Report: M4 MacBook Air set to launch this week, new budget iPad and iPad Air coming later

MacBook Air aficionados have been holding out for an M4 refresh ever since the vaunted chip graced the Mac lineup at Apple's recent October event. Prominent industry analysts have repeatedly hinted at a Spring launch for the M4-powered Apple MacBook Air, and it now appears that the wait is finally nearing its completion. 

According to a recent report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the M4 MacBook Air is set to hit the scene as soon as sometime in the present week. The Apple M4 SoC will undoubtedly bring some much-needed performance improvements to the table, in both CPU and GPU departments. There are no external changes expected this time around, which is hardly a surprise since the current design is yet to hit its four-year mark.

Moreover, those holding out for a new affordable iPad will be pleased to know that the reputed analyst also believes that the entry-level Apple iPad 11 as well as a refreshed iPad Air will arrive soon after the M4 MacBook Air. The exact launch timeframe is not known, but a launch within this quarter can be foreseen. The iPad 11 has been rumored to pack the A17 Pro SoC to allow for Apple Intelligence capabilities, which would make it a decent value - contingent that Apple prices it appropriately.

The Apple iPad Pro, on the other hand, is not expected anytime soon. Unsurprisingly, the next-generation iPad Pro will ship with the M5 SoC, which is likely to first arrive in the MacBook Pro lineup sometime in the fall of 2025. The M4 iPad Pro (currently $899 on Amazon) is plenty powerful for the vast majority of workloads, which does justify Apple waiting longer for a refresh.