
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



<p>Apple announced that its new 15-inch MacBook Air—the world’s thinnest 15-inch laptop, according to Apple—will be available starting next week, marking a middle-price point offering for the company that previously had a significant price difference between its smaller MacBooks and larger models.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



<p>The new model will weigh in at 3.3 pounds and come in four colors.</p>



<p>Bergeron said the laptop will have Apple’s M2 chip, making it 12 times faster than Intel-based MacBook Air; it is quoted at an 18-hour battery life.</p>



<p>The new model will start at $1,299 and be available next week, while the 13-inch MacBook Air powered by the same chip will start at $1,099; the 13-inch MacBook Air with an M1 chip—Apple’s older version—will drop below $1,000, now priced at $999.</p>



<p>Customers can order the new model starting Monday.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



<p>Apple didn’t previously offer a 15-inch version of its MacBook Air—which comes in 13-inch options—or its MacBook Pro, its larger laptop that comes in a 14- or 16-inch option. The new model will provide a choice to users who don’t want the extra computing power of the MacBook’s 14- and 16-inch models, but do want the option of a screen bigger than 13 inches. The last time Apple offered a 15-inch laptop of any kind was 2019, but Apple&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/11/13/20961717/apple-macbook-pro-16-inch-model-screen-discontinued-display-laptop" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discontinued</a>&nbsp;its 15-inch MacBook Pro that year in exchange for the 16-inch option. Apple’s laptop prices have historically been high, too, with the 16-inch MacBook Pro starting at $2,499. Moving forward, the lower price and bigger screen size is meant “to deliver even more value and choice to everyone,” according to the Apple release.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



<p>The big announcement expected from Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference is the company’s long-awaited mixed-reality headset that is rumored to have both virtual reality and augmented reality compatibility. The device is rumored to look like ski goggles, The Verge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theverge.com/23728368/wwdc-2023-date-time-live-stream-watch-how-to-rumors" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>, and is supposed to have external sensors to help users navigate reality.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forbes-valuation">FORBES VALUATION</h2>



<p>Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, who kicked off the keynote address Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference, is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/tim-cook/?sh=612f5e173ea4">estimated</a>&nbsp;to be worth $1.9 billion by&nbsp;<em>Forbes</em>.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/5/23739220/apple-macbook-air-15-features-specs-price-release-date-wwdc-2023" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple’s new 15-inch MacBook Air is the ‘world’s thinnest’</a>&nbsp;(The Verge)</p>



<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/live-blog/2023-06-05/apple-worldwide-developers-conference" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Headset, iOS 17, New Mac: Live WWDC 2023 Analysis With Mark Gurman</a> (Bloomberg)</p>


Tag: MacBook

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Apple Announces Plans For Its Largest MacBook Air Yet At Developer Conference