Apple is set to unveil a new MacBook Air at its Annual World Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, but even if it does, you may not be able to buy one right away. According to a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, closures of COVID-19 at Chinese plants that make MacBooks could mean a limited supply of new devices or a more distant release date.
China’s zero COVID policy has led to the temporary closure of factories manufacturing Apple products, such as Pegatron and Quanta. Although China has begun to ease some of the movement restrictions it initially reinstated in March, some neighborhoods in Shanghai still remain blocked.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to ship six to seven million new MacBook Airs before the third quarter of this year if Quanta’s production capacity returns to pre-lockout levels. He also believes that there may be more shipments of the new MacBook Air compared to existing shipments of the 14- to 16-inch MacBook Pros: Quanta and Foxconn will ship the new MacBook Air, while the MacBook Pro will ship. only for Quanta. Apple currently has new orders for the MacBook Pro suspended until the end of July due to closures and a shortage of parts.
(2/2) The 2H22 shipment forecast for the new MBA is 6-7 million units if Shanghai’s Quanta capacity can return to pre-blockade level before 3Q22. The delivery of the new MBA by two EMS (Quanta 1st and Foxconn 2nd) should be better than the existing 14 “/ 16” MacBook Pro (only sent by Quanta).
– Ming-Chi Kuo (@mingchikuo) June 5, 2022
Both Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo agree that the upcoming MacBook Air will not have a wide variety of colors. It is more likely to include a couple of standard options like existing space gray and silver, with the addition of two new colors, including a dark blue and a “champagne-like gold.” Gurman also believes the MacBook Air will come with a 13-inch screen, two USB-C ports, MagSafe charging capabilities and Touch ID. It is not expected to come with a touch bar and may even include a notch like the MacBook Pro.
As for a new MacBook Pro, Gurman says Apple initially planned to launch a “faster” 13-inch version of the device around the time of the Air launch. However, it has been reported that this date has been postponed due to blockades related to COVID-19 in China.
The introduction of a new MacBook Air, which is likely to come with an M1 processor, is expected to be a major part of Apple’s upcoming WWDC event on Monday, but so is the headphone project. Apple’s mixed reality, even if Apple doesn’t do it explicitly. mention it. As Apple seeks to go beyond its existing devices and the software associated with them, WWDC is expected to have an underground stream dominated by augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).
As reported by Gurman and a report in The New York Times, Apple is poised to showcase new tools for developers to enable them to incorporate mixed reality features into their applications ahead of the planned launch of headphones in 2023. Gurman notes that Apple is working to add AR and VR features to their own apps as well, possibly creating VR versions of FaceTime, Maps, Notes and Calendar, and a way to view a Mac’s screen through headphones.