Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

WWDC to bring new MacBook Air, possibly with faster Wi-Fi and 1080p webcam

By
new macbook air hard drive
Promotional logo for WWDC 2023.
This story is part of our complete Apple WWDC coverage

The rampant speculation about what Apple will debut at next week’s Worldwide Developers’ Conference is at full tilt this week. While we’re pretty sure a Tupac-like hologram of Steve Jobs will not be on hand to deliver the new version of OS X, there are other rumors that have a much better chance of actually coming true. For example, it’s more than likely that a new MacBook will be introduced, and recent leaks suggest the MacBook Air will be getting the love. 9to5Mac is reporting that a refreshed version of the Air will include a faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi card along with chips from Intel’s new Haswell processor line.

Among the evidence that faster Wi-Fi is coming to the MacBook Air and possibly all Mac product lines is the Mountain Lion update we told you about yesterday. Update 10.8.4 includes support for Broadcom chipsets, which makes the Wi-Fi speed upgrade more likely. 9to5Mac also points out that Apple’s wireless router, the Airport Extreme, and the wireless Time Capsule are currently facing “supply channel constraints.” This lends more credence to the idea that a faster wireless protocol is on the way. 

Recommended Videos

Apple has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to updating its machines to the newest Wi-Fi standards, so the move to 802.11ac wouldn’t be very surprising. The 802.11ac protocol is faster than 802.11n, and while routers capable of the 802.11ac communications are widely available, they are still a bit pricey. However, if Apple does make the switch, the faster speed will help justify the cost of the Airport Extreme Base Station, typically priced at $180.

Related

Another rumor floating around in addition to the faster Wi-Fi is the inclusion of a 1080p webcam on the new MacBook Air. Up until now, Apple has included a 720p webcam on its laptops, so this would be a welcome change. Going hand-in-hand with this rumor is the possibility of dual-microphone system to allow for more efficient noise-canceling. The dual-microphone setup is already present on the MacBook Pro Retina, so it’s probably going to happen.

What we’re almost certain about is that Apple will introduce new MacBook of the Air or Pro variety with Intel’s new Haswell line of chips. This fourth generation of Intel’s Core line of processors promises battery life of up to 10 hours, particularly in Ultrabooks. The MacBook Air was really the first Ultrabook, way back before Intel coined the term and the specifications for the category, so it makes sense that Apple will bring out a faster, longer-lasting version of the Air — if for no other reason than to remind other manufacturers of the OG Ultrabook.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Meghan McDonough
Meghan McDonough
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Meghan J. McDonough is a Chicago-based purveyor of consumer technology and music. She previously wrote for LAPTOP Magazine…
MacBook Air is still at its lowest-ever price following Prime Day 2023
The M1-powered Macbook Air, open on a table.

The 256GB version of the M1-powered Apple MacBook Air 2020 was on sale for its lowest-ever price of $750 for Amazon's Prime Day, but if you missed the shopping event, don't worry because the discount is still available. You can still take advantage of the $250 discount on the laptop's original price of $1,000, but because it's a holdover from the MacBook deals of Prime Day, we're pretty sure that it won't last long. If you want to get a MacBook for cheap, you're going to want to push through with this transaction before it gets taken down.

Why you should buy the Apple MacBook Air 2020
It has since been overshadowed by the M2-powered Apple MacBook Air 2022, but the Apple MacBook Air 2020 remains in our list of the best MacBooks as the lowest-price option if you want one of Apple's laptops. It's powered by Apple's M1 chip, which is so power-efficient that this model of the MacBook Air can last up to 18 hours on a single charge, and it goes completely fanless. This also makes the laptop completely silent even when it's handling heavy workloads, which you probably didn't think would be such a big deal until you experience it first hand.

Read more
This fantastic MacBook Air deal ends at midnight
A MacBook Air on a desk with an open book in front of it.

There's only a matter of hours until all the Prime Day deals end for another year. However, that does still leave you enough time to buy the Apple MacBook Air M1 while it remains at its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Right now, you can buy it for $750 saving you $249 or 25% off the usual price of $999. It's a great entry point for anyone looking to buy a new MacBook and easily one of the best Prime Day MacBook deals. While it might not have the latest M2 chip, the M1 chip remains exceptional and more than powerful enough for most people. You're really not missing out on much given the price difference involved. Here's a quick look at what else you need to know before you hit the buy button. Remember -- you really haven't got long left to do so.

Why you should buy the Apple MacBook Air M1
Back when it was first launched, we described the Apple MacBook Air M1 as "fast, fanless, and absolutely fantastic". It remains all of those things. We've broken down the differences between the M2 and M1 and while the newer chip is better, it's less of a substantial difference than you'd think.

Read more
You can buy a MacBook Air for $299 for Prime Day – but should you?
Restored Apple MacBook Air and Airpods with mouse and black cas

There's a growing industry of refurbished and restored electronics, and while that usually doesn't engender a lot of faith from consumers, they're well worth considering if you're on a tight budget. Luckily, there are a lot of great deals for refurbished products during the Walmart Prime Day sale, such as this MacBook Air bundle. You can grab for $299 rather than the usual $399, but you might want first to consider a couple of different options. It's important to note, though, that this deal is only going available for Walmart Plus subscribers, but you can grab a , which is a great deal in and of itself.

Why you shouldn't buy this MacBook Air
The biggest issue with this MacBook Air is that it's quite outdated for several years, and it can't even run the latest MacOS 14, so you're going to be missing out on a lot of features. Since this is a version of the Macbook Air that was discontinued after 2017, you're likely getting a 7th Gen Intel i5, at best, and more likely, it's a 6th Gen. There's also the issue that the 1.6Ghz CPU version of the Macbook air was part of the 2010-2017 run that had performance issues due to overheating and the CPU having to be throttled. While these aren't massive issues, especially since you're getting generic earbuds and a mouse bundled in, it's not an ideal deal if you're looking for something more modern that will stand the test of time.

Read more