Top news: M2 MacBook Air release date, new HomePod rumors, and more

The M2 MacBook Pro is starting to make its way into the hands of customers and we’re learning more about how it performs in a variety of situations, but all eyes are really on the upcoming M2 MacBook Air which has seen a complete redesign and should arrive in a couple of weeks.

Other top stories this week included a bevy of product rumors including additional M2 and even M3 Macs, an updated Apple TV, and a revived HomePod, so be sure to read below for all the details about these stories and more!

Apple plans to launch MacBook Air with M2 chip on July 15

Mac rumors I learned from a source that Apple plans to launch the new MacBook Air with M2 chip on Friday, July 15Which means pre-orders will likely start on Friday, July 8.

Apple previously announced that the new MacBook Air would be available in July, but did not provide a specific date.

The The new MacBook Air has been redesigned With a larger 13.6-inch screen, a notch, a flatter look, and new Starlight and Midnight color options. The notebook features MagSafe 3 charging, an upgraded 1080p camera, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a Magic Keyboard with physical Fn keys, a Touch ID button, and more.

Pricing starts at $1,199 in the US, while the previous MacBook Air remains available for $999.

13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip has significantly slower SSD speeds than the previous model

Base model M2 MacBook Pro with 256GB storage Significantly slower SSD read/write speeds Compared to the equivalent M1 model.

YouTube channels like Max Tech and Created Tech tested the 256GB model using Blackmagic’s Disk Speed ​​Test app and real world tests It found that SSD read and write speeds are about 50% and 30% slower, respectively, compared to the previous model.

M2 Pro Mac Mini, new Apple TV with A14 chip and more rumors in development

In the latest issue of his Power On newsletter, BloombergMark Gorman Additional M2 Macs identified in Apple’s product roadmapincluding a new Mac mini powered by the M2 Pro chip.

Gurman has included several other new Apple products in the works, including a The new Apple TV with A14 chip And increase 4 GB of RAM. Most of the products are expected to be launched between late 2022 and mid-2023.

A new version of the original HomePod to return next year

One of the new Apple products that Gurman mentioned in action is a New HomePod with the same S8 chip as Apple Watch Series 8.

Gurman said the new HomePod will be closer to the original model in terms of size and audio performance, rather than a new HomePod mini. He also said that the new HomePod will have an updated screen on top of the speaker, possibly with multi-touch functionality.

Video Comparison: M2 MacBook Pro vs. M1 MacBook Pro

In a recent video on our YouTube channel, we Compare Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 chip to the previous model With M1 chip.

The video provides a look at the overall performance of the M2 MacBook Pro, SSD speeds, and more compared to the previous model. Both devices have a 256GB SSD and 8GB RAM in comparison.

Kuo: Apple’s work on the 5G modem chip fails, Qualcomm remains the supplier of iPhones 2023

For years, rumors have suggested that Apple was working on its own 5G modem for future devices, but this week analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple’s efforts have so far “failed,” saying that Qualcomm will remain Apple’s modem supplier for 2023 iPhone.

If Kuo is accurate, it means that iPhone 15 models can be equipped with it Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon X70 modem While Apple continues to work on its modem.

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