Refresh
After all, Tim Apple did not say “iPad Air” in his trace on X, he simply mentioned “Air,” which is why we have been anticipating a MacBook Air refresh, however is it attainable there’s one other Air on the best way? Perhaps I simply have smartphones on the mind after an thrilling begin to 2025, with among the greatest telephones we have seen already making an early look, however I believe it is attainable, if remotely so, that Apple may speak about a brand new iPhone.
I do not imply the iPhone 16e, after all, I imply the hotly-anticipated iPhone Air. Samsung confirmed off a Galaxy S25 Edge, a super-thin model of its newest flagship smartphone, and that appeared to make sense contemplating all of the rumors we have heard a couple of slim new iPhone.
Apple often launches new iPhone fashions in September, however the iPhone 16e simply launched, and it would not harm gross sales an excessive amount of to announce an upcoming member of the household, simply to get individuals excited (and possibly assist patrons overlook about Samsung).
If Apple publicizes the iPhone Air this week, I will take a bow, however do not maintain me accountable if it by no means comes up.
Are you bummed that the brand new Apple iPad solely bought an Apple A16 chip, which suggests it will not get essentially the most superior Apple Intelligence options? Our Information Chief Jake Krol causes that the most recent replace nonetheless leaves Apple with the strongest pill providing. The iPad remains to be the very best pill, even with out Apple Intelligence.
Frankly, even with simply an Apple A16 chipset inside, the iPad stays probably the most highly effective tablets you should buy as nicely. I’ve reviewed the quickest Android tablets, just like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Extremely, and Apple is way forward of its Android rivals in terms of energy and efficiency. The true query is what is going to you do with all of that energy?
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has taken to X to shed a bit extra mild on what we may see tomorrow. As he beforehand reported, the MacBook Air with the upgraded M4 processor remains to be anticipated to reach this week, however we additionally is perhaps getting another units.
It’s not an “Air” — however the brand new Mac Studio, codenamed J575, seems to be imminent. It may very well be introduced as early as this week together with the brand new MacBook Airs. There are indicators these will include an M4 Max however that its new Extremely chip will really be an M3 Extremely.March 4, 2025
It could make sense that Apple desires to complete updating its complete Mac lineup to its newest and biggest chipsets. The MacBook Professional, Mac mini, and iMac had been all upgraded to the M4 chip collection in October of 2024, leaving the MacBook Air, Mac Sutido, and Mac Professional needing an replace in some unspecified time in the future.
Whereas it’s absolutely anticipated that if the MacBook Air’ does get an improve, they’ll substitute the M3 chip with the bottom M4, Gurman predicts that the brand new Mac Studio will get an M4 Max chip, however as an alternative of an M4 Extremely it’ll be the M3 Extremely. Nonetheless doubtless a lot highly effective, although.
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With an M3 Extremely going into the Mac Studio, Apple may differentiate from the Mac Professional, which may then get the M4 Extremely. Proper now, the Mac Studio and Mac Professional oddly each have the M2 Extremely and similar general efficiency.March 4, 2025
The place does this depart the MacBook Air M4?
It initially seemed odds-on that Apple would announce the MacBook Air M4 as we speak, somewhat than a brand new iPad Air – however the rumor mill is not at all times right, and it was new iPad day as an alternative.
Does this imply the brand new MacBook Air is on the again burner? Under no circumstances – in actual fact, I would think about we’ll see that laptop computer refresh sooner somewhat than later. Perhaps even tomorrow, if we’re fortunate.
Whereas Apple is not fairly adopting the 12 days of OpenAI strategy we noticed final 12 months, when the ChatGPT maker made a brand new announcement every single day for nearly a fortnight, it’s undoubtedly shifting away from massive occasions in direction of smaller bulletins.
With that in thoughts, hold your eyes peeled this week for a MacBook Air M4 refresh – we’ll be right here to replace you the second it is introduced.
When can you purchase the brand new iPad Air M3?
You possibly can pre-order the brand new iPad Air M3 proper now, with availability ranging from March 12. In order that’s simply over every week to attend, however which model must you get? I’ve damaged down the pricing beneath.
With the maxed out model iPad Air M3 costing $1,449 / £1,449 / AU$2,499 (that is with 1TB storage and each Wi-Fi and mobile connectivity), it may not sound so mid-range.
However that is unlikely to be needed for most individuals – I would personally be tempted by the 11-inch (512GB) Wi-Fi model, which appears to be like splendid for journey, streaming and picture modifying. Your wants could fluctuate although, so this is a worth breakdown for each mannequin…
Mannequin | $US | £UK | AU$ |
iPad Air M3 11-inch (128GB), Wi-Fi | $599 | £599 | AU$999 |
iPad Air M3 11-inch (256GB), Wi-Fi | $699 | £699 | AU$1,199 |
iPad Air M3 11-inch (512GB), Wi-Fi | $899 | £899 | AU$1,549 |
iPad Air M3 11-inch (1TB), Wi-Fi | $1,099 | £1,099 | AU$1,899 |
iPad Air M3 11-inch (128GB), Wi-Fi + Mobile | $749 | £749 | AU$1,249 |
iPad Air M3 11-inch (256GB), Wi-Fi + Mobile | $849 | £849 | AU$1,449 |
iPad Air M3 11-inch (512GB), Wi-Fi + Mobile | $1,049 | £1,049 | AU$1,799 |
iPad Air M3 11-inch (1TB), Wi-Fi + Mobile | $1,249 | £1,249 | AU$2,149 |
iPad Air M3 13-inch (128GB), Wi-Fi | $799 | £799 | AU$1,349 |
iPad Air M3 13-inch (256GB), Wi-Fi | $899 | £899 | AU$1,549 |
iPad Air M3 13-inch (512GB), Wi-Fi | $1,099 | £1,099 | AU$1,899 |
iPad Air M3 13-inch (1TB), Wi-Fi | $1,299 | £1,299 | AU$2,249 |
iPad Air M3 13-inch (128GB), Wi-Fi + Mobile | $949 | £949 | AU$1,599 |
iPad Air M3 13-inch (256GB), Wi-Fi + Mobile | $1,049 | £1,049 | AU$1,799 |
iPad Air M3 13-inch (512GB), Wi-Fi + Mobile | $1,249 | £,1249 | AU$2,149 |
iPad Air M3 13-inch (1TB), Wi-Fi + Mobile | $1,449 | £1,449 | AU$2,499 |
What’s new with the Magic Keyboard?
Arriving within the slipstream of the brand new iPad Air M3 is a refreshed Magic Keyboard for the Air collection – so what’s new?
The brand new keyboard attachment – which prices $269 / £269 / AU$399 for the 11-inch mannequin, and $319 / £319 / AU$499 for the 13-inch one – provides you a bigger trackpad than earlier than, and likewise a row of perform keys that you can beforehand solely get on the Magic Keyboard for iPad Professional.
Which means you’ll be able to shortly tweak issues like display screen brightness or music quantity, and customarily get a extra laptop-like expertise. That is essential as a result of, with its new M3 chip, the most recent iPad Air may tempt those that suppose (with some justification) that the iPad Professional 13-inch is overkill for his or her wants…
New base iPad misses out on Apple Intelligence
We have beforehand mentioned that the Apple Intelligence launch is a multitude – and Apple’s quiet refresh of the entry-level iPad is not going to assist change individuals’s minds about that.
Apple base iPad – now known as the iPad (A16) – comes with a brand new chip, double the beginning storage (128GB, up from 64GB), and the identical price ticket as earlier than (beginning at $349 / £329 / AU$599). However bizarrely, that A16 chip means it may well’t help Apple Intelligence.
Granted, Apple Intelligence options nonetheless aren’t precisely dwelling as much as their potential, but it surely’s unusual for Apple so as to add a brand new product to its iPad lineup that does not help the options it has been crowing about for the final six months.
It may also make it troublesome to advocate the brand new cheaper iPad, however we’ll see once we get it in for testing…
Apple publicizes… a brand new iPad Air M3
Nicely, that wasn’t fairly the MacBook-flavored information we had been anticipating, however we’ll take it for now – Apple has simply introduced a brand new iPad Air with an M3 chip plus a brand new Magic Keyboard.
The brand new Air is available in 11-inch and 13-inch sizes – and the chip improve hasn’t affected its price ticket both, with the costs beginning on the typical $599/£599/AU$999 (11-inch) and $799/£799/AU$1,349 (13-inch). The brand new Magic Keyboard, in the meantime, has an even bigger built-in trackpad and a brand new 14-key perform row.
Will the brand new iPad Air be an possibility for these ready for the brand new MacBook Air M4? Most likely not, judging by our Managing editor Matt Hansen’s experiences when swapping his laptop computer for an iPad. However Apple’s new Air actually appears to be like like a compelling mid-range pill possibility.
The one query now’s once we’ll see that MacBook Air M4…
The web page for the MacBook Air M3 remains to be up and working. Normally if there is a product drop that is imminently imminent, then Apple tends to have a message saying its updating the shop.
Equally, pre-orders for a brand new MacBook Air may not go dwell on the identical day because the announcement. Watch this area.
As an FYI, I am maintaining a tally of the Apple Newsroom webpage, simply in case Apple abruptly drops its announcement as we speak.
I reckon Apple’s announcement will come on Wednesday
So when do I believe Apple will make an announcement? I am predicting Wednesday.
Traditionally, Apple has favored Tuesdays for its product launches, however the iPhone 16e was launched on Wednesday, February 20. And my intestine intuition tells me Apple may drop its announcement tomorrow, which might be two weeks on from the final announcement.
I really feel that is sensible because it give some room for the nws to breathe earlier than we get into the weekend. After all, I may very well be completely flawed.
Do not count on a brand new iPad Air this week
However then possibly Apple may go a bit rogue and reveal a brand new iPad Air.
Nonetheless, placing apart Gurman’s hypothesis that new iPads will not get revealed this week, I am not satisfied we’ll see a brand new iPad Air this week. The Apple iPad Air 13-inch bought launched final 12 months to essential acclaim from TechRadar and others.
That iPad makes use of the M2 chip, so is arguably due a specs enhance. However I am undecided the iPad Air essentially want much more energy. For power-users the M4-equipped iPad Professionals exist, albeit at fairly excessive costs.
Then once more, giving a refreshed iPad Air an M3 chip can be a method for Apple to make use of up any M3 chips it had mendacity round and provides it one thing else to announce. If that is the case, then I are inclined to agree with Gruman and do not count on to see a brand new iPad Air get revealed as we speak; doubtless Apple will hold such an announcement in its again pocket for a reveal later.
As I discussed earlier, the blue line that strikes by way of the phrase ‘Air’ has the look of a MacBook Air when closed, so would level in direction of a revealed of a brand new Air fashions.
Proper, sufficient chatter about my ideas on the MacBook Air. Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at the video Tim Prepare dinner posted. Test it out beneath.
Talking of AI, I would count on Apple announcement to lean arduous on speaking about Apple Intelligence and its integration into macOS, together with how an M4 chip-equipped Air can be poised completely to crunch by way of onboard AI duties.
Undecided that’ll rock my world however I stand able to be entertained and knowledgeable.
Then once more, I am not an enormous consumer of the AI-powered Apple Intelligence instruments, which I believe will solely get extra demanding as they advance.
So having M4 energy may actually make a brand new MacBook Air extra futureproof.
Talking from my expertise with the MacBook Air M2, I am somewhat unfussed on the next-generation Air having a dollop extra energy.
My Air has sufficient grunt to take care of principally any on a regular basis process I throw at it. I opted for the mannequin with 8GB of RAM and I do not suppose it is ever felt sluggish. Certain, it will not churn by way of the handful of correct PC video games macOS helps, however it may well run the wonderful Baldur’s Gate 3 so one would possibly argue what extra does one want…
Dialing in my specualtion, the apparent improve for the MacBook Air, and one which I’ve talked about earlier, can be an M4 chip.
We have already seen this system-on-a-chip get used within the newest variations of the iPad Professional, Mac mini and iMac, so it is sensible for brand new MacBook Air fashions to get it.
I extremely doubt Apple can have tweaked the silicon to work any in another way for the MacBook Airs than these different units, although there’s positive to be extra headroom to push the chipset a little bit more durable in a laptop computer chassis than within the iPad Professional.
A closing request for a MacBook Air improve can be a transfer to OLED shows. I really feel Apple may thread the road of balancing bolder show tech with power effectivity.
But when such an improve was coming this 12 months I reckon the rumor mill would have been churning it out by now; we have heard no whispers.
Once I’m within the workplace I exploit a Samsung laptop computer with an OLED show and adore how wealthy its colours are, and that deep distinction OLED affords. So there’s potential right here, however I believe Apple will hold OLED panels for its MacBook Professionals for a very good few years nonetheless.
Different design modifications and upgrades I would prefer to see may come within the type of sooner charging; the MacBook Air is under no circumstances a slouch when sucking up electrical juice but it surely’s not amazingly fast both.
I would additionally not thoughts just a few extra ports. An additional USB-C slot can be appreciated, particularly if Apple provides it to the right-hand aspect the place there’s seemingly a great deal of spare area.
And whereas I doubt Apple will ever do it, I would like to see a full-sized SD card slot on the next-generation MacBook Air, as that may make transferring images from my DSLR to macOS far simpler than it presently is for me.
On the flipside, I would not need Apple to mess with the Drive Contact trackpad, which is principally the very best trackpad I’ve used on any laptop computer.
It is massive, easy and responsive and I like it. Drive Contact is an odd title nevertheless…
Different areas for MacBook Air enchancment may come within the type of a refreshed keyboard. I really like the keyboard on my Air, and my fingers fly throughout it after I’m writing at velocity.
Nonetheless, there’s not the deepest of key journey and typically I really feel the keyboard lacks the tactile really feel of the wonderful keyboard on the Microsoft Floor Laptop computer fashions; these balanced snappy responses with an honest little bit of journey to make for a splendidly tactile expertise; I really feel nostalgic for my previous Floor Laptop computer 2.
However there aren’t any rumors indicating to a reworked MacBook Air design. So I am not going to carry my breath and count on the show notch to have been given a nip and a tuck.
Equally, one can by no means be 100% positive in terms of Apple. And the MacBook Air’s design language is a bit lengthy within the tooth for tech requirements. So maybe we may very well be in for a shock.
I would like a brand new design for the MacBook Air please Apple
Having mentioned that I really like the MacBook Air M2, I would not thoughts just a few tweaks to the slim laptop computer’s design. A 14-inch show, maybe facilitated by some narrowing of the show bezels and a trimming down of the show notch, would undoubtedly get my consideration.
I really like the LCD Retina show on my Air M2, however it may well really feel a tad cramped at instances after I’m making an attempt to get work executed on the go and at velocity.
As somebody nonetheless utilizing the MacBook Air M2, which is a incredible little laptop computer that is going very robust after two years of constant use, I am not overly satisfied Apple actually must refresh the Air lineup on only a specs foundation.
However Apple is Apple, and minor refreshes to its merchandise are to be anticipated… if not precisely desired.
Count on M4 chip energy
So what do I and others count on to see from the Apple announcement? Nicely as mentioned it will very doubtless be a pair of latest MacBook Air laptops.
Whereas the present pair of MacBook Airs are hardly previous, having been refreshed final 12 months with the M3 chip, they do not sport the very newest chips; these could be discovered within the MacBook Professional 14-inch and MacBook Professional 16-inch.
These fashions rock the ‘Professional’ model of the M4 chip, so we will count on to see non-pro model come to refreshed Airs.
The final Apple announcement of the newsroom ilk got here within the type of the iPhone 16e reveal. Apple merely posted an data drop on its web site and had the cellphone up for pre-order fairly sharpish.
There was an honest quantity of data to chew over however one may argue the announcement lacked Cupertino’s regular urge for food for showmanship. I count on the announcement this week to be similar to that of the iPhone 16e’s.
Considering in another way…
In days passed by, Apple would usually have a few massive occasions a 12 months with an in-person or dwell streamed occasion that may often see the reveal of a handful of merchandise round particular classes, resembling telephones, tablets and computer systems.
However because the crew at Cupertino have began to push out ever-more iterative updates to Apple’s product strains, these occasions have given away to bulletins on social media and Apple’s personal newsroom web page. To me this lacks the spectacle however does give us common Apple bulletins to chew over.
Whats up. Cell Computing Managing Editor Roland Moore-Colyer right here to take you thru the Apple rumors and TechRadar musings to date. I have been protecting such Apple bulletins and main Apple occasions for years, so I really feel I am certified to have a very good ol’ stab at speculating what we’d see from Apple this week.
