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Digitimes reports that Apple is set to update its MacBook Air line early next year, with a new 15-inch model appearing alongside refreshed 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch models. The update will reportedly take place during the first quarter of 2012.
Apple reportedly is set to launch its new MacBook Air series notebooks with panel sizes of 11.6-inch, 13.3-inch and 15-inch in the first quarter of 2012 and will directly compete against ultrabooks from PC brand vendors, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

The sources noted that related upstream players have already started pilot production of the MacBook Air models and will add a 15-inch model into the product line to expand its reach in the ultra-thin notebook market.
The report notes that discounts on the current MacBook Air models should extend through the lead-up to the debut of the new models, continuing to drive Apple's already-strong sales of the ultra-thin notebook line.

We first began hearing word of an ultra-thin 15-inch notebook from Apple back in July, with other sources also weighing in on the topic in recent weeks. Digitimes had previously indicated that component production for the notebook had begun with an eye toward a second quarter 2012 launch.

Sources have generally been unsure whether the new 15-inch notebook would be an expansion of the MacBook Air line or if it would appear as a slimmer MacBook Pro model, but this latest report indicates that it will indeed be a MacBook Air product.

Intel's Ivy Bridge platform, which is due for a spring launch in line with the reported MacBook Air revamp timeline, will bring a significant upgrade to the line's performance, particularly with regard to graphics improvements and new OpenCL support.

Article Link: Updated MacBook Air Line with New 15-Inch Model Coming in 1Q 2012?
 

marcusj0015

macrumors 65816
Aug 29, 2011
1,024
1
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but will it bring Ivy Bridge with it?

I hope so, because if not we'll probably have to wait until 2013, and that's NOT happening.
 

Nitrocide

macrumors 6502
Sep 24, 2005
265
0
Bristol, UK
If they can equal the power of a macbook pro but keep it airishly thin due to removing the optical drive, no question it will be the one to purchase!
 

gerbil

macrumors member
Apr 3, 2008
32
0
Hmm wonder if I should cancel my MBA order and wait it out a bit more...:confused:
 

commander.data

macrumors 65816
Nov 10, 2006
1,056
183
but will it bring Ivy Bridge with it?

I hope so, because if not we'll probably have to wait until 2013, and that's NOT happening.
Well as the article said, if this slim 15" is coming in Q1 2012, then it's most certainly a MacBook Air rather than a new MacBook Pro since it won't have Ivy Bridge, which isn't available until Q2 2012. A 15" MacBook Air will therefore make do with existing ULV Sandy Bridge processors just like the current MacBook Air lineup and will be much slower current 15" MacBook Pros. And with Apple's refresh cycles using being ~9 months for most models, an early Q1 launch could mean a Q4 refresh. ULV processors often launch later than regular processors so they won't necessarily be available in Q2 2012 anyways.


If they can equal the power of a macbook pro but keep it airishly thin due to removing the optical drive, no question it will be the one to purchase!
That would require a quad core ULV processor which I'm not sure is on the agenda even with Ivy Bridge.
 

beebler

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Oct 2, 2009
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For some reason I still think its for the Pro. Apple scrapped 15" Air plans before releasing the current Air in its design.
 

mbrannon47

macrumors regular
Jun 20, 2010
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For some reason I still think its for the Pro. Apple scrapped 15" Air plans before releasing the current Air in its design.
Maybe. I think eventually the Air moniker from being dropped from the MacBook completely. They killed the MacBook a while ago to concentrate on the Air, labeling it “the MacBook of the future”. Essentially, the MacBook Air IS the new MacBook. I feel we'll end up with MacBook and MacBook Pro down the road.
 

NutsNGum

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Jul 30, 2010
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Trousers are damp, repeat, trousers are damp.
 

Stingray454

macrumors 6502a
Sep 22, 2009
593
115
I sure as h*ll hope it's Ivy Bridge equipped Airs. Q1 sounds too early to deliver them with Ivy Bridge (since supposedly production starts quite some time before the release, and release is supposed to be "spring 2012", whatever month that makes). I would hate to see a slightly speedbumped Sandy Bridge version.

Let's hope Intel is letting Apple get their hands on the processors a bit early :). If it is indeed the Ivy Air, I'm getting one for sure. Now let's just hope for 8Gb memory options as well..
 

moxxey

macrumors regular
Feb 27, 2011
220
19
Hmm wonder if I should cancel my MBA order and wait it out a bit more...:confused:

Well, with Ivy Bridge rumored to be April, I can't see these updates being out before March, so you've still got at least a 4-5 month wait.

Remember that these (15" Air) rumors have been around for months now and keep resurfacing. Doesn't bring them any closer though!
 

69650

Suspended
Mar 23, 2006
3,367
1,876
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I hope this news does not mean we won't see a full scale redesign of the MBP in 2012. I like the MBA but would rather have the power of the MBP. It seems very confusing at the moment. I've read some reports suggesting the MBA and MBP will merge into one laptop line in 2012 but that would seem unlikely if they are releasing a new model.

I love the iPhone/iPad but I really hope we don't see another year dominated by iOS devices with little or no attention paid to the Mac.
 

celo48

macrumors 6502a
Apr 9, 2010
655
187
Damn it! I cancelled my Macbook Air 11.6 order. Hope to see the updated version soon :)
 

shompa

macrumors 6502
Jul 23, 2002
387
0
Digitimes is such an incompetent site.

A bit of logic:
Is Ivy bridge ready Q1?

Answer:
No

Will Apple release a new macbook air weeks before Ivy bridge?
Answer:
No.

Macbook air refresh is technically possible when Ivy bridge is ready. Intel have before given Apple CPUs a couple of month before other companies but since Intel/Apple exclusive contract ended Intel have not given Apple pre released CPUs.

This is just like Ipad2+ Ipad2HD that would be released earlier this year. I asked all "experts": Who is going to produce the 28nm A6 and the Retina display? Stuff can't be released before its technically possible.
 

commander.data

macrumors 65816
Nov 10, 2006
1,056
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For some reason I still think its for the Pro. Apple scrapped 15" Air plans before releasing the current Air in its design.
Regardless of whether there is a 15" Air, I'm just hoping there still is a "Pro" 15" model. I just feel that there are too many compromises if Apple went exclusively with a 15" Air. Even with a slower dual core CPU, no discrete GPU, flash memory, and no optical drive, the 13.3" MacBook are has less battery life than the 15" MacBook Pro. So with an Air you don't gain battery life, purely portability, but by the time you get to a 15" Air, even portability is reduced since the overall size doesn't change that much even if it's thinner. The Air is definitely thin, but I'm not sure many people look at the sub-1" Pro and say it's thick. Whatever Apple does hopefully there will still be a 15" model with quad core CPUs, discrete GPUs, and 8hr+ battery life.
 

D-a-a-n

macrumors 6502
Mar 22, 2010
266
232
So now it's possible to bake me a bigger egg on the back of the air, while I let it play a youtube hd video?
 

Tanax

macrumors 65816
Jun 15, 2011
1,018
335
Stockholm, Sweden
15" Air with the inability to upgrade the RAM? No thank you.
It's probably awesome for those that don't need to upgrade - I prefer to have upgradability however :) To each his own I guess.
 

SPUY767

macrumors 68020
Jun 22, 2003
2,041
131
GA
If they can equal the power of a macbook pro but keep it airishly thin due to removing the optical drive, no question it will be the one to purchase!

Yes. With the ubiquity of high speed internet access, and the docking options offered by the new Studio Displays, I'd wager that half or better of MBP users could get by with this without compromising.
 

russell2

macrumors member
Jun 25, 2011
32
0
Digitimes is such an incompetent site.

A bit of logic:
Is Ivy bridge ready Q1?

Answer:
No

Will Apple release a new macbook air weeks before Ivy bridge?
Answer:
No.

Macbook air refresh is technically possible when Ivy bridge is ready. Intel have before given Apple CPUs a couple of month before other companies but since Intel/Apple exclusive contract ended Intel have not given Apple pre released CPUs.

This is just like Ipad2+ Ipad2HD that would be released earlier this year. I asked all "experts": Who is going to produce the 28nm A6 and the Retina display? Stuff can't be released before its technically possible.
Whos to say Apple doesn't have some other kind of deal with Intel now they did get thunderbolt before everyone else but that was more like a no one else wanted it type deal.

Yes. With the ubiquity of high speed internet access, and the docking options offered by the new Studio Displays, I'd wager that half or better of MBP users could get by with this without compromising.

I'm not buying a laptop and a $999 thunderbolt display that sits on my desk at home/work. 17inch mbp 2499 and macbook air 1299+999=~2300??????? Apple laptops starting under $999??????
 

bryanl

macrumors member
May 11, 2008
41
4
15" Air with the inability to upgrade the RAM? No thank you.
It's probably awesome for those that don't need to upgrade - I prefer to have upgradability however :) To each his own I guess.

A 15" air limited to 4 or 8 GB of memory doesn't sound very nice. If they allow you to get it with 12 or 16 GB, it would be so bad.
 
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