Apple released the M4 MacBook Pro, M4 Mac mini, and M4 iMac only a few weeks ago, and the new computers are already available for purchase. But Apple didn’t update all its Macs to the new M4 chip family at the same time.
As exciting as the M4 MacBook Pro might be, some fans are waiting for the new M4 MacBook Air models to come out, and I wouldn’t blame them. Apple wants all of its Macs to support Apple Intelligence, so the M4 upgrade might be bigger than ever.
I expect the M4 MacBook Air models to feature 16GB of RAM, which is now the base configuration for the M2 and M3 MacBook Airs. More importantly, the M4 chips should bring improved efficiency to the MacBook Air models, and improve battery life as a result.
Rumors say the M4 MacBook Air models might launch as soon as the first quarter of 2025, and we have a big signal from Apple that might be the case. The company accidentally leaked the upcoming laptops in its latest macOS Sequoia update.
Apple released macOS 15.2 on Wednesday and mentioned two unreleased Macs in the software. MacRumors reports there are software files for “Mac16,12” and “Mac16,13,” which are identifiers for the next-gen MacBook Air models.
Moreover, the blog says the software mentions the “MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)” and the “MacBook Air (15-inch, M4, 2025),” which are the expected updates for the two MacBook Air lines.
The software leak is unusual for Apple, as the company is known for its secrecy. Still, this isn’t the first time an Apple software release provided information about upcoming products.
Then again, the M4 MacBook Air isn’t exactly a surprise. It’s an expected upgrade, considering the MacBook Air is Apple’s best-sold computer and the laptop everyone in the business has been trying to emulate since its arrival.
More importantly, Apple Intelligence is a top priority at Apple, and the company is working to ensure all of its future products can support its AI vision as best as possible. That’s why the iPad mini just got an AI-ready upgrade and why the iPhone SE 4 will also support Apple Intelligence despite being a mid-ranged phone.
All M-series MacBook Airs support Apple Intelligence, but the M4 will be even better thanks to the boost in RAM and processing power.
What I’m getting at is that even without the leaks, the M4 upgrade is inevitable for the MacBook Air.
The Yosemite files do not mention an actual release date. However, previous leaks said the M4 MacBook Airs will be launched in the spring of 2025, which aligns with Apple’s purported hardware launch plans for the first quarter of next year.
As a reminder, the M3 MacBook Air models, which you can find on sale from various retailers before Christmas, were unveiled in March 2024. Apple launching the M4 MacBook Airs in March 2025 makes all the sense in the world.
