Apple May Not Be Launching a 12-Inch MacBook in 2023 — Here’s Why

Apple MacBook fans wishing for a foot-long version of the device may be waiting for a long time.

The Cupertino-based company was recently rumored to have dropped its plan of relaunching its 12-inch MacBook offering by the end of 2023 or 2024 in place of a 15.5-inch MacBook Air coming sometime in 2023, per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Apple previously discontinued selling 12-inch MacBooks in July 2019 as it found the resulting device to be underpowered, with it being equipped with a less powerful processor than later models, per 9to5Mac.

Apple 15-Inch MacBook Air Details

Not much is known about the 15-inch Macbook Air Gurman mentioned in passing on his report. However, a MacRumors report citing display analyst Ross Young said that Apple would begin producing 15.5-inch display panels for a new MacBook Air scheduled for release during the first quarter of 2023.

Young added that the rumored 15.5-inch MacBook Air, which may be Apple's largest yet if confirmed true, will not look different from its 13-inch counterpart since it was released in 2022.

Furthermore, the rumored upcoming MacBook Air will come with a large trackpad with Force Touch support, a keyboard with function keys, a MagSafe charging port, improved speakers, and a 1080p camera, per Gadget Tendency.

Interestingly, the 15.5-inch MacBook may not be equipped with a Mini-LED screen, support for ProMotion, and a 120Hz refresh rate. However, it may probably come with Apple's very own M2 and M2 Pro processors, which will provide the best performance and power Apple has to offer.

Thanks to this switch, Gurman mentioned that the 12-inch MacBook's possible launch is delayed to a future date, with the company allegedly removing it from its near-term roadmap.

Will Apple Ever Release A 12-Inch MacBook Again?

Apple previously discontinued its 12-inch MacBook offering due to a few issues with its hardware. DigitalTrends previously reported that the product, which was last launched in 2015, lacked ports, with it having only one USB-C port.

It also had a bad butterfly keyboard, which is difficult for Apple technicians to repair; to say nothing of the MacBook's performance.

Its underpowered Intel Core M processor was slow compared to later models due to its thermal constraints.

Last but not least is the device's $1,299 pricing, which made it more than an entry-level college-ready laptop. This pricing placed it above what its intended market could pay for.

As a result of these problems, Apple eventually discontinued it in 2019, ending a lifetime of almost nine years from the day Steve Jobs unveiled the first 12-inch Macbook for the first time in 2008.

However, the possibility of a 12-inch MacBook returning to store shelves is still alive. Gurman said that the device is not on Apple's near-term roadmap anymore, but it may come sometime in the foreseeable future if it does decide to give it a try.

Whether Apple will even go through with its alleged plan or not is still debatable. The M1 MacBook Air is already the a great replacement for the device, and with the 12-inch MacBook's return being only a rumor as of press time, it may even never see the light of day.