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Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today
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The 12" MacBook is my favorite too. Full keyboard, works great on an airplane even in economy class, runs all macOS software I depend on — and so light I could carry it everywhere without even noticing. A dream machine.
Its compromises can all be fixed now, 10 years later.
There is surely truth in that.
But I also think that especially people in North America tend to have a slightly skewed point of view, focussing too much on a lifestyle based on driving everywhere. They tend to underestimate the need for an ultra-portable.
In many countries of the world there is no such extreme car focus. Public transport is well established and not everyone owns a car. Instead people sit on a bus or train for hours every day. It is these commuters to which an ultra-portable caters the most.
You want to travel light if you have to change busses and trains a lot. And if you are seated in a packed bus or train a small laptop is best. Any 13.6" MacBook Air or 14" MacBook Pro would be too large.
I use my 12" MacBook daily on the bus on my way to work.
And I am much more productive with a laptop running macOS than with my iPad Pro.
I often wonder whether that is the reason why Apple doesn't understand the ultra-portable market, being located in Cupertino where everyone drives to work...
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That in itself is not necessarily a bad thing.
You just need someone at the helm who understands the ultra-portable market segment.
And understands that Ive should be put only on these kind of projects - and leave the pro market to someone else as this is a completely different market segment.
I still fully believe Apple will bring this back but not with an M series chip, I think it’ll be with an A17 Pro or A18 Pro to get the cost down. My hope though is that it moves the USB C port to the right side to put MagSafe on the left, and then makes the bezels super thin other than the notch of course. And have that replace the M1 MBA that they’re still selling at Walmart and price it around $799. I think it would instantly jump to be their most popular Mac.
I loved it,
I didn't use it as a work Mac, I've always used the MacBook Pro for that, but for personal use it was great. I always took it on all my trips, even for long weekends. Now I've replaced it with a MacBook Air M2, but it's not the same.
My hope is that they will reintroduce it or that MacOs can run on iPad.
I didn't use it as a work Mac, I've always used the MacBook Pro for that, but for personal use it was great. I always took it on all my trips, even for long weekends. Now I've replaced it with a MacBook Air M2, but it's not the same.
My hope is that they will reintroduce it or that MacOs can run on iPad.
Unfortunately, we were not able to see what was going to happen to Apple design without him.
That's me. I have an iPhone and a Mac mini.
Apple's laptops are great as desktop replacements, not so much for taking with you when on foot, bicycle or on public transport.
iPads are great for taking with you, but are touchscreen devices first and keyboard attachmets are a compromise, which adds weight. For example iPad Pro 11 with Magic Keboard weights a lot more than a 12'' Macbook.
Not to mention that iPadOS is unfortunately inferior to macOS when it comes to pretty much everything, except activities, which involve handwriting or drawing.
Perhaps, though I'm still very sceptical of the underlying assumption that there is a significant amount of people who will prioritise their ability to work on a crowded bus or train over more screen real estate, ports or battery life (the latter would certainly be less of an issue now with M-series chips), although I'm fully aware that these users absolutely exist.
I'm from Europe and all the periods of my life in which I have had to travel a lot with a mobile computer also coincided with me commuting by public transport, which includes all my years of university and my current job. At the moment my work-issued computer is my primary productivity device and I have a monitor + keyboard and mouse setup at home and at work. In other words, an ultra-portable would absolutely be workable for me, but the thing I would still prioritise longer battery life and a slightly bigger screen over a smaller footprint and slightly less weight. The MBA would be portable enough and light enough for my use case and I'd rather be able to take my computer to external events or have long videoconferences without worrying about the battery life over being able to work on my commute, which I generally don't anyway.
Now, it obviously depends. If Apple could release something like the 12" Mac with significantly better battery life, a good screen and more ports I might reconsider, but that of course assumes that I would not have to make a tradeoff on the things I -- and I do think many others -- would prioritise.
Nope, not the only one
And I’m totally with you: You could type on that keyboard as fast as on no other keyboard I’ve encountered before and after. The short and super-precise key travel is unmatched.Too bad Apple probably never will bring it back.
I loved my 12" Macbook, I owned both first and second gen. I loaded my later model up to the hilt with 16gb of ram, the m7 cpu and loads of storage.
It's so sad they don't just release an Apple Silicon version. Even after all this time it's a stunning little machine.
I only got rid of mine due to the inevitable migration to Apple Silicon. But honestly would pay virtually any amount to own one today with a modern update.
It's so sad they don't just release an Apple Silicon version. Even after all this time it's a stunning little machine.
I only got rid of mine due to the inevitable migration to Apple Silicon. But honestly would pay virtually any amount to own one today with a modern update.
And that seems to be what the"pro" segment wants.
The reception surrounding the 4 usb-c ports in the 2016 MBP was overwhelming negative, with some even speculating that this was a ploy by Apple to sell more adaptors. Over time, the design of the MBP seems like it has become more boring, and maybe that's not a bad thing? It got thicker and heavier, and magsafe, HDMI and sd-card were reinstated, apple buildmanship is still unparalleled, and maybe this is one area in which Jony Ive's vision simply did not resonate with its target audience.
The MacBook Air lost its wedge shape, which allowed it to get thinner and maybe fit in more battery? Again, more boring, albeit more utilitarian design.
As for the iPad, well, I don't really have anything against its form factor. It's a giant screen, it can only get thinner, maybe the screen will get better, maybe its camera will improve? Subsequent improvements will have to come from the software side. I guess we will agree to disagree on what they are (I don't think it should get macOS, for one), and I don't really how the iPad can further evolve.
Even the pro iPhone models seem to be doubling down on cameras and battery life. Not as sexy as folding screens, but there's comfort in knowing any iPhone will easily last six years at least, between software support and durable build quality.
AirPods Pro was recently in the news for doubling as hearing aids. Apple Watch is being credited with saving lives by detecting heart problems. The iPhone allowed users to call for help in times of emergency. Again, not sexy, but no less vital.
Maybe like me, this is Apple entering its middle-age phase? I am using my iPad the same way I started out using it in 2012, at a time when no other tablet did what an iPad could do. The essence of an iPad hasn't really changed, and honestly, I haven't really either. Maybe Apple hasn't really changed, because it got things right early on, and maybe I don't want Apple to either.
Food for thought.
I agree with you. For many potential buyers, an m1 would be completely sufficient. If someone works with applications that require more power, they will probably opt for a larger and more powerful Apple device. For me, the 12" would be an iPad Pro replacement with macOS. If Apple then equips the new 12" with a touchscreen in addition to the keyboard, I'll even walk to Cupertino to pick it up in person 😎
I too was, and still is, a big fan of the 12" MacBook, and still hope Apple will reintroduce it in some form or another. What speaks against it is that Apple for so long has been pushing the iPad for the same segment. Not sure if they will start competing with themselves in the same segment. That being said, there is a large overlap in the MacBook Air/Pro and the iPad product lines already, so fingers crossed.
I am driven to work. In the back seat of a car, there is no finer productivity tool.
The processors in the 12 inch MacBook were literally called the m3, m5 & m7 from Intel. Almost like Intel was teasing what was to come from Apple, lol...
I used mine until I replaced it with an M1 MBPro. Great machine for what I do. It’s on its second keyboard and battery.
After I relegated it to secondary status, it lived on and got my wife through grad school.
Proof that you don’t need the highest specs to get the job done. (Depending on the job, of course.)
After I relegated it to secondary status, it lived on and got my wife through grad school.
Proof that you don’t need the highest specs to get the job done. (Depending on the job, of course.)