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Apple to Host March 27 Event in Chicago: 'Creative New Ideas for Teachers and Students'
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I keep thinking that the Air would be great with a retina display, and recent forecasts from KGI Ming-Chi Kuo have said:
“Apple MacBook line will see the best year-on-year growth of any of Apple product lines with a forecasted growth of 13-16% according to Street Insider the bulk of that growth comes from “new models” which is assumed to be the new MacBook Air." KGI has also said that Apple is working on an entry level MacBook Air style device with a retina display but a cheaper price point.
The one thing i'm not sure of is this so called "cheaper price" is it even possible for Apple to put a retina display in a MacBook Air or MacBook and price it cheaper? the current 12" MacBook is more expensive for example and this new version is said to have a 13.3" retina display which to me sounds like it would be more expensive not cheaper.
I think we all know it’s possible from a cost perspective. I’m sure Apple has secured retina displays at a very low cost. So it’s more a question of how they position their product line.
I hear what you’re saying. The current MB costs a whopping $300 more than the MBA. Of course Apple might do the old standby ‘trick’ of ‘updating the current non-retina MBA with a faster processor and selling it for $100 less at $899. This would be available to education markets at $799.
A new 13” retina MBA would then come in at $1299...with the current 12” MB dropping to $1199.
But who knows. I’m not even sure why Apple has two product lines so close in price and specs. Just kill one off and simply things.
I missed the Co-processors outIt's still rumoured that they are coming to 3 Mac's this year, i just wonder if this new MacBook or "New MacBook Air" is one of them.
The Co Processor is likely to be T Series, which already includes SSD Controller, Power Management, Security and other bits. It is already shipped with iMac Pro. My guess is that we have T3 which will even include the Thunderbolt controller, since it is now / going to be an open standard and royalty free.
But I think Co-Processor is really too big a term for T2.
May be they even consider making their GPU for Mac?
If you saw what passes for public education here in the USA, you'd be truly shocked. Schools have been awash in technology and gadgets since the mid-1980s, and the student test scores continue to decline. Steve Jobs understood the path to better education was not technology in schools per se, rather it is an approach to learning that encourages true curiosity and technologies that enable thoughtful exploration. That is why Apple largely abandoned K-12, the people running the school IT programs were largely clueless.
Sure...but a lot depends on specs. I'm guessing any new MBA will max out at 8gb Ram, slower CPU and GPU. Maybe it’s Retina ‘Lite’ (lower res).
I’m curious what direction they’ll go for ports. Keep the multiple legacy USB-A or go single USB-C.
It would be awesome if they dropped in a TouchID (no touch bar thank you), even though FaceID is where they’re going.
Apple largely abandoned K-12 because K-12 increasingly buys sub-$300 computers which is neither a market Apple wants to compete in (it's a race to the bottom), nor do they think it's particularly conducive to education. You got all the complexity of a computer with few of the benefits.
According to the video in this article Mark Gurman is expecting Apple to announce cheaper iPad models for students and a "cheaper version of the Mac laptop as it will be the 10 year anniversary of the MacBook Air when it actually started shipping" they are also working on a new frame work called Classkit as well. I didn't realise it was 10 years since the MacBook Air started shipping.
I don't expect anything major at this event but i do think a lot of people would love a "cheaper Mac laptop" as Gurman put's it.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ke-education-related-announcement-on-march-27
I don't expect anything major at this event but i do think a lot of people would love a "cheaper Mac laptop" as Gurman put's it.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ke-education-related-announcement-on-march-27
I know well enough to lower my expectations.
But the interesting part is how both rumoured MacBook____ and iPad___ are priced lower than existing items but will seemingly offer the same core features (retina and Pencil capabilities).
Of course the iPad could be a non-Pencil model, but it would be a difficult to sell when both Google and Microsoft have pen based solutions for their tablets.
But the interesting part is how both rumoured MacBook____ and iPad___ are priced lower than existing items but will seemingly offer the same core features (retina and Pencil capabilities).
Of course the iPad could be a non-Pencil model, but it would be a difficult to sell when both Google and Microsoft have pen based solutions for their tablets.
Retina air? Two TB3 ports. 8gb/16gb ram, 256/512 ssd. I dont like the fact that the 12 inch has a single USB C.
Processor choice could offer only the I3 8130u 2/4 at 2.2ghz turbo to 3.4ghz
Processor choice could offer only the I3 8130u 2/4 at 2.2ghz turbo to 3.4ghz
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Mark has a poor track record on Hardware, but software and services side are better. He mentioned Apple Book, which is think sounds logical. As iBook has been up for revamp quite some time.
Cheaper Mac and iPad is mostly a reprint of what Ming said. But he did mention 10 years anniversary of MBA, which is a new angle to spin it. I do hope they drop the name Air though. May be it will be called Macbook E, which go with the rumours of iPhone SE dropping the "S" from it.
He hasn’t been as reliable just lately BUT he has been in the past even with hardware, he reported on the HomePod and other products before they were announced. Apple Books would make sense and also a redesign of it. Dropping th Air name could bring it in line with the MacBook name, for example they could introduce the rumoured 13.3” while dropping the price of the 12” MacBook (the Air had a 11” until Apple discontinued it)
MacBook 12” - now $899
MacBook 13.3” - $999
That could fit with rumours and educational pricing, Digitimes have reported that Apple is working on a Retina display with LG supplying the retina panels and although they have a less reliable track record they do tend to be more accurate when it comes to supply chains, Ming-Chi Kuo has said that Apple is working on a cheaper MacBook Air, they are either the same device or someone has got it wrong.
Edit: I’ve seen this report of TWO 13” displays in the works https://www.forbes.com/sites/brooke...ech-suggests-two-13-inch-models/#79d55c4b4d17
I completely agree, and I think that’s something they would have differently under Jobs. Although given the design of the 12” MacBook, that could be a device that uses just USB-C. It was definitely too early by about 3-4 years. The right move would have maybe been to keep 1 USB-A but possibly not HDMI. It could have even been done on the 2015 MBPs. There is still no reason for them to remove the SD card reader, it’s not a port that USB-C clearly replaces. It’s annoying when people compare it to the floppy/DVD drive because it’s a very different situation.
Wishful thinking I know. Maybe a press release that coincides with the event.
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One of the main reasons that iPads are a nightmare in education is the lack of multiple user accounts. The reality is in education, that schools can not afford 1:1 iPads, and thus shared iPads are used. This is why Chromebooks have really taken off.
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Apple has addressed that with the shared iPad model using MAID.
If there ever was a time to clean up and merge the two product lines, this would be an ideal situation.
I would buy that 13.3 at $999 in a heartbeat.
Although I'm not sure Apple would drop what is currently a $1299 MacBook down by $400...even if it had the inferior LCD SI screen.
If there ever was a time to clean up and merge the two product lines, this would be an ideal situation.
I would buy that 13.3 at $999 in a heartbeat.
Although I'm not sure Apple would drop what is currently a $1299 MacBook down by $400...even if it had the inferior LCD SI screen.
It is all very confusing, there is yet another rumour saying that Apple are working on a 13.3” MacBook with Retina display
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brooke...ech-suggests-two-13-inch-models/#4198bc404d17
But where will it fit? Will they remove the Air and drop the 12” MacBook down OR could they drop the Air down to around $799 without a Retina display and keep it as a student budge laptop
MacBook Air - $799
MacBook 12” current price
MacBook 13” priced a little higher
This rumour of a 13.3” MacBook has been around for a while now (going back to last year) and with more recent reports I’m inclined to believe it, we don’t just have one report saying it multiple ones are.
I run Apple School Manager where I work and it allows for multiple accounts on iPads right now. Lack of free iCloud storage is a definite bummer though.
They’ve addressed it in a very proprietary way, that doesn’t work if you’re got a fleet of mixed platform devices.