There are rumors of a 15-inch MacBook Air, but it will feature the M2 chip rather than the M3 chip, pending the transition to a new 3nm chip manufacturing process. Apple’s M3 is expected to be announced later.
For some time now, rumors of a larger MacBook Air have been surfacing, with the possibility of a 15-inch model. If this materializes, it would be the first time the MacBook Air has gotten bigger, as it’s only experienced size reduction in the past. Most Apple fans are expecting to see the MacBook Air 15 launch at WWDC in June, but it looks like it won’t be with the M3 chipset, according to a South Korean insider.
No M3 chip for the 15-inch MacBook Air
Indeed, Apple had originally planned to launch the MacBook Air with the new Apple Silicon chip, the M3, but this is no longer relevant. The 15-inch model will feature the M2 chipset that the current smaller MacBook Air already has. While this may disappoint some fans, it’s hardly a surprise as not all M2 chipsets have been introduced yet, including the M2 Max and M2 Ultra. The M2 is meant to be a stopgap until Apple moves to a new process for the M3.
Apple’s M3 chipsets are rumored to be announced later. In the meantime, Apple is expected to transition from the current 5 nanometer standard on the M1 and M2 chips to a new 3 nanometer process. This new chip manufacturing process will reduce the size of the chip, making it more energy efficient and more powerful. This same process is expected to be used in the iPhone 15 series.
Apple’s M3 chip is expected to be announced when the new Mac Pro is unveiled. Indeed, the Mac Pro is the last Mac to use Intel processors — Apple wouldn’t have much interest in unveiling a Mac Pro with an M2 chip now, since it skipped the M1 for this Mac. It would be better to wait for the M3, which will be equipped with the 3nm manufacturing process. Add to that the fact that the Mac Pro is intended for a niche audience that is not used to regularly upgrading their machine, which reinforces this hypothesis.
Source : Naver
