MacBook Air 2016 release date, specs rumors: Highly anticipated device landing this month?

Featured in the image is an 11-inch MacBook AirWikimedia Commons/Paul Hudson

Apple fans are highly anticipating that the MacBook Air 2016 is just around the corner. The alleged device is expected to arrive on Oct. 27.

It was previously speculated that a Mac keynote might happen on Oct. 25, where several MacBook products are rumored to be launched, including the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. The event could also feature a new iMac. Then, Oct. 27, would be the earnings call for the company.

According to 9To5Mac, with the current date set up, it will be a celebration followed by news of disappointing iPhone 7 sales. The launch of their new product will be outshined by low sales numbers, which is not a good idea. Thus, Apple then decided to move the earning call on a Tuesday, which could transform a gloomy atmosphere to a more festive one.

There is not a lot of leaked information going around the tech community with regards to the MacBook Air 2016. It is said that the alleged laptop will contain a USB Type-C port, a retina display, and possibly the TouchID fingerprint sensor. A new Kaby Lake processor is also anticipated to arrive with the device, as well as a lighter and thinner profile than its predecessor.

However, there is a big chance that it would still have a Skylake chip, as Rhoda Alexander, Director Tablet and Notebook PCs at IHS Markit Technology, said to Forbes that the production process for the alleged devices has started way back in the second calendar quarter of the year. The seventh-generation Intel Core processor is not yet available at that time.

When it comes to price, the 13-inch model is estimated to be around $980, while the 15-inch variant is expected to fetch at around $1,100.

Meanwhile, the MacBook Pro 2016 model is expected to bring some exciting features. These include an OLED touch-bar that could replace the traditional function keys, AMD Polaris graphics processing unit that would give an extra punch to the laptop in terms of graphics performance, and updated ports, namely the USB Type-C and Thunderbolt 3. It is also believed that a 3.5 audio port will still be present with the alleged model.