Apple is working on a redesigned and powerful new MacBook Air which it plans to launch by the end of this year. The new MacBook Air will feature a chip codenamed ‘Staten’ which will be a successor to the M1 chip and will be much more powerful.
Redesigned MacBook Air to launch by end of 2021
As per Bloomberg, Apple will keep the same number of processing cores as of now (four high-performance, four high-efficiency) but will bump up the graphics cores to nine or ten. Current M1 chip features 7-core and 8-core graphics.
For a redesigned, higher-end MacBook Air planned for as early as the end of the year, Apple is planning a direct successor to the M1 processor. That chip, codenamed Staten, will include the same number of computing cores as the M1 but run faster. It will also see the number of graphics cores increase from seven or eight to nine or 10. Apple is also planning an update to the low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro with that same chip.
The report does not share any details regarding the design of the MacBook Air, but we are expecting that Apple might ship them with mini-LED displays. There are also rumors that the new MacBook Air would feature a flat edge-to-edge design, seven color options, and white bezels.
Apple is also working on a newer Mac mini model which will feature a 10-core chip with up to 32-core graphics, and four USB-C ports. The company will continue to sell it with the current Mac mini model.
Apple has also been working on a more powerful version of the Mac mini (code name J374) with the same chip as the next MacBook Pro. It’s expected to have four ports versus the pair available on the current low-end version and to sit above the current entry-level M1 Mac Mini. Apple could delay or cancel the new mini’s launch — as it has in the past — but eventually the company will likely replace the Intel-equipped version it now sells.
Lastly, the report also mentions that Apple will replace the last Intel component that it still uses in M1 Macs with its in-house replacement. This component is currently used to power USB-C and Thunderbolt ports.
As early as 2022, Apple plans to replace the last remaining Intel part with an in-house version. Apple’s current M1 Macs still use an Intel component known as a USB Retimer, which helps power the USB-C and Thunderbolt ports on its computers.
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