Apple CEO Tim Cook just dropped a very broad hint that the M4 MacBook Air is imminent, and maybe an upgraded iPad Air, too. Cook posted on X (formerly Twitter), “There’s something in the Air.”
While there’s plenty of anticipation for the launch, there won’t be much surprise. Rumors started talking about the M4 MacBook Air months ago. The same goes for the M3 iPad Air. If you’re wondering about the MacBook monitor improvements that could come with this release, here’s what we know so far.
Here’s what’s expected.
A very broad hint
Considering all the leaks about the upcoming MacBook, Cook’s post that “There’s something in the Air” really couldn’t be anything but the M4 MacBook Air. Especially after noted tipster Mark Gurman from Bloomberg predicted on Sunday that the notebook could launch “as early as this coming week.”
This week. pic.twitter.com/uXqQaGNkSk
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) March 3, 2025
Another possibility is an iPad Air upgraded with an Apple M3 processor. While this isn’t expected for several more weeks, Apple could introduce both speed-boosted Air models simultaneously: notebook and tablet.
The last time Cook dropped a hint like this came in mid-February, and it turned out to be for the iPhone 16e. That hint came almost a week before the debut. This time, Cook says the new product launch will be “this week.”.
M4 MacBook Air: Speed boost!
The highlight of the 2025 MacBook Air will be a move to the M4, Apple’s latest and greatest processor. It launched last spring in the 2024 iPad Pro, and reached the MacBook Pro, Mac mini and iMac in the autumn.
The Air is a consumer-oriented notebook, which means it’ll get the “basic” version of the M4, not the Pro or Max variants of the chip. That’s Apple’s habit, anyway — the only option for the current version is the basic M3.
But even the base version of the M4 is no slouch. It improved the performance of the 2024 MacBook Pro by 25% over the M3. Anyone using an M1-based MacBook can expect an 81% speed boost. Some of that boost comes from an increase in the number of processor cores: 10 instead of eight.
The base model version will likely come with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage — just like the M3 version.
Sorry, no redesign
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
While the new processor will be a significant change, it’ll appear to be the only one.
Apple will reportedly introduce 13-inch and 15-inch variants of the M4 MacBook Air, and the rumors indicate these will look essentially identical to their predecessors. That’s not a bad thing, as reviewers poured praise on the earlier models, whether it’s the 13-inch version from 2022 or the 15-inch iteration from mid-2023. They’re super slim, with the old wedge design long gone.
No price increase, either
With the new chip as the only change, we don’t expect a price increase. The 13-inch version should continue to start at $1,099, and the 15-inch one should start at $1,299.
M3 iPad Air: Faster
The story for the iPad Air refresh is similar. Word that a new version with “internal improvements” is on Apple’s agenda surfaced in the autumn. Then came a report that this means an Apple M3 processor, not the M4 that some had expected. Still, the new chip should bring a 15% increase in performance.
There’ve also been rumors of a 90Hz screen in place of the current 60Hz one. Still, pre-release leaks indicate the two display size options won’t change. They’ll stick at 11 inches and 13 inches.
Given that the M2 version launched only ten months ago, and the fairly minor changes anticipated, a price increase for the next generation seems unlikely. If that’s the case, then the cost will stay at $599 and $799, depending on screen size.
Keep checking Cult of Mac this week for more on the M4 MacBook Air and M3 iPad Air.
