Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today

[dandeco]

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 Apple can get these products to be cheap, typically by reusing older parts that are more outdated from their higher end models.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.

Exactly! The M1 MacBook Air was the most affordable Mac laptop on the market at the time of its availability, yet it was smaller and thinner and more lightweight than the first two Intel MacBook Air generations!

Not only that, the M1 MacBook Air had significantly more horsepower than its Intel predecessors. This is why when I was finally able to afford replacing my older MacBook with a new model, I opted for the M1 Air, attracted by its lower price, the power being nearly up to par with the M1 MacBook Pro (especially with the 8-core graphics and 16 GB of RAM like mine) and the growing third-party software support for Apple Silicon Macs.
Though years from now when I'm ready to replace my M1 Air (like nearly a year after the newest MacOS version drops support for it), I think I'll opt for a 14" MacBook Pro (with the regular chip; I still plan to get a Mac Mini desktop with a Pro chip for home use).

 

[dduraznito]

It was ahead of its time.
They should have waited until Apple Silicon to launch this as the new Air.
The current Air should be a "Macbook" (like back in the day when we had Macbook, MBA, MBP)

 

[leftyMac]

It was a laptop that I actually used as a laptop, carrying it around everywhere, instead of a desktop replacement.

The best MacMook ever made, despite the slow CPU. The form factor made so much sense as a portable laptop as any laptop should.

 

[ILoveCalvinCool]

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.

But this is not a machine made for external monitors. This is a tiny, light notebook meant for constant portability. You're not supposed to buy this notebook if you want desktop-style computing. I find it so strange that the reaction to a tiny 12-inch Macbook is to decry it for lacking the features of a Macbook Pro. These are two different machines with different use cases.

 

[roguester]

It was ahead of its time.
They should have waited until Apple Silicon to launch this as the new Air.
The current Air should be a "Macbook" (like back in the day when we had Macbook, MBA, MBP)

Way ahead of its time. It would be a perfect travel or WFH laptop these days

 

[dandeco]

It was ahead of its time.
They should have waited until Apple Silicon to launch this as the new Air.
The current Air should be a "Macbook" (like back in the day when we had Macbook, MBA, MBP)

I agree. The MacBook Air has definitely changed to the point that despite being the lightest and thinnest Mac laptop currently on the market, it's become the modern-day equivalent to Apple's iBooks and polycarbonate MacBooks, which is why I ended up buying an M1 MacBook Air nearly four years ago. Such a modern 12" single-port MacBook with Apple Silicon chip could definitely make a great modern-day MacBook Air, returning to the Air's original intent of being a premium ultraportable laptop like it was when originally introduced in early 2008.

 

[Cristim74]

I bought the 2016 m7 Version for my wife. She used it for 8 years until last year when I got her an M3 MacBook Air.
Great machine, we still have it. Except for the keyboard, no problem with it.

 

[Scottish_Scrooge]

I couldn't resist getting the 12 inch MacBook out and comparing it to the M2 MacBook Air. Despite the sizes not looking that different (barely an inch here, or half an inch there) it's amazing how small it feels compared to the current Air design.

 

[537635]

Wow, you shouldn't have posted these photos. Now I'm never getting the Air.

Macbook looks so much better here.


Can you do a side photo in terms of thickness?

 

[Scottish_Scrooge]

Wow, you shouldn't have posted these photos. Now I'm never getting the Air.

Macbook looks so much better here.


Can you do a side photo in terms of thickness?

I'm not a photographer I'm afraid so hard to show. I'd say the tapered edge makes a difference but not the other end.

I travel a lot with work and the 12inch would be perfect for flight/train and most of my type of work (email, presentations, spreadsheets).

 

[Apple_Robert]

I truly don't believe Apple will never make another 11 or 12" MacBook. I think the biggest reason is because it would canabalize the iPad Pro, which Apple doesn't want to happen.

 

[lostPod]

I have a 2015 11" MBA in near mint condition and it still does an excellent job. I carry it out and about with me a lot.

Same ! Mine is mint as well. It still stands strong! I love it! The form factor is perfect.

 

[throAU]

Most of the machines apple released in 2013-2015 or so were clearly designed around what intel PROMISED vs. what intel delivered.

Any of them including the trash can would have been great with Apple Silicon.

 

[UltimaKilo]

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.

At this point, unless you badly need it (like I did), wait for the M5. An M5 will likely last you into the next decade. The M5 Mini will hopefully offer two Thunderbolt 5 ports!

 

[jpcyr]

I couldn't resist getting the 12 inch MacBook out and comparing it to the M2 MacBook Air. Despite the sizes not looking that different (barely an inch here, or half an inch there) it's amazing how small it feels compared to the current Air design.
View attachment 2490766View attachment 2490767View attachment 2490768

Oh yea, the air is just a monstrous beast close to it. Shave 1/3 of the weight and now you get a real portable laptop that can really follow you everywhere without even noticing it in your bag.

 

[chars1ub0w]

This was mine, which I recall fondly. The keyboard had gotten replaced by Apple.
But near in mind, in practice, one has to carry some kind of dongle around in practice to be able to connect to anything, give talks or presentations. They even made color-coordinated dongles like this one. I think I still have that dongle somewhere. So that makes it a bit bigger than what people are romanticizing about.

 

[Dreamail]

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.

I see where you are coming from.

But would anyone really buy let's say a new M1 12" MacBook for $899 with Thunderbolt 3 when the current 13.6" MacBook Air at that time comes with Thunderbolt 5 and M5 processor for $999?
I am not sure you can win both battles, making it cheap *and* compact and light.

There is also one major flaw in your assumption.

The MacBook Air uses components of a certain price point. If Apple can drop the overall laptop price by using older versions of these existing components with an older CPU, then this is certainly one way to bring the price down.
However, any new 12" MacBook would not be able to use any MacBook Air components or motherboards. It would need newly engineered massively miniaturized versions of all these parts. And this will be a lot more expensive than just reusing old existing MacBook Air parts.
I do not think the manufacturing lines of the last 12" MacBook model are still around and ready to be reused. They've been scrapped.
Any new 12" MacBook model would have to nearly start from zero.

So if anything, it will likely be at best a battle between an ultra-portable 12" MacBook for $999 with an ancient CPU and other anemic specs versus the current 13.4" MacBook Air with the latest CPU and latest specs for also $999. Not a good choice.

I sense that any reintroduction of the 12" MacBook must position it properly as a higher-end luxury item. Not as a cheap bargain bin laptop.
Otherwise the required engineering efforts will not see the financial return they need to see to make a profit.
Or the specs will have to be so anemic that no one wants one.

But as you said, maybe after a couple of years once a new 12" MacBook was reintroduced, they may be able to bring down prices by reselling older versions of that 12" MacBook for cheaper.
But no matter how they do this, these prices will always be higher than if they did the same with a MacBook Air, as the MacBook Air components initially were so much cheaper already.
So if Apple wants to have a bargain bin laptop, they should never use the 12" MacBook parts but instead always use the MacBook Air parts for this.

 

[Dreamail]

I couldn't resist getting the 12 inch MacBook out and comparing it to the M2 MacBook Air. Despite the sizes not looking that different (barely an inch here, or half an inch there) it's amazing how small it feels compared to the current Air design.
View attachment 2490768

Thank you for posting these pictures!

Finally people can appreciate how massive the 13" MacBook Air actually is - in comparison!
No way is the 13" MacBook Air "pretty close".

They are a world apart.

 

[537635]

Finally people can appreciate how massive the 13" MacBook Air actually is - in comparison!
No way is the 13" MacBook Air "pretty close".

They are a world apart.

Exactly, I've never seen this comparison before. And like you said - it's nowhere close.

Macbook is a proper portable, Macbook Air is just a lighter (and not that much smaller) Macbook Pro.


But this is all just sad. iPad Pro could have easily have been a new Macbook or a new Macbook Mini or maybe even Macbook Pro 12. Sigh.

 

[geta]

I see where you are coming from.

But would anyone really buy let's say a new M1 12" MacBook for $899 with Thunderbolt 3 when the current 13.6" MacBook Air at that time comes with Thunderbolt 5 and M5 processor for $999?
I am not sure you can win both battles, making it cheap *and* compact and light.

There is also one major flaw in your assumption.

The MacBook Air uses components of a certain price point. If Apple can drop the overall laptop price by using older versions of these existing components with an older CPU, then this is certainly one way to bring the price down.
However, any new 12" MacBook would not be able to use any MacBook Air components or motherboards. It would need newly engineered massively miniaturized versions of all these parts. And this will be a lot more expensive than just reusing old existing MacBook Air parts.
I do not think the manufacturing lines of the last 12" MacBook model are still around and ready to be reused. They've been scrapped.
Any new 12" MacBook model would have to nearly start from zero.

So if anything, it will likely be at best a battle between an ultra-portable 12" MacBook for $999 with an ancient CPU and other anemic specs versus the current 13.4" MacBook Air with the latest CPU and latest specs for also $999. Not a good choice.

I sense that any reintroduction of the 12" MacBook must position it properly as a higher-end luxury item. Not as a cheap bargain bin laptop.
Otherwise the required engineering efforts will not see the financial return they need to see to make a profit.
Or the specs will have to be so anemic that no one wants one.

But as you said, maybe after a couple of years once a new 12" MacBook was reintroduced, they may be able to bring down prices by reselling older versions of that 12" MacBook for cheaper.
But no matter how they do this, these prices will always be higher than if they did the same with a MacBook Air, as the MacBook Air components initially were so much cheaper already.
So if Apple wants to have a bargain bin laptop, they should never use the 12" MacBook parts but instead always use the MacBook Air parts for this.

I would be more than happy to pay €1500 for 12” MacBook with one generation older M chip, 2 USB-C, MagSafe, 24GB RAM and 1TB storage. Plus C1 chip as an option for €100.

 

[vbctv]

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.

Yes that is the official name, Intel Core m3, Intel core i5, etc...
But did anyone actually call them that, no... Most people just said Intel m3 or Intel i7 or just m3, i5, i7, etc...

And Apple could call their chips whatever they want, even if they're the same name, I don't think anyone would confuse them. We know todays M3 if different from he 12 inch MacBook m3 of the past.

 

[kamalajune]

I need this with Apple Silicon and a new SE with an iPhone 13 Mini Body and USB-C that's all then I'll be happy

 

[geta]

I need this with Apple Silicon and a new SE with an iPhone 13 Mini Body and USB-C that's all then I'll be happy

They can even call it Mini MacBook Air.

 

[MacMikePro]

I see where you are coming from.

But would anyone really buy let's say a new M1 12" MacBook for $899 with Thunderbolt 3 when the current 13.6" MacBook Air at that time comes with Thunderbolt 5 and M5 processor for $999?
I am not sure you can win both battles, making it cheap *and* compact and light.

There is also one major flaw in your assumption.

The MacBook Air uses components of a certain price point. If Apple can drop the overall laptop price by using older versions of these existing components with an older CPU, then this is certainly one way to bring the price down.
However, any new 12" MacBook would not be able to use any MacBook Air components or motherboards. It would need newly engineered massively miniaturized versions of all these parts. And this will be a lot more expensive than just reusing old existing MacBook Air parts.
I do not think the manufacturing lines of the last 12" MacBook model are still around and ready to be reused. They've been scrapped.
Any new 12" MacBook model would have to nearly start from zero.

So if anything, it will likely be at best a battle between an ultra-portable 12" MacBook for $999 with an ancient CPU and other anemic specs versus the current 13.4" MacBook Air with the latest CPU and latest specs for also $999. Not a good choice.

I sense that any reintroduction of the 12" MacBook must position it properly as a higher-end luxury item. Not as a cheap bargain bin laptop.
Otherwise the required engineering efforts will not see the financial return they need to see to make a profit.
Or the specs will have to be so anemic that no one wants one.

But as you said, maybe after a couple of years once a new 12" MacBook was reintroduced, they may be able to bring down prices by reselling older versions of that 12" MacBook for cheaper.
But no matter how they do this, these prices will always be higher than if they did the same with a MacBook Air, as the MacBook Air components initially were so much cheaper already.
So if Apple wants to have a bargain bin laptop, they should never use the 12" MacBook parts but instead always use the MacBook Air parts for this.

To answer your first question, the answer is 100% yes. Anyone buying a 12” MacBook would not care in the slightest whether it’s thunderbolt 3, or 4, or 5 etc. They are not users who are moving large files, so transfer speeds mean nothing to them, and since thunderbolt 3 is still very fast on its own, even the lowest version of thunderbolt is overkill for these kind of users. And while an older M-series chip would also be more than sufficient, I was actually suggesting an A-series chip in this machine. Think of it like the base iPad compared to the iPad Air. An A17 Pro for example would be more than enough power for this type of user and keeps the cost down and differentiates it from the MacBook Air line.

As for the manufacturing lines being down and this being like starting from zero I also disagree. Apple discontinued the 12” MacBook in 2019, and one year later announced the transition to Apple silicon. That means, if going off the assumption that Apple will bring back the 12” MacBook, they knew that that was the plan when discontinuing it. So they absolutely could, and would, have planned ahead for that. The years of R&D they have with the 12” MacBook would put them far and away from “starting from zero”.

In regards to comparing it to a better speced MBA, don’t disregard the consumers desire to want and buy something as thin and light as the 12” MacBook. There are MANY people who would absolutely pay more just to have something as portable as that, but this time actually be usable. The vast majority of people buying laptops use them 99% of the time for web-based tasks and this would fit their needs beautifully. So when you say “the specs would be so anemic that no one wants one” that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Also as a last point, the new M4 Mac mini proves that the miniaturization process doesn’t always lead to being more expensive, or at least that Apple is willing to eat those costs early on. And looking at all of Apple’s other main product lines (not including the iMac) Tim Cook likes to have 3 tiers: the cheapest base tier, the mid tier, and the high end tier. Gone is Steve Jobs’ 2x2 matrix, this is the new way for better or worse. Except the laptop lineup doesn’t have the “cheapest base tier” as of right now, at least sort of, since Walmart still sells the M1 MBA for $699 that kind of fills that position for now. But I can absolutely see Apple wanting to replace that and the 12” MacBook works kind of perfectly for it.

 

[jpcyr]

I remember, reading on this site, a while ago, that Apple surveyed some professionals about a compact laptop, before the refresh of the MacBook Pro line into 14/16 and, for sure, after the MacBook was removed in 2019.

Nothing came out of it, but...

Also, I have read that Apple is probably in the process of designing the new MacBook Pro line up based mainly on the design of the new iPad Pro body, meaning thin, and light. The motherboard now takes so little space compare to all the other components.

Would it be really far fetch to think, that instead of renewing the line of MacBook (which everyone here would hope for, but doubt it ever happens), they would not simply add a new size to the Pro line (12/14/16), while keeping the Air one exactly as it is (13/15)?

Considering how the M# are powerful, and efficient even without fan, and that the pros are ready to spend the necessary money to get what they want, I can see something like this happen in a near future.

Since the new iPad Pro, Air doesn't mean so much "what it is thin and light" as it used to be. It's more of a sub-brand in itself.

There are also that rumor of a foldable laptop with keyboard on a screen with haptic feedback (based on patent filing), but let's not get ahead of ourselves too much here

What do you think?