Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today

[Dreamail]

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.

This will never work out.

What many people in this thread still fail to realize - as did Apple marketing back in the day - is that one cannot make a laptop smaller and smaller, lighter and lighter and at the same time cheaper and cheaper!
This works for food (aka "shrinkflation") where one just divides packages into smaller and smaller portions to get the price down - but the same does not work for high-tech equipment.

With laptops, ultra-small does not equal ultra-cheap. This is technically impossible - if one wants to keep it usable and durable.
Otherwise one ends up with a netbook, something that is too underpowered and too flimsy to be of any use at all. Nobody wants that.

Price and size ratios in laptops follow a U-shaped distribution. Not a linear distribution.
Large, high-end laptops will cost more than medium range laptops.
Yet just as well, ultra-portable laptops will also cost more than medium range laptops.

Simply because a lot more high-end parts would need to be used.
Smaller parts that ought to be as durable as their larger counterparts must use more hardy (and more expensive) materials.
To keep the battery life the same, higher energy density batteries must be used.
To get super-slim displays with extra-thin bezels, more expensive displays must be used, etc.
All of these parts, and many more, will have higher costs than their comparable counterparts on the much larger MacBook Air.
Plus of course much more engineering efforts will be required to get the motherboard even smaller while keeping the heat distribution bearable. Which costs extra money.
And ultimately the smaller the laptop gets, the more automation will be needed during production as humans can no longer assemble these tiny devices. Which again adds costs.

If anyone wants a small, cheap Apple laptop, the MacBook Air will be as small and as light as it will ever get.
Anything smaller than that, will again start to become more expensive than the MacBook Air.
Miniaturization is expensive. Not cheaper.

I am happy to pay a premium price for an ultra-portable device, especially if I have to carry it around on my shoulder all day every day.
But I am aware that many people expect smaller devices to be automatically cheaper.
Sadly Apple marketing never established the 12" MacBook as a high-end device, properly explaining why a premium price was necessary to get the size and weight benefits.

 

[jclardy]

My wife has the "last" gen of this and other than being slow, it is great. I used to use an earlier model and yes, the keyboard sucked - but in the last revision it was quite usable. It's incredible Apple hasn't updated this line - keep the wedge, expand the display size (less bezel) and stick an M4 in it. Keep the single port.

Honestly I think price packaging is the only reason they don't, which is sad, it would muddy the product line with the $999 air and the competing iPad Pro lines.

 

[antonrg]

I still have mine, an early 2016 with 512GB of storage; it still does a job as a mobile writing and browsing platform. Love the form factor, and I‘d like to see Apple offer a similar product again.

Same! It's an excellent mobile device for writing and browsing. Hopefully this form factor can inspire something similar in the future.

 

[darngooddesign]

light leakage

I remember that issue occurring on some examples of a lot of Apple's products, to the point that people would try figure out who made their LCD because light leakage was more likely to occur with one supplier. The screen itself was very good provided you didn't have a bad example.

 

[darngooddesign]

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...

The processors were called Core-m#, with the lowercase 'm' standing for mobile, not M#. Similarly Apple didn't name their new iPhone modem chip after the old Core 1 CPU.

 

[aleni]

Come on Timmy, slap an M2 or M3 with 16gb of ram and sell it for $999. I would gladly buy it.

 

[Dreamail]

Come on Timmy, slap an M2 or M3 with 16gb of ram and sell it for $999. I would gladly buy it.

Due to higher costs coming from extreme miniaturization, this device will more likely cost at least $1,299 to $1,399.
Any price lower than that is unrealistic.
Unless one goes back to low-res, poor quality screens and 128GB SSD storage capacities.

Are you OK with that?

 

[SactoGuy18]

I think in the end, the 12" MacBook made a bit too many compromises. Especially when the slightly larger MacBook Air since the M2 (and now M3) SoC model no longer have those compromises.

 

[UltimaKilo]

Let me guess, you purchased an M2 or M3 Mac?

I honestly think that the M4, with the biggest jump in single core CPU performance, and being the first based on ARM v.9, is actually a major milestone.

But I’m curious to know why you think the M5 is going to be the largest update since the M2 when we barely know anything about it, aside from the fact that it’s going to use an enhanced third gen 3nm technology.

Nope, wrong guess. I have an M4 Mac Mini and an M1 MBA for travel.

The new 3D chip design rumored to debut in the M5 will offer significant power savings (perhaps unto 15%) and an extra 10% overall performance boost with much less leakage. It likely will offer higher memory access speeds, faster Neural Engine (very likely) and significantly upgraded GPU cores. Additionally, some rumors suggest we may finally get enhanced security features.

Like I mentioned, it won't be a revolutionary jump like the M6 is likely to be, but it will be significant enough that anyone with an M1 or older, should hold out at this point, if only for the AI improvements that will help future proof your device.

 

[Rick America]

Apple announced the infamous 12-inch Retina MacBook a decade ago today, an experimental new Mac that was as controversial as it was revolutionary.

Apple unveiled the 12-inch MacBook on March 9, 2015, at the "Spring Forward" event in San Francisco, California. The event was primarily focused on the Apple Watch, which was being fully detailed ahead of its launch the following month, so the debut of the brand-new MacBook line took many by surprise. Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the new MacBook as a "reinvention" of the notebook.

The device was extremely controversial due to its underpowered performance, single USB-C port for both charging and data transfer, short battery life, unreliable butterfly keyboard, and high price point ($1,299 starting price in 2015—the same as a MacBook Pro at the time).

However, the 12-inch MacBook offered a glimpse at what was to come in the Mac lineup. It was the first Apple device with a USB-C port, terraced battery, butterfly keyboard, and haptic trackpad. It was also the first MacBook with a design focused on efficiency, a Retina display in a non-Pro model, multiple color options, and without a fan or an illuminated Apple logo.

In 2016, Apple refreshed the 12-inch MacBook to add Intel Skylake Core m3, m5, and m7 processors, improved battery life and faster PCIe storage, and a Rose Gold color option. In 2017, it introduced Intel Kaby Lake Core m3, i5, and i7 processors, and a second-generation butterfly keyboard for slightly better reliability.

It was discontinued upon the introduction of the 2019 MacBook Air. The 12-inch MacBook was functionally replaced by the 2018 MacBook Air, which effectively adopted its design, but with an additional USB-C port, a single fan for active cooling, and a larger display.

What do you think about the 12-inch MacBook a whole decade later? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today

Loved the MacBook --- size, function, etc. were a great match for my needs especially as I was trying Apple/Mac seriously for the first time (coming over from Intel/Lenovo/Thinkpad). Used it for about 2 years before I could no longer tolerate the butterfly keyboard. Moved to a MacBook Pro and finally to 2020 M1 MacBook Air. I still mis the MacBook though --- hit the perfect sweet-spot of size, function, portability for me.

 

[loby]

Loved the MacBook --- size, function, etc. were a great match for my needs especially as I was trying Apple/Mac seriously for the first time (coming over from Intel/Lenovo/Thinkpad). Used it for about 2 years before I could no longer tolerate the butterfly keyboard. Moved to a MacBook Pro and finally to 2020 M1 MacBook Air. I still mis the MacBook though --- hit the perfect sweet-spot of size, function, portability for me.

Typing on one now...I tolerate the butterfly keyboard. So light and size is perfect for general and travel use.

 

[MRrainer]

We still have the one at work I ordered as "team notebook". Though it proofed to be underpowered for Teams and Zoom...
It's the top-edition with 8 GB RAM.

Though, of course, it has run out of macOS updates.

I did like the form-factor - though these days the display resolution is too small.

 

[nburwell]

Absolutely loved this MacBook. It was so dang portable that it was the lone laptop that I actually took out of the house. Granted, I loved my M2 MBA, but there was just something about the MB back then.

 

[darngooddesign]

I guess if you never need to plug in things and do everything cloud based then might be perfect. But, the idea that carrying dongles around is the answer is still wild to me. I'll take the extra few mm in size to save the hassle of extra disposable dongles that will most likely be in a landfill later on.

We are eight years into USB-C so dongles-for-everything is largely an artifact of history. If it had MagSafe then most people who this computer is aimed at would be fine with the single data port; if not, a USB-C splitter would be all you need. If you need SD or HDMI, and most cameras can be connected with USB-C, you would need an adapter just like you would if you bought an Air instead of a Pro.

 

[foggygray]

I had a first generation one and loved the form factor but hated the speed.

If Apple came out with an updated 11 or 12 inch MacBook it would be an instant buy for me.

 

[BGPL]

I owned one, they were junk. It took ages to boot....

 

[donrleonard]

The most genius feature of the "MacBook" 12 was its size---it was the smallest possible laptop dimensions that could encompass a full-sized keyboard.

 

[Populus]

Nope, wrong guess. I have an M4 Mac Mini and an M1 MBA for travel.

The new 3D chip design rumored to debut in the M5 will offer significant power savings (perhaps unto 15%) and an extra 10% overall performance boost with much less leakage. It likely will offer higher memory access speeds, faster Neural Engine (very likely) and significantly upgraded GPU cores. Additionally, some rumors suggest we may finally get enhanced security features.

Like I mentioned, it won't be a revolutionary jump like the M6 is likely to be, but it will be significant enough that anyone with an M1 or older, should hold out at this point, if only for the AI improvements that will help future proof your device.

Interesting analysis… You are tempting me to wait for the M5 Mac mini or, why not, wait for the M6 Mac mini. Damn, I don’t think I can wait two more years honestly.

 

[AND411]

I owned one, they were junk. It took ages to boot....

Because it was underpowered with Intel‘s m3 chip, with Apple‘s M3 it will be as fast as a rocket!

 

[Yr Blues]

I even love the old direction keys. Looked cooler. Felt better.

 

[finbred]

Got my wife a 2017 model a few years back as she only needs a laptop for surfing and such. I long for an Apple silicon version as much as I do for an iPhone 16/17 mini without a damn camera bump, meaning I want one very, very badly. It'd be great to bring along for Lightroom tethering on photo gigs for one. But Apple doesn't care for the minority of people who have no need to compensate for size...

 

[MacMikePro]

This will never work out.

What many people in this thread still fail to realize - as did Apple marketing back in the day - is that one cannot make a laptop smaller and smaller, lighter and lighter and at the same time cheaper and cheaper!
This works for food (aka "shrinkflation") where one just divides packages into smaller and smaller portions to get the price down - but the same does not work for high-tech equipment.

With laptops, ultra-small does not equal ultra-cheap. This is technically impossible - if one wants to keep it usable and durable.
Otherwise one ends up with a netbook, something that is too underpowered and too flimsy to be of any use at all. Nobody wants that.

Price and size ratios in laptops follow a U-shaped distribution. Not a linear distribution.
Large, high-end laptops will cost more than medium range laptops.
Yet just as well, ultra-portable laptops will also cost more than medium range laptops.

Simply because a lot more high-end parts would need to be used.
Smaller parts that ought to be as durable as their larger counterparts must use more hardy (and more expensive) materials.
To keep the battery life the same, higher energy density batteries must be used.
To get super-slim displays with extra-thin bezels, more expensive displays must be used, etc.
All of these parts, and many more, will have higher costs than their comparable counterparts on the much larger MacBook Air.
Plus of course much more engineering efforts will be required to get the motherboard even smaller while keeping the heat distribution bearable. Which costs extra money.
And ultimately the smaller the laptop gets, the more automation will be needed during production as humans can no longer assemble these tiny devices. Which again adds costs.

If anyone wants a small, cheap Apple laptop, the MacBook Air will be as small and as light as it will ever get.
Anything smaller than that, will again start to become more expensive than the MacBook Air.
Miniaturization is expensive. Not cheaper.

I am happy to pay a premium price for an ultra-portable device, especially if I have to carry it around on my shoulder all day every day.
But I am aware that many people expect smaller devices to be automatically cheaper.
Sadly Apple marketing never established the 12" MacBook as a high-end device, properly explaining why a premium price was necessary to get the size and weight benefits.

I would disagree simply because the M1 MBA proves it. Right now, Apple has made the deal with Walmart to continue to exclusively sell that laptop at the price of $699. Meaning Apple still manufactures it and has the margin to still make it profitable. Same way Apple is able to sell the current iPad at $349. Apple can get these products to be cheap, typically by reusing older parts that are more outdated from their higher end models.

Now if you want to say a modern 12” MacBook would start out more expensive than a MBA then I could agree with that, but I would say that after about say 2 or 3 years it would be able to reach that theoretical $799 price. The unique thing here is usually when Apple introduces a new form factor they start expensive to recoup all the R&D costs, but the 12” MacBook is not a new form factor, they manufactured them for about 5 years already, so it’s technically an old design now. So that will allow them to be able to get them cheaper right out of the gate. Because Apple already sold the 12” MacBook for an expensive price to recoup all those costs, so the money has already been spent and made. Obviously they have to design a new logic board, and with my potential different display to accommodate thinner bezels, I could see them starting out more expensive, but I absolutely think that after time it would be able to get down to be their cheapest laptop. Because again, the M1 MBA proves it that it can.

 

[MacMikePro]

We still have the one at work I ordered as "team notebook". Though it proofed to be underpowered for Teams and Zoom...
It's the top-edition with 8 GB RAM.

Though, of course, it has run out of macOS updates.

I did like the form-factor - though these days the display resolution is too small.

Display resolution is too small? The 12” MacBook had a pixel density of 226, which is almost exactly the same as the current Airs.

 

[Daalseth]

This isn't the machine for you if you need more ports. A very small, lightweight laptop is not, and should not be, a pro-level design.

I didn’t need a lot of ports. I just could see me having to stop using an external monitorBecause my battery was running out. I could see me having to choose between keeping working on a file on a USB stick or charge my laptop. One more USB port, just one would have made a huge difference.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I honestly never found the single port to be that much of a detriment on a device with this usage type and contexts in mind