On Monday, Apple revealed new iterations of its 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air laptops, powered by its latest M3 chip.
Apple initially introduced the M3 chip in October, debuting versions for its iMac desktop computers and more robust iterations for its MacBook Pro laptops.
Despite reporting a modest less-than-1% growth in Mac revenue during its fiscal first-quarter earnings, totaling $7.78 billion, the introduction of these latest computers may invigorate the company’s sales.
The new MacBook Air laptops from Apple boast enhanced features, including sharper 1080p webcams, support for faster Wi-Fi networks, and an impressive battery life of up to 18 hours, all within the familiar design of earlier models.
Notably, the new M3 chip enables users to connect up to two external displays, an upgrade from the single-screen capability of previous chips.
In a strategic move, Apple is intensifying its marketing efforts surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). The company labels the new MacBook Air as the “world’s best consumer laptop for AI,” a notable shift in language compared to its October introduction of the iMac with M3.
This move indicates Apple’s aim to compete with new Windows laptops marketed as “AI PCs.”
However, prominent AI platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude primarily operate in the cloud via internet connections rather than directly on a computer.
Apple notes that apps such as Pixelmator Pro leverage AI to eliminate background noise in photos, which aligns with the longstanding utilization of AI in various applications.
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook emphasized on February 28th that the company is making substantial investments in artificial intelligence, teasing a significant announcement later this year.
Speculation suggests this announcement might occur during Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June, typically the venue for unveiling new software. Apple might introduce its own large language model capable of local operation on Macs, iPhones, and iPads.
The 13-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,099, while the 15-inch variant begins at $1,299. These laptops are available for order from Monday and will hit stores starting March 8th.
