Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

New MacBook Airs are coming, but the 12-inch Retina model might be delayed

Published Jul 21st, 2014 7:15AM EDT
12-inch Retina MacBook Air Release Date

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

Apple is apparently going to launch new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air versions in the coming months, 9to5Mac says, citing reports from Taiwan’s Economic Daily News. Furthermore, the 12-inch Retina MacBook Air – a rumored new addition to the Air family – might hit stores as late as early 2015.

Quanta Computer is reportedly making Apple’s upcoming MacBook Air models, with Apple’s orders expected to boost the company’s laptop shipment numbers by 15% this year. The new OS X notebooks will have new chassis, new screens and new chipsets, and should be shipped in late-August. Specific hardware details for the new 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air laptops have not been revealed.

The Retina MacBook Air may ship at the end of the third quarter at the earliest, although delays could prevent it from reaching stores this year. The 12-inch device has been detailed in various reports so far, but it looks like Apple has run into some Intel-related chip delays. The 12-inch MacBook Air is supposed to pack a 14-nanometer Broadwell chip that’s going to offer better performance and energy efficiency, but which will be in short supply this year and into 2015.

Apple has already refreshed its MacBook Air line a few months ago, updating its two models with slightly faster and more efficient processors, and dropping the prices across the line by $100.

Apple will launch its OS X Yosemite update at some point in fall, likely alongside new hardware. In addition to the rumored new MacBook Air models, Apple should also update its MacBook Pro family later this year.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.