Reports based on industry sources claim that the forthcoming 15.5-inch MacBook Air entered production after the Lunar New Year, and will ship in 2Q23.
A larger mid-range MacBook is missing from Apple's current lineup
The report fits with display analyst Ross Young's claim that the New MacBook Air will arrive in spring 2023. His claim is based on sources reporting that the display panels for the larger MacBook Air began production earlier in February.
Digitimes has a strong record for industry sources but a very much poorer one for the conclusions and predictions it bases on them, and it appears that the publication based their report on Young's statement without credit. Also, the publication concentrated on how it believes Apple's shipments will be low in the first quarter, then boosted in the second by the new MacBook Air.
Rumors of a 15-inch -- or 15.5-inch -- MacBook Air have circulated since at least 2021.
The larger screen size has been the consistent element in all rumors, but opinions have varied over what processor the device will have. Some claim that an as-yet unannounced M3 will be used, based on how TSMC has begun production of a new 3-nanometer chip.
However, if the device does ship in April or at any other point in the second quarter, it is going to have Apple's M2.
Previously, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said it would ship in late 2023, and be renamed from MacBook Air to just MacBook.