2023 MacBook Air Could Finally Get a Larger 15-inch Display, as Apple Explores New Form Factors

A MacBook Air with a larger display was always contemplated by Apple, but the company never pushed forward with a commercial product. For 2023, the technology giant’s decision might take a drastic turn, according to a display analyst, who also believes that Apple will use a bigger display for an unnamed iPad model.

Apple May Increase the iPad’s Display Size to 12 inches

Currently, Apple sells its M1 MacBook Air with a 13.3-inch display, and the redesigned model that is expected to launch in the second half of this year will likely stick with the small panel, albeit with some changes such as the presence of a notch. If customers require a bigger price-to-performance portable Mac, DSCC CEO Ross Young states that a 15-inch version will launch next year and with it, the possibility of Apple unveiling a 12-inch iPad too.

The 2023 MacBook Air with a 15-inch display is said to be sold alongside another MacBook Air model with a 13-inch model. It is not clear if this 13-inch version will be the one Apple releases later this year or if there will be a refresh arriving next year. There are also no hardware specification differences provided by Young, though a 15-inch MacBook Air will provide several advantages over a smaller-sized one if customers are comfortable sacrificing a bit of portability with that larger footprint.

Just released our Apple iPad and Mac roadmaps in our Quarterly Advanced IT Display Report and see new display sizes next year for the iPad and MacBook Air. Will likely include in our talks at the SID/DSCC Business Conference on 5/9 for those interested.

— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) March 23, 2022

One of those advantages will be the 15-inch MacBook Air providing additional screen real estate, meaning that Apple may also bump up the resolution of the display. It is unclear if the company will use a mini-LED or standard IPS LCD, but a larger portable Mac will also mean having a bigger battery, resulting in longer run times. The bigger versions will also likely feature an improved cooling solution, but given the power efficiency of the Apple Silicon, an extensive cooler will not be required.

We expect the larger 2023 MacBook Air to be priced slightly higher than the smaller variant, but no such information was published as of right now. The full extent of Apple’s plans for next year will likely be found in the coming months, so stay tuned.