Rumor: MacBook Air refresh including Thunderbolt, Core i5/i7 coming soon

If you're eager for a featherweight Mac laptop with enhanced I/O and the latest Intel CPUs, you may not have to wait that much longer. Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has told AppleInsider that Apple is set to begin mass production on new models of the MacBook Air in May. The new Air will sport a Thunderbolt port as well as Intel's latest Sandy Bridge microprocessors and integrated Intel graphics. Kuo's assertions are based on checks with system builders and other suppliers in the region.

A May production date would make sense for several reasons: it corroborates earlier reports for a June launch of an updated MacBook Air, but more importantly, it means that Apple's hottest laptop would be refreshed in time for the back-to-school buying season, which typically begins in late June/early July. Kou's assertion about the new MacBook Air gains some additional weight based on his track record; he accurately predicted the 11.6-inch MacBook Air three months before Apple unveiled it.