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Apple Considering 14-Inch MacBook Air to Focus on Asian Markets?

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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DigiTimes reports that Apple is considering launching a 14-inch MacBook Air model, a move that would appear to be targeting Asian markets where the size is popular with consumers.
Apple is reportedly considering launching a 14-inch MacBook Air and may start mass production in the near future to fully enter the Asia PC market, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

Currently, 14-inch panels are the mainstream specification of the Asia notebook market, while consumers in Western countries prefer 15-inch models. In the global market, 14-inch models have an about 20-25% market share, but in Asia, the market share is about 35-40%, an indication of Asia consumers' fondness for 14-inch models, the sources noted.
Click to expand...
Apple first launched the MacBook Air in a single 13-inch size, adding an 11-inch size as part of a revamp in late 2010. Apple has also been said to be bringing a MacBook Air-like form factor to its MacBook Pro line, although it is unclear whether the company plans to unify its notebooks under a single line or maintain separate Air and Pro categories.

larger_macbook_air_question.jpg



DigiTimes has an uneven track record when it comes to rumors, but the site has on occasion offered accurate information and so is followed fairly closely for its claims.

Article Link: Apple Considering 14-Inch MacBook Air to Focus on Asian Markets?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/02/29/apple-considering-14-inch-macbook-air-to-focus-on-asian-markets/
Y

Yumunum

macrumors 65816
Apr 24, 2011
1,452
0
U.S.
Well that would be... Weird. Something tells me it takes a LOT of work to change the shape of an Air at all. Would they really do that just for one specific market when they could easily just release the ones they have now?
 
D

d0vr

macrumors 6502a
Feb 24, 2011
603
1
I'd be interested to see a 14" display on a mba and compare it to the other sizes.
 
K

katewes

macrumors 6502
Jun 7, 2007
465
146
What makes Apple think it's only the Asian market that would like a 14" MacBook Air. I imagine a 14" might offer the feel of a larger 15", which preserving much of the compactness of the 13" -- particularly if Apple can do what HP did, and extend the screen more to the edges of the lid, rather than having a large edge margin.
 
Jobsian

Jobsian

macrumors 6502a
Jul 30, 2009
853
98
With a smaller bezel, this might just pry me away from my current MBA...
 
hobo.hopkins

hobo.hopkins

macrumors 6502a
Jul 30, 2008
569
6
Yumunum said:
Well that would be... Weird. Something tells me it takes a LOT of work to change the shape of an Air at all. Would they really do that just for one specific market when they could easily just release the ones they have now?
Click to expand...

That's true, it would be a lot of work. Especially for such a minute difference between 13" and 14"; I wouldn't expect that to be the reason that someone does or does not choose to purchase a MacBook Air.
 
R

ronjon10

macrumors regular
Dec 9, 2009
233
44
Yumunum said:
Well that would be... Weird. Something tells me it takes a LOT of work to change the shape of an Air at all. Would they really do that just for one specific market when they could easily just release the ones they have now?
Click to expand...

Well, it is a big market.
 
jonnysods

jonnysods

macrumors G3
Sep 20, 2006
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I am so exited about the next MBP release.
 
Digital Skunk

Digital Skunk

macrumors G3
Dec 23, 2006
8,097
923
In my imagination
Yumunum said:
Well that would be... Weird. Something tells me it takes a LOT of work to change the shape of an Air at all. Would they really do that just for one specific market when they could easily just release the ones they have now?
Click to expand...

I would agree for the 14" size, but there's a market for a 15" hi rez display MBA laptop. Even a 17" would find a market if Apple could keep the price down far below the 17" MBP.

Some users have more than enough power in the MBA, but just need it in a larger display.
 
G

GlenL

macrumors member
Dec 16, 2008
53
0
14 is a really bad number

14 is a really bad number in Chinese superstition, so this story is more bogus than the anything I've seen this morning.
 
W

World Citizen

macrumors regular
Feb 21, 2011
168
1
Digital Skunk said:
I would agree for the 14" size, but there's a market for a 15" hi rez display MBA laptop. Even a 17" would find a market if Apple could keep the price down far below the 17" MBP.

Some users have more than enough power in the MBA, but just need it in a larger display.
Click to expand...

I would pay the same amout for a MBa 17".. as I have done for my MPp 17"

I don't care about proc and mem specs... I care about weight and screen size
 
Last edited:
iSee

iSee

macrumors 68040
Oct 25, 2004
3,539
272
Seems unlikely.

For one thing, asians don't have a special fondness for 14.

It's a certain balance of size, weight, capability and screen real estate that they are looking for.

If Apple can deliver that balance better than their competitors, the asian consumers won't care what the exact screen diagonal is.

I wouldn't rule out 14" at some point in the furture. But for the foreseeable future Apple has to be feeling pretty good about their lappy lineup at 11", 13"x2, 15" and 17".
 
A

atMac

macrumors 6502
Jun 20, 2011
328
0
If it has at least a 1600x900 display then I will buy one the day it comes out.

In my mind it's a 13in air with better battery, speakers and higher res display
 
Digital Skunk

Digital Skunk

macrumors G3
Dec 23, 2006
8,097
923
In my imagination
World Citizen said:
I would pay the same amout for a MBa 17".. as I have done for my MPp 17"

I don't care about proc and mem specs... I car about weight and screen size
Click to expand...

Right! And a 15" MBA would serve me well, but I'd need the proc, gfx, and mem specs of a full fledged 17" MBP. Apple would hopefully keep both versions of the 15" and 17" MBP if they made a 15" and 17" MBA.
 
bobob

bobob

macrumors 68040
Jan 11, 2008
3,437
2,520
Hey!!! Whoa!!! Let's not forget the 13.5" and 14.5" markets!!! :mad:
 
miknos

miknos

Suspended
Mar 14, 2008
940
793
IMO Apple laptops will all look like the Air but without the Air name. Having a 13.3 inch, why a 14' ??? In the future we'll have 11, 13.3, 15 and 17.
 
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