with a line through it. This matches the symbol you see on your screen when you press it in macOS, making things clearer.

For years, the old Mute key just showed a plain speaker symbol. It didn’t hint that it turns off your sound. Then, when you pressed it, a different image—a speaker with a slash—popped up on the screen. Sure, the key could mute and un-mute, but the new design makes its job obvious, kind of like the mute button on an Apple TV Remote.

This tiny tweak ends a weird design mismatch that stuck around through tons of Mac keyboards over the years. The updated Mute key isn’t just for the MacBook Air. The new iPad Air’s Magic Keyboard has it, too. For iPad fans, this feels extra nice since older Magic Keyboards didn’t even have function keys.

This change shows how Apple pays attention to the little things, even if it took the company over 25 years to get it right. Looking ahead, it’s a safe bet that all new Macs will use this improved Mute key. The next big release, likely a MacBook Pro with an M5 chip coming around October, will probably have it, too. It’s a small fix, but it’s one more way Apple keeps making their stuff better.

Apple is making a bold statement about its latest MacBook Air, powered by the M4 chip. They claim it’s up to 23 times faster than the older Intel-based version. Sounds amazing, right? But there’s more to the story, so let’s break it down.

First, Apple tested a 2025 MacBook Air with a 10-core M4 chip and 32GB of memory against a 2020 model with a 4-core Intel Core i7 and 16GB of memory. Both had top-notch 2TB storage. This means they compared the new laptop to the best Intel MacBook Air ever made, which makes sense for a fair test.

Next, the huge 23x speed jump comes from one specific task: using a feature called Super Resolution in Pixelmator Pro, an app Apple now owns. This tool uses smart tech to make a 4.4MB image sharper and clearer. So, that impressive speed claim is tied to this one job, not everything you might do on a laptop.

Apple’s detailed note says they ran this test in January 2025 on pre-release 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs with the M4 chip, comparing them to the Intel model. The results show how the new MacBook Air performs in this unique situation.

What about everyday tasks? Apple shared more examples:

• Crunching numbers in Excel is up to 4.7x faster than the top Intel model and 1.6x faster than the M1 MacBook Air.
• Editing videos in iMovie is up to 8x quicker than the Intel version and 2x faster than the M1.
• Fixing photos in Photoshop is up to 3.6x speedier than Intel and 2x faster than M1.
• Browsing the web is up to 60% quicker than a similar Intel PC, with tougher tasks up to 2x faster.

These numbers feel more practical for most people. While the 23x claim might sound like a stretch, it’s clear that any MacBook Air with an M1 chip or newer leaves Intel models in the dust. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade, this could be your moment. You can order the new MacBook Air now on Apple’s website, with deliveries starting March 12.

Apple’s boss, Tim Cook, dropped a hint about a fresh product this week with a quick video saying, “There’s something in the Air.” The “Air” clue and the timing suggest we’re about to see new MacBook Airs with the M4 chip.

• Design – The new MacBook Air will stick to two sizes: 13 inches and 15 inches. Don’t expect a big makeover—there’s no buzz about a new style. The last design update was in 2022, so the look should stay familiar, just like today’s models.
• Screen – Apple’s fancy mini-LED screens are for the MacBook Pro, so the MacBook Air will likely keep its usual Liquid Retina Display (think LED). The MacBook Pro recently got a matte display option, and while it might show up on the Air, it’s not a sure thing—it could stay a Pro-only perk.
• M4 Chip – The M4 chip is already in the MacBook Pro, iMac, iPad Pro, and Mac mini, so it’s no shock it’s coming to the MacBook Air. It’s got up to 10 CPU cores, 10 GPU cores, and a 16-core Neural Engine. Built with a super tiny 3-nanometer process, it’s made for Apple Intelligence. It’ll beat the M3, but don’t expect a huge leap—think about 25% better performance.
• Memory – Last year, Apple bumped the MacBook Air’s starting memory to 16GB from 8GB. That’s staying the same for the new ones—no changes here.
• Battery – Thanks to the M4’s efficiency, battery life might get a boost. For example, the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro lasts up to 24 hours streaming video or 16 hours browsing online.
• Camera – The MacBook Pro’s new 12-megapixel FaceTime camera could come to the Air. It has Center Stage to keep you in focus during video calls and Desk View to show off your desk from above.
• Ports – Right now, the MacBook Air has two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The new ones might jump to three Thunderbolt 4 ports for faster connections.
• Price – The M3 MacBook Air starts at $1,099, and no price hikes are rumored for the M4.
• Old Models – The M2 MacBook Air, priced at $999, might get swapped for an M3 version—or stick around if upgrading costs too much.
• Surprise “Air” Stuff? – The M4 MacBook Air is the star, but Apple could sneak in updates for other “Air” products like the iPad Air or AirTags next year.
• Launch Details – No big event is planned—expect a press release and videos, with the MacBook Air possibly out tomorrow!

Now that the iPhone 16e is out for customers, Apple seems ready to share its next big thing any day now.

MacBook Air Gets a Boost

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple might unveil new MacBook Air models with the M4 chip as soon as this week.

“I think the M4 MacBook Air will show up as early as this week,” Gurman posted on X today. “Stock is running low, and Apple’s gearing up for a Mac announcement soon.”

He also mentioned this in his Power On newsletter today.

Look out for the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs powered by the M4 chip, which has a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. Apple already added M4 chips to the MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac mini last October, and tests show it’s up to 25% faster than the M3 chip for heavy tasks. Last fall, Apple bumped the base RAM in MacBook Airs from 8GB to 16 GB. The top RAM choice might jump to 32GB this time. Battery life should last longer, too.

Cool Camera and Display Upgrades

Following the MacBook Pro’s lead, the new MacBook Air will likely get a 12-megapixel camera with Center Stage. This keeps you in the frame during video calls, even if you move. It might also include Desk View, showing both your face and your desk from above. These features work in apps like FaceTime and Zoom and were once only on iPads or Macs with a Studio Display.

The new models could have three Thunderbolt 4 ports (up from two Thunderbolt 3 ports) and support two external screens, even with the lid open. A nano-texture display, which cuts glare with a special coating, might come too—though Apple could save that for the MacBook Pro to keep them different. No big look changes are expected. The MacBook Air got a fresh design in 2022.

When and How?

If these MacBook Airs drop this week, expect a press release on Apple’s Newsroom site and maybe a YouTube video. There could be a surprise or two as well!

Apple is gearing up to release new MacBook Air models equipped with the latest M4 chip by March, at the very latest, according to insights from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This timeline aligns with last year’s launch of the M3 MacBook Air.

MacBook Air in Blue

Gurman shared these details in his recent Power On newsletter, although he hasn’t pinned down the precise launch date for the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Airs. Just a week ago, he hinted that the new models would hit the market “within weeks.”

There’s been buzz about these new MacBook Airs for some time. Initially, they were expected to be Apple’s first big reveal of the new year. However, the spotlight might now go to the iPhone SE 4, which is set to be unveiled this Wednesday.

Apple actually gave us a sneak peek of these upcoming M4 MacBook Airs back in December. When they released the macOS Sequoia 15.2 update, it included references to new machines listed as “Mac16,12” and “Mac16,13.” These codes hinted at the “MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)” and “MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025).”

Since that discovery, everyone’s been waiting for these new MacBook Airs to drop. Gurman also noted last week that supplies of the current M3 MacBook Airs are running low, which usually means new models are on their way.

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