Apple is expected to unveil the new MacBook Air during the WWDC developer conference today. But there may be problems with the availability of new items. According to Mark Gurman, the closure of Chinese factories producing MacBooks due to COVID-19 may cause limited availability of the device or postpone the start of sales to a later date.
China’s COVID policy has led to the temporary closure of factories that make products for Apple, including Pegatron and Quanta. Despite some relaxations, various areas in Shanghai remain closed.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects Apple to sell 6-7 million new MacBook Airs before the third quarter of this year, but only if Quanta’s production capacity returns to pre-lockdown levels. He also believes that shipments of the new MacBook Air will surpass that of the MacBook Pro. The fact is that the new MacBook Air will be produced at both Quanta and Foxconn factories, while the MacBook Pro will be produced only at Quanta facilities. Apple is now postponing orders for new MacBook Pros until the end of July due to the lockdown and a shortage of parts.
Both Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo agree that the upcoming MacBook Air won’t have a very diverse color scheme. Most likely, in addition to the existing colors, space gray and silver will add two color options: dark blue and champagne gold. The MacBook Air is expected to feature a 13-inch display, two USB-C ports, MagSafe charging, and Touch ID, but no touch bar. Also, the device can get a cutout in the display, like the MacBook Pro.
As for the MacBook Pro, Gurman expected a more productive 13-inch version to appear at WWDC, but now, due to the lockdown in China, the release dates have been revised.
Source: The Verge
