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

[MacRumors]

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.

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.

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?

 

[Yumunum]

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?

 

[d0vr]

I'd be interested to see a 14" display on a mba and compare it to the other sizes.

 

[katewes]

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.

 

[Lesser Evets]

... Asian markets where the size is popular with consumers.

They'll get over it sooner or later.

 

[Digital Skunk]

I'd consider that for sure. I'd prefer a 15" or a 17" Air just as long as they don't replace the 15" and 17" MBPs.

 

[JS77]

Oh please...

 

[basesloaded190]

Would this be only sold in Asain markets?

Either way it makes no sense to have 11", 13", 14", 15", and 17" options.

 

[Jobsian]

With a smaller bezel, this might just pry me away from my current MBA...

 

[hobo.hopkins]

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?

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.

 

[ronjon10]

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?

Well, it is a big market.

 

[jonnysods]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/9A405)

I am so exited about the next MBP release.

 

[innominato5090]

there's nothing better for Apple that going Samsung style!

make ALL the sizes!

 

[Digital Skunk]

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?

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.

 

[GlenL]

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.

 

[World Citizen]

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.

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

 

[iSee]

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".

 

[atMac]

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

 

[duaneu]

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

Don't they use centimeters rather than inches in China?

 

[Digital Skunk]

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

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]

Hey!!! Whoa!!! Let's not forget the 13.5" and 14.5" markets!!!

 

[uknowimright]

Don't they use centimeters rather than inches in China?

pretty much the whole world (besides the US and a few other places) uses the metric system

 

[Vantage Point]

An 11 and 14" MA, along with a 13, 15, 17" MBP line might work.

 

[mlmwalt]

An 11 and 14" MA, along with a 13, 15, 17" MBP line might work.

Agreed, except leaving out the MBP 13.

 

[miknos]

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.