An “all-new form factor design” suggests a move away from a standard clamshell. However, there are no indications of Apple pursuing a 2-in-1 design or something similar. The company is supposedly considering making a foldable iPad/MacBook hybrid, but that device isn’t expected to arrive for another few years—if it does at all.
Apple has long held firm on selling its Mac products in stuffy silver and gray finishes but recently opened its eyes with the iMac, which is available in seven colorful hues. If the next MacBook Air matches the iMac, as past rumors have suggested, it could be available in green, blue, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and silver.
As for the not-so-good news, Kuo says the MacBook Pro will continue to run on Apple’s M1 processor instead of being upgraded to the much-anticipated M2. Interestingly, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman previously reported that the redesigned MacBook Air would run on an M2 chip. I wouldn’t leave out the possibility of an upgraded M1 (I shiver to think about what Apple would name it).
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Whatever the case, it’s easy to see why Apple would forgo equipping the MacBook Air with an M2. As it stands, not much separates the MacBook Air from the MacBook Pro 13: they run on the same processor, have 13-inch panels, and even share the same port selection. Reserving the M2 for the Pro would give it room to breathe and bring it closer to parity with the other “Pro” models. That said, according to Kuo and Gurman, neither the Air nor Pro are expected to receive the mini-LED displays found on the MacBook Pro 14 and 16.