Apple recently announced its MacBook Air (2022) during WWDC 2022. The laptop features Apple's latest silicon, the M2. Now, if all of this sounds enticing and you are close to making a purchase, you might be asking yourself - does the MacBook Air (2022) have 5G? Unfortunately, the MacBook Air (2022) does not have any form of cellular connectivity.

Why is cellular connectivity important?

Cellular connectivity can be a game changer, especially now that 5G networks are available. If unfamiliar, cellular connectivity, whether it is 4G LTE or 5G, can give you the ability to connect to high speed internet while on the go. What are some of the benefits of this? First and foremost, you don't need to be concerned with finding a public Wi-Fi connection.

While there are plenty of public Wi-Fi networks, a majority of them are not secure. When using a cellular connection, it is personal, private, and secure. Perhaps the most important reason for having a cellular connection is that it will always be with you. In most major cities nowadays, there isn't an area that doesn't offer some sort of cellular connection, and with stronger networks than ever before, your internet connection will also be fast and quite reliable.

Despite cellular connectivity being convenient, Apple has never offered it in any of its Mac computers. However, the company has not completely shunned the technology, offering it in most of its recent iPads. Currently, the latest iterations of the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad Mini all offer connectivity via 5G. Clearly, Apple does see the benefit of the technology, but for whatever reason, the company has yet to offer the technology on its Mac computers.

What are the alternatives to native cellular connectivity?

Since the MacBook Air (2022) doesn't natively offer 5G connectivity, you'll have to look to alternative sources for cellular connectivity. Perhaps one of the most common options is using your smartphone. If you have a modern smartphone, chances are it will be able to create a wireless network using its own cellular service. By connecting to this network, it will be secure and will be relatively quick. While this is convenient, there are drawbacks, with the main one being that your phone will experience quite a bit of battery drain. So I wouldn't expect it to last all day.

Something more practical might be the use of a hotspot. While not as convenient as using a smartphone, a hotspot will still use a cellular network and provide wireless internet service to connected devices. Of course, there is the pain of having to buy another product and also signing up for new service. But the trade off is that you get cellular connectivity, a secure connection, and also longer battery life when compared to a smartphone because it is a dedicated device.

Mobile hotspots can provide cellular internet service while on the go.
Simple Mobile Moxee 4G Mobile Hotspot

Mobile hotspots can provide cellular internet service while on the go.

The last and final option is relying on public Wi-Fi networks. Again, this will be a hit or miss situation, depending on your area. But, if you can find a consistent setup with this, it might be a good option. While you can't travel with the internet, you might be able to find a reliable string of networks to keep you online. Of course, since it is a public network, you will want to make sure macOS is update to date and that you are protecting yourself by using a VPN. While a lot of the alternative solutions aren't ideal, it will have to do for now. It has been rumored that Apple will begin including cellular connectivity in its laptops sometime in 2024.

The latest MacBook Air from Apple featuring its M2 processor
MacBook Air (M2)

Apple's MacBook Air (2022) offers the latest with its powerful M2 SoC.