MacBook Air 2016 release date, news, specs rumors: Apple to release Mac Air suited for gaming; to be released with MacBook Pro on Oct. 24?

After being a no-show at the Sept. 7 Apple Event, MacBook followers are still very hopeful that the MacBook Air refresh will be announced before the end of the year. It has long been rumored that the next iteration of the current Macbook Air will be released in the later part of 2016, but Apple has yet to confirm the rumor by themselves. Regardless, the latest rumors suggest that Apple is cooking up another press event by the end of October, wherein the latest version of the MacBook laptops, including the MacBook Air, will be revealed.

According to Game N Guide, Apple may have intended to focus on the iPhone 7 smartphone during the September 7 Apple Event and leave all the announcements for the new MacBook laptops for a later date. As of now, the rumors are rife that October 24 will be the date of the MacBook event.

If ever Apple is indeed reserving the mentioned date to unveil the new MacBook units, there is still an issue whether the high-tier MacBook Pro will be the only one getting a refresh or the refresh will also include the Mac Air. The online publication cited the possibility that Apple may finally end the Mac Air series and focus on the Mac Pro. For now, there is hope that the MacBook Air will be updated this year. After all, the last known version of the Mac Air was released many years ago, and it is probably high time for Apple to give it a refresh before they decide to cease its production.

One of the interesting rumors regarding the MacBook Air 2016 is that it will be among the first devices to be powered by Intel's seventh generation processor. According to University Herald, the upcoming Mac Air may have the Intel Kaby Lake chipset, the successor of the current Skylake processor. It is expected to be faster and more efficient than Skylake, thus giving the MacBook Air a nice boost to its performance. However, it is still uncertainty regarding the shipping schedule of the Kaby Lake processors. If the Kaby Lake chipsets will not be shipped by the end of 2016, then the release of MacBook Air will be affected.

Whether there's a Kaby Lake for the 2016 MacBook Air or not, the Mac followers are likely to see a lot of new features on the laptop. It is rumored to boast 4K HD screen display, which is a huge improvement over its predecessor, and making it suited for video game-oriented laptop users looking for quality gaming graphics.

Like the iPhone 7, the MacBook Air 2016 might also lose the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack. It is also expected to receive USB Type-C ports for faster data transfer. Regarding the appearance of the new Mac Air, it is expected that the 2016 version will be the thinnest one yet in the MacBook Air series.