There could be a 12-inch MacBook on the way – but is there space in the range for it?

The MacBook range is arguably more diverse than ever before, with a host of products spanning price ranges. Thanks in no small part to the quality of the Apple Silicon processors, each device is also capable of a massive range of tasks. 

I've personally used the M1 MacBook Air – now the lowest model in the range – for everything from music production and video editing to CPU-intense gaming. It didn't even break a sweat, so I'd dread to think how much the top end devices can manage – the latest top-spec laptop comes with 96GB of unified memory and an M2 Max chipset.

Recently, rumours have started up again about a potential new model in the range. I say again, because we've heard about a 12-inch MacBook before. The rumour seems to be quite persistent, despite having been all but written off by top industry tipsters like Ross Young and Ming-Chi Kuo.

This time, it comes from a relatively ropey source on a Korean blog, so definitely take it with a pinch of salt. With that being said, the source doesn't state outright that the devices are coming – instead, it says that production preparations are ongoing ahead of a final decision, which should be made by the end of the year.

That's not too unbelievable. We've heard a lot of rumours about an upcoming 15-inch MacBook Air variant, which is expected to launch in the next few months. If Apple is looking to satisfy that market, it stands to reason that they may also want to appease fans of a smaller laptop, too.

What I can't see is how it would fit in with the M1 MacBook Air. That model is still available at the moment, with a retail price of £999 / $999 / AU$1,499. It's a great value option, and remains the most portable in Apple's range. If a 12-inch option were to take away that "most portable" moniker – presumably with an updated M2 chip, too – the M1 MacBook Air would be left redundant.

If we do say hello to a reborn 12-inch MacBook, then, we might have to bid farewell to a real modern classic in the process.