5 things I want to see on the rumored MacBook Air

Apple seriously needs to bring it

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It’s kind of hard to get my hopes up about the rumored MacBook Air thatAppleis allegedly launching at Apple’s June 5 event. Don’t get me wrong; last year’s Air was pretty impressive – enough to earn 4.5 stars in our review. But pouring a blue-black coat of paint that Apple calls midnight, giving it a bigger screen and a slightly more portable body, and slapping on a higher resolution webcam aren’t the most exciting additions.

Besides, I’ve been waiting so long for a bright and vibrant MacBook Air that’s supposed to come in the same colorways as theiMac 24-inch. It just never happened, despite all the excitement behind it

And while theMacBook Air M2 2022did get a nice design upgrade, Apple still held back, which is classic Apple. God forbid it rolls out an extensive overhaul and gives us everything we want in a single device; it won’t make money off of us the year when a ‘new and improved’ version comes out, and times are tough for billion-dollar businesses too.

Snarky comment out of the way, I thought I’d put together a list of all the things I want to see on theMacBook Air 2023(and one thing Ireallydon’t want to see) whenWWDC 2023rolls around. Because honestly, while there are manythings that Mac does better than Windows, Apple seems to be getting left behind in innovation in many ways. And, it’s been happening for a few years now.

1. Not a 15-inch Air

Why, god?! Why?

While some of us arestarting to believe that a 15-inch MacBook Air is happening, the best thing about the Air is that it’s incredibly portable. It manages to stay thin, compact and lightweight, giving you enough power for creative work and a long enough battery life to outlast your workday. Do we really want to change that with a 15-inch model? Though there are exceptions to the rule, a big screen almost always means a heavy laptop, which kind of defeats the purpose of the Air, doesn’t it?

Of course, there’s no stopping this train. TheMacBook Air 15-inch has already been spotted in testing, and all signs point to aWWDC2023 launch. So I’m really just moaning at this point. I only hope that it’s physics-defyingly lightweight like theLG gram 16. Otherwise, what’s the point?

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2. A cheaper price tag

In this economy, getting a pricey laptop is the last thing on people’s minds. Not especially when there are so many affordable options that are just as great or even better (such as thebest Lenovo laptops).

Unfortunately, last year’s overhaul of the MacBook Air also came with a price increase, starting at $1,199 / £1,249 / AU$1,899 – $200 / £250 more than the M1 model (which remains on sale and offers better value).

So, I demand a cheaper price tag, Apple. And honestly, it’s not a bad idea to make that happen if you want people to still buy your products.

3. An OLED screen

Apparently, we might not even see anOLED display on a MacBook until 2024, perhaps even 2026, which to be very honest is a mistake. According to rumors though, this decision is likely due to several factors including the drop in MacBook sales and difficulties in scaling up production ofOLEDdisplays. So, it may be out of Apple’s control, considering that its partnership withLGfell apart due to the same production issue.

But seeing as many of thebest Windows laptopsare sporting their own gorgeous OLED display, Apple is kind of getting left behind. In fact, I recently played the same episode ofWednesdayon a MacBook Pro and on anAcerOLED laptop, and Acer’s display came out superior in terms of colors, making viewing a little more immersive despite the fact that that display barely had any anti-reflection coating.

I’d really love to see an OLED MacBook Air launch at WWDC 2023, and I’m sure a lot of Apple fans would as well.

4. At least an SD port

That whole ‘USB-C ports only’ initiative failed spectacularly for many reasons. People still needed other ports primarily because a lot of devices and accessories still haven’t gotten on the USB-C bandwagon.

Creative professionals and content creators, especially, needed that variety of ports on their laptops, particularly an SD card reader and an HDMI port and Apple kind of learned the hard way that it just cannot control what consumers need.

So much so that it decided to bring back the variety in ports in its newer MacBook Pro models, which is appropriate considering their target audience. I’d love to see Apple do the same for its MacBook Air as well. After all, many professionals also rely on the Airs for their daily workload.

5. A mint MacBook Air to match my iMac

Honestly, I just want colors, like any of us who grew up in the iBook era when I could choose from four different fun colors on top of graphite. The midnight shade is gorgeous, don’t get me wrong, but it’s also another neutral addition to an already neutral selection.

It feels like Apple is trying its best to keep that minimalist fire burning. The problem is, we are now in the maximalism era, and it’s all about bright, vibrant colors, baby!

Also, I really just wants a mint MacBook Air to match my iMac 24-inch. Is that too much to ask?

Michelle Rae Uy is the former Computing Reviews and Buying Guides Editor at TechRadar. She’s a Los Angeles-based tech, travel and lifestyle writer covering a wide range of topics, from computing to the latest in green commutes to the best hiking trails. She’s an ambivert who enjoys communing with nature and traveling for months at a time just as much as watching movies and playing sim games at home. That also means that she has a lot more avenues to explore in terms of understanding how tech can improve the different aspects of our lives.

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