Thunderbolt MacBook Air Could Ship by July

· by · Rumor

Apple is apparently working on an update for the MacBook Air that includes the new Thunderbolt port along with Intel’s Sandy Bridge chip set. The refreshed laptop is said to be on schedule for a June or July release.

MacBook AirApple’s MacBook Air may get an update soon

Word of the supposed refresh comes courtesy of parts suppliers that are ramping up for production in May, according to DigiTimes. Assuming the sources are correct, the update will extend Apple’s Thunderbolt support beyond the MacBook Pro and iMac.

Thunderbolt is a new expansion port that offers 10Gbp/s bi-directional data transfer speeds. It uses the same Mini DisplayPort connector that Apple relies on for external displays, but also supports hard drives and other peripherals.

Currently, the MacBook Air only offers USB 2.0 for connecting external devices. Adding Thunderbolt would offer users a substantially faster data throughput option, making the ultra-light laptop useful for even more portable Mac users.

Apple hasn’t announced an upcoming MacBook Air refresh, nor does the company comment on rumor and speculation.

Jeff Gamet

Jeff Gamet

Jeff is the Mac Observer's Managing Editor, and co-host of the Apple Context Machine podcast. He is the author of "The Designer's Guide to Mac OS X" from Peachpit Press, and writes for several design-related publications. Jeff has presented at events such as Macworld Expo, the RSA Conference, and the Mac Computer Expo. In all his spare time, he also co-hosts the We Have Communicators podcast, and makes guest appearances on several other podcasts, too. Jeff dreams in HD.

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