Apple May Still Be Planning to Reintroduce 12-Inch MacBook

[applepotato666]

It's unsurprising since it would make sense to replace the M1 Air with this kind of device. The M1 Air form factor is not going to be getting any updates as it didn't get M2, and the M2 Air is a whole different product. That gives people more reason to upgrade to the real-deal Air because of the bigger screen size (13.6 inches vs 12) vs the 12-inch MacBook. They need a new device to fill that $999 price spot because they can hold onto the M1 Air for only so long.

MacBook (12 inches), $999
MacBook Air (13.6, rumored 15), $1199/$1499 or 1599
MacBook Pro (14, 16), $1999/$2499

The rumored 15-inch Air likely fills for the big price difference in the Air and Pro lines, as the old Pro M1/M2 design will also get phased out at some point. They'll likely make the bigger Air more expensive than the 13" Pro so it doesn't seem like such a huge jump to the Pros. But that's just my 2 cents. Essentially reducing the size of the $999 offering and branding it as a new product is a very Apple move because it gives people more reason to upgrade to the actually bigger one.

 

[azentropy]

It's unsurprising since it would make sense to replace the M1 Air with this kind of device. The M1 Air form factor is not going to be getting any updates as it didn't get M2, and the M2 Air is a whole different product. That gives people more reason to upgrade to the real-deal Air because of the bigger screen size (13.6 inches vs 12) vs the 12-inch MacBook. They need a new device to fill that $999 price spot because they can hold onto the M1 Air for only so long.

MacBook (12 inches), $999
MacBook Air (13.6, rumored 15), $1199/$1499 or 1599
MacBook Pro (14, 16), $1999/$2499

The rumored 15-inch Air likely fills for the big price difference in the Air and Pro lines, as the old Pro M1/M2 design will also get phased out at some point. They'll likely make the bigger Air more expensive than the 13" Pro so it doesn't seem like such a huge jump to the Pros. But that's just my 2 cents.

I’d like to see a 12”at that price point, just don’t think it will happen. As I mentioned earlier it Is Apple’s MO for a while to reuse older form factors for their entry level devices rather than come out with a new one. Like the Watch SE, iPhone SE, base iPad and even the Mac mini. I still think they may update the previous form factor MBA M1 with a M2 when they update the new form factor MBA with a M3. Probably would rebrand the old form factor the MacBook SE. I guess there is a very outside chance they would bring back the previous 12” form factor, but I think they would have to make too many changes after all these years.

 

[boak]

MacBook (12 inches), $999
MacBook Air (13.6, rumored 15), $1199/$1499 or 1599
MacBook Pro (14, 16), $1999/$2499

$1599 is unlikely for MBA15 tbh since the 16/512 model will be the same price as MBP14 base, which is also 16/512

Likely to be just $1399, unless they increase the ASP by using only the higher core count M chip, then it will start at $1499.

 

[applepotato666]

I’d like to see a 12”at that price point, just don’t think it will happen. As I mentioned earlier it Is Apple’s MO for a while to reuse older form factors for their entry level devices rather than come out with a new one. Like the Watch SE, iPhone SE, base iPad and even the Mac mini. I still think they may update the previous form factor MBA M1 with a M2 when they update the new form factor MBA with a M3. Probably would rebrand the old form factor the MacBook SE. I guess there is a very outside chance they would bring back the previous 12” form factor, but I think they would have to make too many changes after all these years.

Agree! I'd love to see them get market share in the industry through an SE device reusing the old design at under $999 aimed at developing markets like the iPhone SE, with the 12-inch MacBook at the $999 price point. But that's very unlikely. It's impossible to predict what's going to happen with the line-up and that's enough proof that it's currently confusing and messy.
They are at a spot where they could turn to dominate the industry even by market share though. With the Mac, outside the US the entry price is still quite high compared to the rest of the market but once having experienced a Mac, the average person would want to stay a Mac user and will shell out for a better one next time. So a more accessible SE product could make sense 🤔

 

[visualseed]

I don't understand why everyone is so fascinated with streamlining Apple's product lines for them. So what if they have a few niche devices that cater to a small market of potential customers? I have yet to see any indication that Apple is returning to the days of the Performa. In all likelihood a 12" MacBook would outsell a Mac Pro and cost a lot less in R&D with better effective margins as a product line and I don't see many people arguing that Apple should not make a Mac Pro. Most actually seem to be concerned that it won't be niche enough.

 

[boak]

Do you reckon the M1 MBA is outselling the M2 MBA?

 

[livmatus]

I have my doubts about a 12" MacBook returning. Apple wants to keep the MacBook line as simple as possible and there should be only two MacBook Air and two MacBook Pro models available by this summer.

Having two generations of MacBook Air and two different tiers of MacBook Pros (base M2 chip with old design and Pro/Max chips with new design) is everything but simple.

Having a 12" Macbook; 13" & 15" Air; 14" & 16" Pro would indeed simplify it.

 

[ian87w]

And yet under his leadership, we had a MacBook, 2 sizes of MBA, and 3 sizes of MBP 🤔

True.

But then again, there was purpose in each model's existence. Originally, it was fairly simple. Macbook for consumer, Macbook Pro for pros. But we know Jobs wanted a thin and completely wireless laptop with no ports and everything soldered. But obviously he couldn't just get rid of the regular macbook since not many consumers were ready for that concept. Thus the Macbook Air was born, pointing out the mugh lighter form factor as the new way to build a notebook. I'm sure the original intention was for the Macbook Air to simply become the actual regular Macbook, phasing out the old Macbook with optical drives. And he did it later on, although the Air monicker sticks around due to the marketing success of the laptop being pulled out from a manila envelope. But essentially, Apple went back to the simple model, Macbook (Air) for consumer, and Macbook Pro for pros.

Under Tim Cook, the lineup becomes weird. First, we have the 12" Macbook, which is lighter than the Macbook Air. But then Apple re-introduced the Macbook Air, but instead of it being a lighter model, it becomes the cheaper model. The Air monicker no longer serves its original purpose. It's worse now with Apple Silicon, with 13" Macbook Pro hanging around for no reason.

 

[ignatius345]

I know, I know. I'd never get an iPad myself to work professionally either.
My point was that Apple is starting to create so many different versions of the same thing that it's losing focus, in my opinion. I'd rather Apple focused on fewer but well-made devices.

I don't think we're back in "Performa" days but yeah, all this segmentation really seems to be a hallmark of the Tim Cook era, for better or worse.

Everybody wants a certain specific type of Mac or iPhone or iPad or Apple Watch, and so far it seems like they're happy to keep subdividing the categories. My opinion is that it'll self-correct if they find they're expending too many resources to keep them all updated and shipping.

As for this particular product, I think for a lot of Mac users hardware platform trumps form factor. An iPad Pro may technically be as portable as a super slim Mac, but the hardware and software experience is radically different.

 

[Dochartaigh]

💯 They tried so hard to shove the iPad down our throats as a laptop replacement but it just never got there even with the M1/M2 chips. Not to mention an iPad with a keyboard is bulkier and heavier than the skinny 12" MacBook.

🗣️ Bring the 12" back!

An iPad could be 10 times faster on paper than my 2017 Macbook 12-inch (and honestly, it probably could be lol), but until the "App" makers design their apps so they have the same functionality as the desktop version, it's just not going to be there... plus ALSO need the full macOS functionality too for a plethora of reasons... also never going to happen.

 

[jtdx99]

They should honestly rename it to Macbook SE, I could see how the lineup is confusing to the general public. If you only need a laptop for web browsing and word processing, this might be a good option if it's at a lower price point.

 

[visualseed]

They should honestly rename it to Macbook SE, I could see how the lineup is confusing to the general public. If you only need a laptop for web browsing and word processing, this might be a good option if it's at a lower price point.

Why would this be a low-end laptop only good for web browsing or word processing? Even the gimped M1 used in the MacBook Air was good enough to edit 4K video with Final Cut and run every Adobe app without breaking a sweat. This would probably be just as capable as an M2 MacBook Air just with a smaller screen.

 

[visualseed]

An iPad could be 10 times faster on paper than my 2017 Macbook 12-inch (and honestly, it probably could be lol), but until the "App" makers design their apps so they have the same functionality as the desktop version, it's just not going to be there... plus ALSO need the full macOS functionality too for a plethora of reasons... also never going to happen.

I have a 12.9" M1 iPad Pro. Love it. But it's no replacement for my 12" MacBook. Lack of desktop apps aside, the magic keyboard makes the iPad unbalanced and rather big to use for working and typing on the go and even watching movies on a flight is better managed on the MacBook. Also the MacBook gets better battery life.

 

[Quackington]

Hooray for the 12” rumour returning. I’ll hold out for a year or two. If it gets released, it could be my first M-series model. I’d love 1 USB C port on both sides and please, whatever you do, I want the same keyboard travel as we have now.

 

[defferoo]

I’d like to see a 12”at that price point, just don’t think it will happen. As I mentioned earlier it Is Apple’s MO for a while to reuse older form factors for their entry level devices rather than come out with a new one. Like the Watch SE, iPhone SE, base iPad and even the Mac mini. I still think they may update the previous form factor MBA M1 with a M2 when they update the new form factor MBA with a M3. Probably would rebrand the old form factor the MacBook SE. I guess there is a very outside chance they would bring back the previous 12” form factor, but I think they would have to make too many changes after all these years.

The problem is that the M1 Air is too similar to the M2 Air in form factor. there's really nothing differentiating the two except for design so you're essentially selling 2 products to the same group of people. A 12" MacBook would be targeting those who are looking for an ultraportable while still providing a lower cost option for those who want that.

 

[visualseed]

The problem is that the M1 Air is too similar to the M2 Air in form factor. there's really nothing differentiating the two except for design so you're essentially selling 2 products to the same group of people. A 12" MacBook would be targeting those who are looking for an ultraportable while still providing a lower cost option for those who want that.

It's not the same group of people. One group wants to pay less than $1,000 for a MacBook Air. The other is happy paying more.

 

[defferoo]

Why would this be a low-end laptop only good for web browsing or word processing? Even the gimped M1 used in the MacBook Air was good enough to edit 4K video with Final Cut and run every Adobe app without breaking a sweat. This would probably be just as capable as an M2 MacBook Air just with a smaller screen.

people don't understand that we've reached a point where CPU processing power exceeds the vast majority of what a typical user needs. case in point is that even the iPhone's A16 CPU is more powerful than the 6 core CPU from the 2019 16 inch MacBook Pro which was considered a power user device. this means that even the slowest Apple Silicon chips are capable of much more than just web browsing and word processing, but that idea is hard to wrap your head around when you're so used to low end chips being much slower than the high end ones.

 

[jtdx99]

Why would this be a low-end laptop only good for web browsing or word processing? Even the gimped M1 used in the MacBook Air was good enough to edit 4K video with Final Cut and run every Adobe app without breaking a sweat. This would probably be just as capable as an M2 MacBook Air just with a smaller screen.

I never even mentioned "low-end" but I meant in terms of price to the rest of the lineup, not performance. We've reached a point where all base MX silicon chips are about the same.

 

[jtdx99]

people don't understand that we've reached a point where CPU processing power exceeds the vast majority of what a typical user needs. case in point is that even the iPhone's A16 CPU is more powerful than the 6 core CPU from the 2019 16 inch MacBook Pro which was considered a power user device. this means that even the slowest Apple Silicon chips are capable of much more than just web browsing and word processing, but that idea is hard to wrap your head around when you're so used to low end chips being much slower than the high end ones.

Of course I understand this. But who realistically is buying a 12 inch Macbook as a daily machine for Final Cut Pro. It's not about the performance as much as the target customer base that's going to be in the market for something like that.

 

[R2DHue]

Apple may be continuing its plans to bring back the 12-inch MacBook, a sketchy rumor shared on the Korean blog Naver claims.

The post comes from the account "yeux1122," which has a mixed track record aggregating accurate Apple rumors. According to an alleged source at a company that supplies parts to Apple in Taiwan, Apple is preparing to reintroduce the 12-inch MacBook. The company purportedly seems to be weighing up the future of the device and has yet to confirm if it will reach launch. Nevertheless, production activities related to the device are said to be ongoing. Apple apparently plans to confirm whether the device will move forward to mass production as soon as the second half of this year.

In 2022, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he hadn't heard of any plans for a new 12-inch MacBook model. Display analyst Ross Young similarly expressed "skepticism" about Apple launching new MacBooks with display sizes below 13-inches.

Introduced in March 2015, the original 12-inch MacBook featured a thin and light design that weighed just two pounds, and was Apple's first notebook to feature a fanless design, USB-C port, and butterfly switch keyboard. Apple updated the 12-inch MacBook in June 2017 and discontinued the device in 2019. Upon the announcement of Apple's transition to its own custom silicon chips for the Mac, there was renewed interest in the potential of a new 12-inch MacBook.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman was first to spark serious rumors about Apple reintroducing a 12-inch MacBook model with Apple silicon last year, saying that the device could come at the end of 2023 or in early 2024. Last month, he said that the new 12-inch MacBook was no longer on the company's near-term roadmap, but stopped short of ruling the device out completely, meaning that it being pushed into 2024 or later may still be possible, which could align with the latest claims from Naver.

Article Link: Apple May Still Be Planning to Reintroduce 12-Inch MacBook

Unless Apple is doing away with the “Air” moniker (as some rumors have suggested), and if this 12 inch MacBook speculation proves true, Apple should call it a “MacBook Air,” not simply “MacBook.”

Apple should also market it not to professionals, but as an INEXPENSIVE alternative to Chromebooks, for K-12 students, college students and people who need a compact, agile laptop with good battery life to surf the Web, take notes in class, use Notion, Freeform, engage Social Media, word process, email, text/chat, FaceTime, watch YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and not “over promise” that it’s a “Final Cut/Premiere/DaVinci Resolve Powerhouse.” (Although a version of DaVinci Resolve does run on M1/M2 iPads.)

The point of it would be its form factor and how light, unencumbering, compact and portable it is compared to 14" and 16" (and even the rumored 15") Mac laptops. The second point of the product would be PRICE — affordability — and low barrier to entry into the Mac ecosystem.

Underpromise and over deliver. Don’t set customers up to expect the MAXIMUM MacBook Pro experience or it will tarnish the Apple and MacBook brands.

 

[azentropy]

The problem is that the M1 Air is too similar to the M2 Air in form factor. there's really nothing differentiating the two except for design so you're essentially selling 2 products to the same group of people. A 12" MacBook would be targeting those who are looking for an ultraportable while still providing a lower cost option for those who want that.

Maybe, but I think there is enough difference just like with the other Apple "SE" products. Apple has shown they think there is enough of a differentiation by keeping the MBA M1 in the current lineup. I just don't see them going a cheap 12" route no matter how much I'd personally like it. I'd love to be wrong.

 

[visualseed]

Of course I understand this. But who realistically is buying a 12 inch Macbook as a daily machine for Final Cut Pro. It's not about the performance as much as the target customer base that's going to be in the market for something like that.

Considering all mac laptops work very well with external displays and keyboards, using an M1 or M2 anything closed-lid is a viable solution for video and graphic work. Plus the ultra portability of a 12” means you can actually work on the go. And on the road it pretty much becomes a daily computer.

I’m sure a lot of people just want a cute little notebook to toss about, but ultra-portability has long been coveted by pros and executives and they have always been willing to pay a premium to pack as much power in as small a footprint as possible. Apple Silicon finally makes the power to portability compromise less of an issue.

Even as a long-term Mac user I have boxes full of small pc laptops (sub notebooks) going back to the mid ‘90s. ThinkPads with pop out keyboards, lots of Sony Viaos and even an Asus Eee PC. All bought because form factor was the most important feature and the OS and capabilities could be suffered through even though a PowerBook or MacBook was a better computer. Though, I did briefly go the hackintosh route. Starting with the MacBook Air which was small by 2008 standards and eventually with the 12" MacBook (small by 2016 standards) I finally had my preferred OS natively in the form factor I wanted that I could use while traveling 250+ days out of the year. If this form factor ever comes back with Apple Silicon, I will be first in line to buy one no matter what the price even if I don’t travel nearly as much these days.

 

[dandyryan]

MacBook Air 13" M1 - $999
MacBook Air 12" M1 - $1099
MacBook Air 13" M2 - $1199
MacBook Pro 13" M2 - $1299
MacBook Air 15" M2 - $1499
MacBook Pro 14" M2 - $1999
MacBook Pro 16" M2 - $2499

 

[Wokis]

Do you reckon the M1 MBA is outselling the M2 MBA?

My gut feeling would say yes. Cheapest usually wins.

 

[abercrombie]

I loved my 12” MacBook for traveling. Every gram counts and that thing was way lighter than an Air.