MacBook Air 2017 release date, specs update: Apple may ditch device in favor of 13-inch MacBook Pro without TouchBar

Current generation MacBook Airapple.com

Rumors are abounding that Apple is about to cut the cord on its MacBook Air series this year and that there will indeed be no MacBook Air 2017 edition. 

Fans have been speculating the end of the Air series ever since last year's March 2016 Apple event failed to make any mention of the device, instead focusing on the iPhone SE and 9.7-in screen iPad Pro.  That disappointment was followed by another disappointment that saw Apple bring out only a minor update to the MacBook Air - 8GB onboard memory but only for the 13-in model.  

Since then, Apple has been quiet on the issue, much to the disappointment of Apple fans who love the MacBook Air. 

MacWorld suggested all that fans may have to look forward to could be another update, which if Apple followed its previous cycle would happen around March or May time this year. 

It is interpreting the silence on Apple's end to be a very possible sign that the tech giant is no longer looking to make more MacBook Airs.  Adding to that the fact that Apple's latest MacBook Pro is actually thinner and lighter than the MacBook Air, which always majored on being exactly those two things.

There has been some price slashing going on with retailers, adding fuel to rumors of the line's end.  Yet there is still some speculation that Apple will keep the series going and launch a 2017 edition after all but with a tweak. 

The Christian Post reports some rumors of Apple possibly bringing out two different size varients of the MacBook Air, including a larger 17-inch version, Techstatic reported the possibility of a new MacBook Air featuring "ARM HURRICANE" chips based on the source code showing the chip family that Apple supports.

However, The Christian Post report also speculated that Apple might scrap the 13-inch MacBook Air entirely in favor of an upgraded 13-inch MacBook Pro without the TouchBar. 

Fans of the MacBook Air will be keeping their fingers crossed that Apple isn't yet done with their favorite laptop.