15-inch MacBook Air rumors: Everything you need to know

M2 Macbook Air Open (Image credit: Gerald Lynch / iMore)

While Apple currently sells a 13-inch MacBook Air, that isn't the only screen size that the famous model has been offered in. An 11-inch version was available at one point, but now Apple is rumored to be going in the opposite direction — rumors claim a 15-inch MacBook Air is just around the corner.

Design

Apple refreshed its 13-inch MacBook Air in June 2022, adding a notch and rejigging the color options. Expect a 15-inch version to do the same, something that is backed up by a report that the 15-inch display will actually come in at 15.2 inches, something that is likely possible thanks to that notch.

Gone are the days of a tapered MacBook Air, unfortunately, with the 13-inch version looking every bit like the miniature MacBook Pro. Expect Apple to follow suit with the new 15-inch version, complete with squared-off edges.

Processor

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has already claimed that the new 15-inch MacBook Air will come with two CPU options — M2 and M2 Pro. That's notable because the existing MacBook Air comes with just a single M2 configuration and one with two fewer GPU cores than the equivalent MacBook Pro at that. It's possible that the large size of the 15-inch version will enable improved cooling, giving Apple more of a chance to add an M2 Pro to the mix. A 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 Pro could well be the best Mac for a whole host of professionals — even without that Pro tag.

Display

While we're hearing that the new MacBook Air will come with a 15.2-inch display, don't expect anything too fancy. Display analyst Ross Young has already poured cold water on any suggestion of mini-LED technology or ProMotion, meaning this won't have the buttery-smooth scrolling of modern high-end MacBook Pros.

And as we previously indicated, the 15" MacBook Air is 15.2". It won't have ProMotion or MiniLEDs.And as we previously indicated, the 15" MacBook Air is 15.2". It won't have ProMotion or MiniLEDs.— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) June 9, 2022 June 9, 2022

Price

Rumors of potential pricing for the new machine have been scarce so far, but it's still in the early phase after all. The 2022 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,199 so expect it to be north of that — the delta between the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the 16-inch version is difficult to judge because the screen size isn't the only thing that changes there. That being said, a $200 premium to jump from 13 inches to 15 inches seems likely at this point. That would mean a 15-inch MacBook Air could potentially start at around $1,399.

Release date and availability

Anyone looking to add a new 15-inch MacBook Air to their arsenal is going to need to wait a little while to do it. Recent reports have Apple aiming for a launch around the second quarter of 2023. That could put it in WWDC territory, something that makes sense when you remember Apple used WWDC22 to announce the 2022 refresh for the 13-inch model.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too.

Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.