New 13-inch MacBook Airs have quietly been upgraded with one of the 15-inch models most useful features

Date:
Tue, 04 Jul 2023 13:50:42 +0000

Description:
Apple quietly adds improved wireless connectivity to new 13-inch MacBook Airs.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

It appears that Apple has sneaked in an upgrade for new 13-inch MacBook Airs, adding Bluetooth 5.3 support matching the capabilities of the recently-released 15-inch MacBook Air .

When the latest model of the 13-inch MacBook Air launched last year, it supported Bluetooth 5.0 however, some eagle-eyed visitors to Apples website have found that the specifications page for the 13-inch model now lists Bluetooth 5.3 (as spotted by MacRumors ).

This is good news for people looking to buy the smaller MacBook Air, as Bluetooth 5.3 is the latest version of the wireless tech, and brings faster connectivity and improved energy efficiency, so connected Bluetooth devices should perform better and have increased battery lives as long as they support Bluetooth 5.3. Only an upgrade for some

Support for Bluetooth 5.3 means the 13-inch MacBook Air now offers similar connectivity to the newer 15-inch model, so if you would rather get the smaller model, youre no longer having to sacrifice Bluetooth 5.3.

Many of Apples high-end devices offer Bluetooth 5.3, such as the iPad Pro
12.9 (2022) and new Apple Watch models , so its good to see the 13-inch MacBook Air join their ranks. When it comes to Apples headphones, the latest AirPods Pro support Bluetooth 5.3, though Apple has been reluctant to include Bluetooth Low Energy (also known as BLE) or use LC3 (Low Complexity Communication Codec) for audio. This means even if you pair up the AirPods
Pro to the MacBook Air, you wont get the full benefit of Bluetooth 5.3, which is frustrating.

The Bluetooth 5.3 compatibility upgrade is also a hardware update, so it
looks like only new MacBook Airs will get it if you bought a 13-inch MacBook Air last year with Bluetooth 5.0 support, then you wont get this upgrade.

Despite Bluetooth 5.0 being a few years old now, its still fine for most people, so dont despair if you already have a MacBook Air. For people looking to buy a new one, however, this is a nice free upgrade to one of the best laptops money can buy.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/macbooks/new-13-inch-macbook-airs-have-qui etly-been-upgraded-with-one-of-the-15-inch-models-most-useful-features


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)