Apple's 12-Inch Retina MacBook Air Shown in Artist's Renditions - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple's 12-Inch Retina MacBook Air Shown in Artist's Renditions

In a set of artist renditions, 9to5Mac offers a look at Apple's long-rumored 12-inch Retina MacBook Air. The renditions and details shared in the report are consistent with previous reports on the machine, although plans do sometimes change during the development process.

retina_macbook_air_render
As previously described in rumors, the next MacBook Air will have roughly the same footprint as the current 11-inch model, but include a 12-inch display nestled inside narrower bezels. The machine's keyboard will also extend from edge to edge while the speakers move to a set of grilles above the keyboard.

retina_macbook_air_side

Comparison of 12-inch Retina MacBook Air (left) with current 11-inch MacBook Air (right)

As part of Apple's effort to reduce the thickness of the MacBook Air, the new 12-inch model will do away with nearly all of the ports currently found on the machine, including the usual USB and MagSafe ports. Instead, the machine's sides will include only a headphone jack, a pair of microphones, and a USB Type-C port that appears set to handle both connectivity and charging.

Apple's new Retina MacBook Air is expected to run on new Broadwell Core M to allow for the thin, fanless design and perhaps come in multiple color options similar to the company's iPhone and iPad lineups. The machine has been rumored to be entering production as soon as this month, although it is unclear whether Apple may wait until its Worldwide Developers Conference in June to launch the device or introduce it earlier in the year.

Related Forum: MacBook Neo

Popular Stories

Apple Event Logo

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Wednesday July 29, 2026 11:39 am PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system that is essentially a mix of tvOS, watchOS, and iOS, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a report this week, he said the operating system will feature a grid of icons, widgets, and apps, along with customizable clock faces. The new software platform is intended for Apple's long-rumored smart home hub. With built-in facial recognition,...
imac video apple feature

Apple Made Its Second-Biggest Acquisition Ever This Year

Wednesday July 29, 2026 12:03 pm PDT by
Apple this year acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to the Financial Times. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019. Q.ai...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

iPhone 18 Pro: Twelve Changes Coming to Apple's Next Flagship

Thursday July 30, 2026 3:43 am PDT by
We're less than two months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a dramatic change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year,...

Top Rated Comments

151 months ago
really don't get removing so many ports...
Score: 70 Votes (Like | Disagree)
151 months ago
Because 11 is just too small, and 13 is absolutely enormous. :rolleyes:
Score: 54 Votes (Like | Disagree)
151 months ago
magical thinner battery life!
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
151 months ago
So it will only have one port, and that port will be used for charging. So basically, you can either charge, or you can use USB.
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
adcx64 Avatar
151 months ago
Buying dongles for peripherals will be the downfall of this machine
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HiVolt Avatar
151 months ago
LOL, anyone remember this?

12 inch macbook air rendition image

And yeah, i bloody hate these "artists renditions"...
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors