Apple Still Offering 2015 13-inch MacBook Air, 11-inch MacBook Air Discontinued

[MacRumors]

Apple did not update the MacBook Air line as expected today, signaling that it will slowly phase out the MacBook Air machines in favor of the MacBook and MacBook Pro lineups.

While there is no new MacBook Air available for purchase, Apple is continuing to offer the 13-inch MacBook Air models that were last updated in 2015. The 11-inch MacBook Air has been officially discontinued and can no longer be purchased from Apple.

Pricing on the MacBook Air continues to start at $999 for the 1.6GHz/8GB/128GB model, which is likely why Apple has kept it in the lineup for now. At $999, the MacBook Air is $500 cheaper than the new entry-level MacBook Pro and $300 cheaper than the entry-level Retina MacBook.

At today's event, Apple positioned the new entry-level MacBook Pro as a viable MacBook Air replacement, because the MacBook Pro is now nearly as thin and light as the MacBook Air.

Apple's entry-level MacBook Pro features a 2.0GHz processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB storage, Intel Iris Graphics 540, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. It does not include a Touch Bar or Touch ID support, which allows Apple to sell it for $1,499 instead of $1,799, the price of the entry-level MacBook Pro that has those two features.

Article Link: Apple Still Offering 2015 13-inch MacBook Air, 11-inch MacBook Air Discontinued

 

[farewelwilliams]

last macbook without a retina display...

 

[geoff5093]

So that's Apple's solution at making the Air more affordable? Raise the price of the MacBook Pro while leaving the Air's price as is?

 

[thisisnotmyname]

So this MacRumors article contradicts the one posted 10 minutes ago saying the 13" MBP replaced the 13" MBA?

 

[freepomme]

Nobody bought those mini Macbook airs with those small displays. 11 inch? Good riddance.

 

[iRalph]

this $999 is still going to be on high demand, the mba is still a great computer and I doubt many customers (specially students) want to spend an extra $500 for a retina display

 

[macduke]

Makes sense. In another two years when they update the MacBook Pro they'll probably kill the MacBook Air altogether. The price on the base MacBook will come down at some point to be close to this range.

 

[amg2014]

last macbook without a retina display...

And the last one with MagSafe.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

They should have just increased the rMB to 13" while it's still (fairly) young. What's the point of introducing a new MacBook 'Pro' with less ports, no MagSafe and no marquee feature - Touch Bar - for almost £500 more than the Air?

 

[wlossw]

The price on the base MacBook will come down at some point to be close to this range.

Don't hold your breath for that to happen.

 

[iRalph]

And the last one with MagSafe.

RIP MagSafe, so many times you've saved my mbp from death...

 

[BootsWalking]

Out with the old, in with the same-as-old but at higher prices.

 

[Slix]

RIP 11" Air.

I don't know why they didn't just lower the price of either the Air, or the Retina MacBook so the Air makes more sense to phase out. Dropping the cheapest option and raising the price of the Pro isn't helping people that want an affordable lower end machine.

Time to shop refurbs, for anyone looking to buy an Air.

 

[8692574]

Nobody bought those mini Macbook airs with those small displays. 11 inch? Good riddance.

I have it...and love it

 

[Scheldon]

No more sub-1k MacBook, no more MagSafe, need spend extra money in adapters, I am not able to buy a mac anymore, sounds like a good strategy kick off the consumers.

 

[casperghst42]

And the people who actually love the 11" ... right. I know, I know, I'm just a customer, not a share holder, but still.

 

[snebes]

RIP 11" Air.

I don't know why they didn't just lower the price of either the Air, or the Retina MacBook so the Air makes more sense to phase out. Dropping the cheapest option and raising the price of the Pro isn't helping people that want an affordable lower end machine.

Time to shop refurbs, for anyone looking to buy an Air.

They will be in the refurbished store at a lower price, if not already.

 

[macduke]

Don't hold your breath for that to happen.

The Air came down in price significantly after a couple years, so there's precedent. They'll slowly transition it to a lower price point as they stop selling the Air altogether.

 

[dampfnudel]

So that's Apple's solution at making the Air more affordable? Raise the price of the MacBook Pro while leaving the Air's price as is?

Yes, that's the Richie Rich strategy. It's also the "don't care about your market share" strategy. Maybe also the "help out Windows 10" strategy or "why not try out our iPad Pro instead" strategy.

 

[icymountain]

Nobody bought those mini Macbook airs with those small displays. 11 inch? Good riddance.

Some did, and enjoyed/are still enjoying their portability at a reasonable price with a great battery life, Magsafe, two USB ports (fewer dongles), etc.
Might be good riddance for you, but not for everybody. In my work, I see about as many 11" MBAs as 13" MBAs.

 

[zhang96]

This is the new MacBook Pro 13" Late 2012.

 

[wlossw]

The Air came down in price significantly after a couple years, so there's precedent. They'll slowly transition it to a lower price point as they stop selling the Air altogether.

The apple of today has been about raising prices, not lowering them...

 

[dannyyankou]

Meanwhile, I need to pay $2,800 to get the configuration I want for the 13 inch MacBook Pro.

 

[casperghst42]

I have it...and love it

I should have upgraded my 11" earlier, but was hoping ... now I'm ****ed, and because I'm not in the US, so getting a refurb with US keyboard will be closed to impossible ... crap!

 

[addictive]

I imagine the Macbook Air which is still available is going to be put to rest permanently in 2017 when the Third iteration of the Retina Macbook should see a price reduction. Clearly with no update for the Macbook Air the product is EOL and they won't be producing many more or giving their internals a boost.

I am astonished at the prices Apple is charging for their computers. The company or their C-Suite executives live in a gilded bubble.