Apple unveiled its new M4-powered MacBook Air on Wednesday, introducing its latest chip technology alongside a $100 price reduction, a move that comes just as the U.S. enforces new tariffs on Chinese imports.
The updated MacBook Air, available in both 13-inch and 15-inch models, starts at $999 and $1,199, respectively. Apple is also offering discounted education pricing at $899 for the 13-inch version and $999 for the 15-inch model. The devices, which boast up to 18 hours of battery life, will be available for preorder starting Wednesday, with shipments set for next week.
The launch follows the Biden administration's imposition of a 10% blanket tariff on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico, sparking concerns over potential price hikes in the consumer electronics sector. Despite these trade tensions, Apple opted for a price reduction, a decision that analysts say could be aimed at maintaining competitive sales in a market increasingly sensitive to pricing.
Apple's new MacBook Air models feature the company's most advanced processor yet, the M4 chip. The chip includes a 10-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU, making it up to twice as fast as the M1 model. The upgrade also enhances support for AI-driven tasks, reflecting Apple's continued push into artificial intelligence integration across its product lineup.
Beyond improved performance, the new MacBook Air supports dual external displays for the first time, a feature previously limited to Apple's more powerful MacBook Pro models. The design update also introduces a new "sky blue" color, a departure from Apple's typical silver, space gray, and gold options.
Wednesday's announcement follows Apple's recent revamp of the iPad Air, which was updated with the M3 chip. Industry speculation suggests that the tech giant is planning further product launches this year, including a rumored "iPhone Air," which could feature a significantly thinner design.
In addition to the MacBook Air, Apple refreshed its high-performance Mac Studio desktop, now available with either the M4 Max processor or the M3 Ultra chip. The Mac Studio starts at $1,999, or $1,799 for education buyers. The M3 Ultra model includes up to 96GB of unified memory, with support for running AI models containing up to 600 billion parameters entirely in memory.
