Apple may have just outed its own big spring MacBook surprise

Rumors are swirling that Apple is planning to release a new MacBook Air within the next couple of months, with an M2 processor and a larger 15-inch screen. And now a filing by the Bluetooth Launch Studio suggests the new machine may have Bluetooth 5.3 as well.

On February 18, Apple apparently began the Bluetooth Qualification Process for a new Mac with Bluetooth 5.3. There are no products listed under the declaration, meaning they have not yet completed the full qualification process. Had the products in question been the new M2 Mac mini or MacBook Pros, the first Macs to use Bluetooth 5.3, the model numbers would have been listed.

While it makes sense for the 15-inch MacBook Air to use Bluetooth 5.3, it would also give it an upgrade over the 13.6-inch MacBook Air, which is unlikely to be updated until the M3 chip arrives in 2024. It’s not something that’s likely to sway anyone’s purchase, mind you, especially since Apple doesn’t offer any features or accessories that require Bluetooth 5.3.

The new machine would also presumably have Wi-Fi 6E, which is available on the M2 Mac mini and MacBook Pros as well. Elsewhere, the new MacBook Air is expected to have similar specs to the 13.6-inch model, including two Thunderbolt ports, MagSafe for charging, and 256GB of entry-level storage.

The device could arrive at Apple’s habitual spring event in March or April, although that event is in some doubt this year, given the reported delays affecting the AR headset project that was expected to be its headliner. In the absence of an event, the new Air could instead drop quietly via a press release and update on Apple’s website, as was the case for January’s Mac launches.