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Apple Says Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air Now Supports Bluetooth 5.3
source link: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apple-says-latest-13-inch-macbook-air-now-supports-bluetooth-5-3.2394941/
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Apple Says Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air Now Supports Bluetooth 5.3
Apr 12, 2001
60,623
25,211
While the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip initially supported Bluetooth 5.0 when it was released in July 2022, the laptop now supports the faster and more reliable Bluetooth 5.3 standard, according to Apple's tech specs.
Apple updated the 13-inch MacBook Air's tech specs page to say Bluetooth 5.3 after introducing the 15-inch MacBook Air with Bluetooth 5.3 at WWDC earlier this month. The latest standard offers faster and more reliable connectivity with Bluetooth accessories, and improved power efficiency, which can contribute to longer battery life. More details about Bluetooth 5.3 are available on the Bluetooth website.
All new Mac, iPhone, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch models released since September 2022 support Bluetooth 5.3, as do the second-generation AirPods Pro.
Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air remain limited to Wi-Fi 6, while other new Macs support Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless connectivity over the 6GHz band.
Article Link: Apple Says Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air Now Supports Bluetooth 5.3
All new Mac, iPhone, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch models released since September 2022 support Bluetooth 5.3, as do the second-generation AirPods Pro.
Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air remain limited to Wi-Fi 6, while other new Macs support Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless connectivity over the 6GHz band.
Article Link: Apple Says Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air Now Supports Bluetooth 5.3
cannono
macrumors 6502a
Oct 21, 2014
1,022
Is this a hardware change to new shipments or a software change to all past sold of this model?
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ric275
macrumors regular
Dec 4, 2011
So there was a quiet hardware revision? Or as part of a macOS update? Or typo? 😂
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orbital~debris
macrumors 68000
Mar 3, 2004
1,950
4,891
UK, Europe
Almost exactly what I was about to type.Is this a hardware change to new shipments or a software change to all past sold of this model?
Very unclear of MacRumors to post this without that important clarity.
kiranmk2
macrumors 65816
Oct 4, 2008
1,335
1,315
Will be a software/firmware update - I suspect a hardware update would have required a new version to be registered with the FCCAlso I doubt they would change the product page if all laptops sold up to last month weren't BT 5.3.
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The Cockney Rebel
macrumors 68000
Nov 16, 2018
1,715
1,546
I got mine on 10 December 2022, so will mine support 5.3?
How do I find out?
How do I find out?
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SebbsBo, mhnd, PJWilkin and 1 other person
dannyyankou
macrumors G5
Mar 2, 2012
12,136
25,431
Westchester, NY
Cool. Now it would be great if we had a pair of AirPods that are capable of lossless audio to take advantage of it.
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EugW
macrumors G5
Jun 18, 2017
13,209
10,502
I'm still on WiFi 5 / 802.11ac, using a bunch of Apple AirPort Extremes connected via a wired Gigabit Ethernet backbone. I think I'll stick with this as long as realistically possible. Current Apple devices still work beautifully with these, even roaming from AirPort Extreme to AirPort Extreme. For most home use I have not seen the need to go beyond a few hundred Mbps over WiFi, and furthermore, my home internet access maxes out at 500 Mbps anyway. (However, my main work machine is a desktop which is hardwired via Ethernet.)Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air remain limited to Wi-Fi 6, while other new Macs support Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless connectivity over the 6GHz band.
kalafalas
macrumors 6502a
Aug 26, 2008
1,794
California
I am in the same boat, I’d love to know!I got mine on 10 December 2022, so will mine support 5.3?
How do I find out?
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The Cockney Rebel
midkay
macrumors 6502
Jan 27, 2008
Definitely has to be a software update, they wouldn't approach a hardware revision in this way. Great stuff.
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Sasparilla and AmazeSE
mikethebigo
macrumors 68020
May 25, 2009
2,215
Apparently the bluetooth module in the 13" MBA was always capable of 5.3, it just needed a firmware revision. So I don't think this is due to a hardware change.
Stolen info from another thread: The Broadcom 4387 (BCM_4387) which is the chip in all M2 MBAs does now support Bluetooth 5.3: https://device.report/broadcom/bcm4387
Stolen info from another thread: The Broadcom 4387 (BCM_4387) which is the chip in all M2 MBAs does now support Bluetooth 5.3: https://device.report/broadcom/bcm4387
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Sasparilla, Tagbert, legatoboy and 3 others
jezbd1997
macrumors 6502a
Jul 8, 2015
1,203
Melbourne - Australia
we have got a bunch of airports, ac extreme, express and n extreme.I'm still on WiFi 5 / 802.11ac, using a bunch of Apple AirPort Extremes connected via a wired Gigabit Ethernet backbone. I think I'll stick with this as long as realistically possible. Current Apple devices still work beautifully with these, even roaming from AirPort Extreme to AirPort Extreme. For most home use I have not seen the need to go beyond a few hundred Mbps over WiFi, and furthermore, my home internet access maxes out at 500 Mbps anyway. (However, my main work machine is a desktop which is hardwired via Ethernet.)
all showing their age for sure with 10 devices connected.
went back to these though due to buggy google wifi!
Seems to be a firmware update: The tech specs page shows that the 2022 M2 13" MBA is now Bluetooth 5.3 compliant.
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The Cockney Rebel
macrumors 68000
Nov 16, 2018
1,715
1,546
I think I’ll post a thread in the MBA forum, to ask people who bought the small M2 MBA since the release of the larger version to post what their system shows for Bluetooth.I am in the same boat, I’d love to know!
It’s noted in system info/hardware/Bluetooth.
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roncron
BigMcGuire
Contributor
Jan 10, 2012
9,550
13,203
the Alpha Quadrant
So my 16' MBP (M1 Max) laptop has the BCM_4387 bluetooth chipset... does this mean that my MBP all of a sudden supports 5.3 too?
No. Apperantly thei FW update was made to select BC chips:So my 16' MBP (M1 Max) laptop has the BCM_4387 bluetooth chipset... does this mean that my MBP all of a sudden supports 5.3 too?
View attachment 2227485
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My Gen1 Google Mesh thingies are rock solid now.we have got a bunch of airports, ac extreme, express and n extreme.
all showing their age for sure with 10 devices connected.
went back to these though due to buggy google wifi!
When they switched from the standalone app, to the GHome app, there was about 18 months where they were completely inaccessible, but they still worked 🤪.
Finally the GHome app was updated so I could get back into them.
I have 6 of them running fine, for years and years.
What was your issue?
Reactions:
Tagbert
could be, but WHY would BCOM and/or Apple release it with "old" firmware, doesn't really make sense but possible.Apparently the bluetooth module in the 13" MBA was always capable of 5.3, it just needed a firmware revision. So I don't think this is due to a hardware change.
Stolen info from another thread: The Broadcom 4387 (BCM_4387) which is the chip in all M2 MBAs does now support Bluetooth 5.3: https://device.report/broadcom/bcm4387
Do the 15 and the 13 have the same motherboard? or share a daughterboard?
could also be that the "older" chip has supply issues vs a newer version ...
I suppose when early 13 M2 MBA users find out that they now have 5.3, or not, we will know for sure
Chytin
macrumors regular
Oct 24, 2013
You need serious audio equipment to tell a difference between 256 AAC and Lossless. And even then, many fail while doing a blind test. That is why Apple and the music industry prefers Dolby Atmos because then you really hear a difference.Cool. Now it would be great if we had a pair of AirPods that are capable of lossless audio to take advantage of it.
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xpxp2002, Tagbert and ApplesAreSweet&Sour
Imory
macrumors 6502a
Feb 2, 2013
Wonderland
Lol. So even though the M1 generation has the same Broadcom chip and is capable of 5.3, Apple decided to solely provide the new FW to the M2 Air?No. Apperantly thei FW update was made to select BC chips:
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Premium1
BigMcGuire
Contributor
Jan 10, 2012
9,550
13,203
the Alpha Quadrant
No. Apperantly thei FW update was made to select BC chips:
"But the 2021 14" 16" have pretty good chance of getting driver update to gain 5.3 as well, just that Apple may not even advertise it or note it anywhere since they are already officially off shelf." Quote from above thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/bt5-3-on-m2-air.2392606/post-32262507Lol. So even though the M1 generation has the same Broadcom chip and is capable of 5.3, Apple decided to solely provide the new FW to the M2 Air?
This thread seems to indicate they might? I am no expert in this at all, so I'm just observing. lol. There may still be hope!
I heard Bluetooth LE is a big deal so looking forward to Apple utilizing that with 5.3.
Reactions:
xmach and xpxp2002
whelmedjedi
macrumors newbie
Nov 1, 2022
I believe this is just a software update but i'm still wondering and wanting to be sure if my macbook air m2 (from oct 22) will support bt 5.3 too?
danielsutton
macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2011
Customers are rightfully upset when Apple is not forthcoming about what they are buyingWhile the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M2 chip initially supported Bluetooth 5.0 when it was released in July 2022, the laptop now supports the faster and more reliable Bluetooth 5.3 standard, according to Apple's tech specs.Apple updated the 13-inch MacBook Air's tech specs page to say Bluetooth 5.3 after introducing the 15-inch MacBook Air with Bluetooth 5.3 at WWDC earlier this month. The latest standard offers faster and more reliable connectivity with Bluetooth accessories, and improved power efficiency, which can contribute to longer battery life. More details about Bluetooth 5.3 are available on the Bluetooth website.
All new Mac, iPhone, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch models released since September 2022 support Bluetooth 5.3, as do the second-generation AirPods Pro.
Both the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air remain limited to Wi-Fi 6, while other new Macs support Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless connectivity over the 6GHz band.
Article Link: Apple Says Latest 13-Inch MacBook Air Now Supports Bluetooth 5.3
Single NAND chips instead of two, leading to much slower SSD speeds…
Wi-Fi 6, rather than 6E, when ALL other Mac computers have the newer improved version…
BlueTooth 5, rather then the newer 5.3, without any mention of this in product materials…
The same thing happened to Apple Watch Series 8 and SE 2nd generation.
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