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

The MacBook Air M4 could launch sooner than we thought

By
Add as a preferred source on Google
The M3 MacBook Air in front of a window.
Luke Larsen / Digital Trends

Spotted by MacRumors, display industry analyst Ross Young has posted a subscriber-only tweet revealing that panel shipments for the MacBook Air M4 should be starting in October.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman then confirmed his own information points to the same conclusion — that Apple will launch the next MacBook Air during the first quarter of 2025.

Recommended Videos

This timing lines up for the MacBook Air, which is now scheduled for calendar Q1. January – March. https://t.co/PeiR2WLHDN https://t.co/05qJCCon29

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 19, 2024

This information comes from analysts who observe production trends along with company activity to make estimates about new products and launch dates. While often accurate, companies can also postpone plans at any point and throw estimates off. In other words, make sure to take these theories with a grain of salt.

Along with the displays for the new MacBook Air, panels for a low-end 10.9-inch iPad will also begin shipments next month. Unlike the MacBook Air, however, this suggests the iPad will be coming later than expected, as some people were hoping to see it announced with the new M4 Macs next month.

By the end of 2025, it’s expected that Apple will refresh its entire Mac lineup with M4 chips, marking the first time every product has shared the same chip generation. So while the prediction that MacBook Air M4 will launch before March next year could be incorrect, it shouldn’t be off by too much.

Another point of interest for the new MacBook Air is the RAM. There’s currently talk of Apple upping the minimum RAM for its MacBook Pros to 16GB, which means it’s possible that the same could happen for the Air. This is complete speculation at this point, but it feels like Apple will have a harder time defending 8GB of RAM on the Air if it’s already upped the Pro to 16GB.

The biggest problem with the minimum being so small is that people on a budget do feel forced to go as low as they can when purchasing, but this greatly affects the longevity of their PCs and therefore the value they get out of their purchase. Many people also find themselves wanting to use their MacBooks for heavier-duty activities over time, and 8GB just isn’t enough.

Overall, there’s a lot of Mac speculation to be confirmed or debunked over the next year. First up though, are the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, iMac, and iPad mini refreshes that, with any luck, should be announced sometime next month. We’ll keep you updated on event announcements.

Willow Roberts
Willow Roberts
Computing Writer
Willow Roberts has been a Computing Writer at Digital Trends for a year and has been writing for about a decade. She has a…
Topics
Shopping for a Back-to-school laptop? These are the laptops I’d recommend
Whether it's lectures, late-night assignments, or streaming after class, these laptops are built to make the next few years a little easier.
Best laptops for back to school 2026 featuring Apple 2026 MacBook Neo

A laptop is probably the one purchase that'll have the biggest impact on the school year. It'll be there for lectures, late-night assignments, group projects, Netflix binges, and everything in between. The trick is finding one that fits both the workload and the budget. After narrowing down the options, these are the five laptops I'd actually recommend for Back-to-School, whether the priority is getting the most value, joining the Apple ecosystem, or investing in a machine that'll comfortably last through graduation.

Acer Chromebook Plus 515

Read more
These are the compact printers I’d actually recommend for back-to-school
From dorm room paperwork to instant selfie prints, there's a tiny printer for every need.
Computer Hardware, Electronics, Hardware

Everything is digital until the one professor who still wants a printed essay, or the lease you need to sign in ink, or the photo you want to stick on your dorm room’s wall. That's usually the exact moment you remember you don't own a printer anymore, and the nearest one is a library machine with a line out the door.

I looked at four compact printers that solve that problem without taking over your desk and breaking the bank. Two are built for documents, one is a proper all-in-one for actual home office work, and one has nothing to do with homework and everything to do with turning your camera roll into something you can hold.

Read more
Shopping for back-to-school? These are the webcam lights I’d actually turn on before a Zoom call
From a budget clip light to a proper desk setup, there's a webcam light here for every price.
Head, Person, Face

Between online classes, group project calls, and the occasional job interview over Zoom, your webcam will be doing a lot more heavy lifting in school than it ever did at home. The problem is that most laptop cameras are bad in low light, and a single overhead bulb or a window behind you turns every call into a game of "wait, can you see me okay?"

A good webcam light fixes that faster than moving your whole desk around. I picked five, starting with the most affordable and working up to the one that's genuinely overkill for a Zoom call but still worth knowing about.

Read more