New MacBook Air Release Date Set?

Has Apple set a release date for its new MacBook Air? Sources tell 9to5Mac that the new Air will be released July 14, but in typical Apple fashion, no official announcement has yet been made.

If the rumors are true, the updated MacBook Air would be released simultaneously with the new Lion OS X, as has traditionally been the case. It would also come loaded with quicker storage, the new Intel Sandy Bridge processor, and Thunderbolt periphery connection. This would not be a radical, wholesale transformation of the Air, but rather an upgrade in speed and storage.

9to5mac says that an Apple store overnight refresh is planned for the evening of July 13. At these overnights, Apple employees generally change up the signage and get schooled on the new products their stores will be carrying.

No MacBook Air or Lion OS X displays have been spotted in the wild yet, but the takeaway here seems to be that if you were planning on buying a new Air, then this weekend is not the time to do so. Wait until the 14th when the sleeker, speedier MacBook model may be making its debut.