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Accessory Manufacturer Claims 15-Inch MacBook Air Coming in April

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Electricpig reports that it has heard from a Mac accessory manufacturer that Apple is planning to launch a 15-inch MacBook Air as soon as April.
And what is coming? If you take our source's word for it, a 15-inch MacBook Air with ports on both sides, no optical drive and no ethernet cable.

While our source wasn't certain that this would completely destroy the Pro (he also stated that Apple might hold on to the 17-inch model, which would make sense for the sizeable audience of professional editors out there), he was fairly sure that the shakeup will happen in April. To that end, our source's company's got its manufacturers on standby to be able to make and ship a new product lineup inside of 90 days.
Click to expand...
The source is reportedly involved in "MacBook docking solutions", and while Apple almost certainly hasn't shared any specific information with the source, he does obviously have a strong interest in acquiring such information and may even have access to sources who could provide estimates of Apple's plans. That said, the source may simply be reiterating a previous rumor that had claimed new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with thinner MacBook Air-like form factors would be launching in April.

macbook_air_open_finger.jpg



One other question still remaining is chip availability from Intel. With delays in the launch of the chip manufacturer's new Ivy Bridge platform and uncertainty about whether these thinner MacBook Pro or larger MacBook Air products would run traditional mobile chips as found in the current MacBook Pro or ultra low voltage chips as found in the MacBook Air, it is not entirely clear when chips for the new machines will become available.

Article Link: Accessory Manufacturer Claims 15-Inch MacBook Air Coming in April
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/03/14/accessory-manufacturer-claims-15-inch-macbook-air-coming-in-april/
Nitrocide

Nitrocide

macrumors 6502
Sep 24, 2005
265
0
Bristol, UK
I'm really looking forward to this if its true, as long as it keeps a good cpu and high res screen I am sold. So lets get on and do it :) !
 
I

imgonephishin

macrumors regular
Jan 3, 2003
141
0
These updates can't come soon enough. My 2008 Rev. A MBA is on its very last legs and I'm going to upgrade to the larger screen the moment I can. I'm crossing every finger that the Digitimes was, as usual, off base about their Ivy Bridge delay rumors.
 
Menopause

Menopause

macrumors 6502a
Feb 26, 2011
663
1,807
It's probably true (rumor has had it for quite some time now) but I think this is just a shot in the dark.

'Accessory makers' also claimed a 4" iPhone was coming last year but everyone witnessed what happened in the end. Truth is, Apple doesn't tell any accessory maker what they're about to launch.
 
R

RoboCop001

macrumors 68000
Oct 4, 2005
1,561
451
Toronto, Canada
I really doubt they'll replace the Pro with a 15inch Air.

The Airs are all dual-core i5s.

They'll probably ditch the optical drive at some point for all of their laptops. But the difference between the Air and Pro would be the processor and graphics. And the use of a HDD instead of an SSD.
 
ericschmerick

ericschmerick

macrumors regular
Dec 18, 2004
158
40
I dunno, maybe I'm a luddite, but I really like the existing macbook pro 15". I don't really see any compelling reason why it should be thinner.

I guess if it's thinner that's fine too, but for me it wouldn't be worth it to trade features (processing power, ethernet port) for thinness.
 
J

JohnDoe98

macrumors 68020
May 1, 2009
2,488
99
imgonephishin said:
These updates can't come soon enough. My 2008 Rev. A MBA is on its very last legs and I'm going to upgrade to the larger screen the moment I can. I'm crossing every finger that the Digitimes was, as usual, off base about their Ivy Bridge delay rumors.
Click to expand...

Last legs already? My late 2007 MBP is still going strong. What's wrong with the MBA?
 
A

adbe

macrumors 6502a
Jul 11, 2008
669
334
No ethernet?

If they do drop the 13/15" pros, I guess i'm going to be replacing my works laptop with a Windows device. :(

I can (sort of) understand leaving the ethernet out of the Air, although there are still plenty of hotels with in room ethernet only. Dropping the smaller form factor Pros though would be a big mistake, IMHO.

I don't doubt Apple would, mind you. A simplified line-up with the 17" holding out on the 'Pro' label, and getting increasingly less updates and love, is what Apple are all about.
 
GSPice

GSPice

macrumors 68000
Nov 24, 2008
1,632
89
The source is reportedly involved in "MacBook docking solutions"
Click to expand...

Fairly certain the power and thunderbolt ports are gonna be the same in the rumored mba.
 
V

Virtualball

macrumors 6502
Jun 5, 2006
401
11
Ugh, just come out already so I can upgrade to you!

Though, anyone else notice the "no ethernet port?" :confused:
 
Rafterman

Rafterman

Contributor
Apr 23, 2010
6,850
8,156
RoboCop001 said:
I really doubt they'll replace the Pro with a 15inch Air.

The Airs are all dual-core i5s.

They'll probably ditch the optical drive at some point for all of their laptops. But the difference between the Air and Pro would be the processor and graphics. And the use of a HDD instead of an SSD.
Click to expand...

My Macbook Air 11 inch is an i7. The highest end 11 and 13's are i7-equipped.
 
Rafterman

Rafterman

Contributor
Apr 23, 2010
6,850
8,156
adbe said:
No ethernet?

If they do drop the 13/15" pros, I guess i'm going to be replacing my works laptop with a Windows device. :(

I can (sort of) understand leaving the ethernet out of the Air, although there are still plenty of hotels with in room ethernet only. Dropping the smaller form factor Pros though would be a big mistake, IMHO.

I don't doubt Apple would, mind you. A simplified line-up with the 17" holding out on the 'Pro' label, and getting increasingly less updates and love, is what Apple are all about.
Click to expand...

Agreed. In fact, I think the current Airs should have had a gigabit ethernet port too. At least create a Thunderbolt gigabit adapter, not that 100mb USB one that's available now.
 
Northgrove

Northgrove

macrumors 65816
Aug 3, 2010
1,149
437
thekeyring said:
Anyone got any ideas of how much these will cost?

I'd love it to be cheaper than the 15" MacBook Pro :)
Click to expand...
The equivalent sizes on the Airs are generally more expensive than the Pro's. See also the 13" Airs / Pros.

I'm expecting a 15" Air to cost ~$100 more than its Pro counterpart.
 
C

chucknelson

macrumors newbie
Mar 13, 2012
28
0
Charlotte, NC
Waiting...

I haven't purchased a current Macbook Air because I'm waiting on a 15" version. Hope this pans out, although if they don't have Ivy Bridge that could be a bit of a bummer. Want the "latest" chips so I can feel better about keeping the laptop for 5+ years.
 
Winni

Winni

macrumors 68040
Oct 15, 2008
3,207
1,196
Germany.
JohnDoe98 said:
Last legs already? My late 2007 MBP is still going strong. What's wrong with the MBA?
Click to expand...

Probably Safari isn't snappy enough anymore. I also wonder why all Facebook-Starbucks-Power Users always need the latest and greatest...
 
KingJosh

KingJosh

macrumors 6502
Jan 11, 2012
431
0
Australia
thekeyring said:
Anyone got any ideas of how much these will cost?

I'd love it to be cheaper than the 15" MacBook Pro :)
Click to expand...

well an air would always be cheaper than a pro at same screen size because of the other components. If I had to guess about this i'd say it is more likely a thinner macbook pro.
 
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