New York: Apple Inc. launched its first large-screen MacBook Air, seeking to better compete with Windows PCs and reverse a sales slide that plagued its most recent earnings.
The company also introduced a second-generation version of its Mac Studio desktop for creative professionals and software developers. The new models look similar to last year's version "- a small desktop computer with ports and no built-in display "- but add two new chips: the M2 Max and the M2 Ultra.
The larger MacBook Air, announced Monday at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, has a 15.3-inch screen, compared with a 13-inch display on most MacBook Air models since the product debuted in 2008. The new product, which starts at $1,299, sports the M2 chip and offers 18 hours of battery life, Apple said during the event in Cupertino, California.
The new lineup will give consumers a fresh reason to upgrade, especially since many have been clamoring for a larger MacBook Air. Apple is contending with a broader slump in the computer industry, which had seen sales surge during the pandemic-fueled work-from-home frenzy. The slowdown has hit the company particularly hard with its Mac sales falling 31% last quarter to about $7.2 billion "- a steeper drop than Wall Street feared.
