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Apple's Confusing Mac Lineup: MacBook Air vs. MacBook
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That’s a good point, but I think the natural guess would the report is incorrect. They will come next year.
Circumstantial evidence indicating this possibility is that nothing leaked about the MacBook Air. Which was unusual. They are keeping the Mac line info locked down.
Also, that we have seen Apple debut stuff unexpectedly early, like Swift. Another reason could be there is renewed urgency due to Intel’s faltering roadmap.
It is not a small thing that Apple is comparing performance of the A processor line to competitive laptops. This is not some idle choice to make, it is a preview.
Another consideration—they announce it late 2019 and it is available 2020. I could see a transition this big being announced well in advance to give devs time to recompile as necessary.
This should have been the year to revamp everything in a way that clears ground for the MacPro next year: unified the MacBook line, unified and varied the mini line from low-end "it'll do" up through near-MacPro power, mimicked the MaqcMini with iMac specs, ditched "Air" from the title and made a 12" low-end notebook for $899+ and 13" MacBooks from $1199+, new monitors, new Airports, etc.
THIS, and Cook's funny biz with earnings reporting (not to mention other issues of politics and grandstanding) should be warning signs of Apple rot coming to the surface.
THIS, and Cook's funny biz with earnings reporting (not to mention other issues of politics and grandstanding) should be warning signs of Apple rot coming to the surface.
KISS
MacBook Air -> User
MacBook -> Business
Mackbook Pro -> Professional
Design accordingly
All done!
MacBook Air -> User
MacBook -> Business
Mackbook Pro -> Professional
Design accordingly
All done!
I’d rather glue a tactile $15 El Cheapo BT keyboard over it (no matter the physical hurdles when closing the lid ...)
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Yes, I think the same. I guess they plan to sell MB for about 999 (and get rid of old mba) but didn’t want to do it now, as they wanted to have all focus on new MBA.
MacBook Air -> People who want to save a little and get something that is more than just arguably better.
MacBook -> Who?
MacBook Pro -> People with disposable income who don't give a crap.
With 132,000 people how many committees do you think there are making decisions at Apple? I didn't watch the last show, but did they really have a marketing person presenting stuff? Someone please link to SJ talking about the marketing people taking over at Microsoft.
Also these folks suggesting MacBook will be dumped are out of their minds. MacBook is the heart and soul of the entire Mac portable line. It is symbolic of where the entire line is going. You don’t just dump something like that, quite the opposite. Which is part of the reason it is destined to get the strongest makeover ever with the ARM CPU transition.
The important changes start there and radiate outward.
The important changes start there and radiate outward.
The iPad and Mac don’t compete at all. You can’t run the same software.
It’s like saying a builder should throw their hammer in the bin after buying an electric screwdriver. Sure screws are better than nails, but hammers are still useful.
Discontinuing the MacBook would be terrible - it’s always going to be smaller:
1. The CPU doesn’t have a fan, allowing a smaller case since you don’t need airflow
2. There are less ports, allowing a smaller case because you don’t need a bezel to the left/right of the keyboard.
Some people are willing to make those two compromises, even though they come with serious performance and functionality costs. My backpack is so heavy with other stuff I often leave my Mac at home even though I should be taking it. If it was as small as a 12” MacBook I’d take it with me far more often.
I suppose you could rename the MacBook to the 11” MacBook Air - but it would be weird for the 11” to be more expensive than the 13”. And the absolute smallest possible size size will always come at a price premium.
The old MacBook Air is still available because some people really want to continue using USB-A. The price hasn’t gone down because Apple doesn’t want them to sell well - they’re holding the platform back.
...but that's only 25% less than a machine that is already very light and famously fits into an A4 envelope. Maybe the MacBook Air is small enough for the majority of people and the 12" isn't worth the compromise on power, screen space and connectivity? Plus, the 12" MacBook is probably the model under most threat from the even smaller, lighter and potentially much more powerful iPad.
Mad Mac Maniac
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The only problem with that prediction is that the current A-series processor is already more powerful than the current Macbook Pro. So why release it only for the cheapest, smallest laptop?
That's an interesting thought. Maybe they will rename the 12" MacBook to the MacBook mini.
One advantage of the MacBook that you forgot to mention is that it is fanless. I am not saying that makes it better than the new Air, but it is an advantage.
-Greg
-Greg
Apple at its October event unveiled a new 2018 MacBook Air that's been entirely overhauled with a Retina display, Thunderbolt 3, a slimmed down design, a faster processor, and other hardware upgrades.
The new $1,199 machine is a great addition to the MacBook Pro, but there's just one problem - Apple already had a notebook with all of these features. The 2018 MacBook Air is very similar to the 12-inch MacBook, which did not receive a 2018 update.
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The 2018 MacBook Air, which Apple is selling for $1,199, is better in almost every way than the 12-inch MacBook, which is still priced at $1,299. It has a larger Retina display, a faster Amber Lake processor, upgraded Intel UHD Graphics 617, two Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, up to 1.5TB of storage, Touch ID and T2 chip, better battery life, and it costs $100 less (though you're getting 128GB storage instead of 256GB with the base model).
At this point in time, with no update, all the MacBook has going for it is a slimmer body and a lighter weight, but even then, the difference is minute given the revamped design of the MacBook Air.
The 2018 MacBook Air measures in at 0.16 to 0.61 inches thick, compared to the MacBook, which comes in at 0.14 to 0.52 inches. It also weighs 2.75 pounds instead of the MacBook's 2 pounds, but those are really the only differentiating factors.
Right now, there is absolutely no good reason to purchase a MacBook over a MacBook Air, and anyone considering a new Apple notebook that's aiming for portability and good battery life should choose the MacBook Air.
You can get close to MacBook Air performance with the upgraded MacBook with a 1.4GHz Core M processor, but the MacBook Air is still going to beat it because it's using eighth-generation processors instead of seventh-generation and it costs $1,549 to upgrade to that higher-powered processor.
If and when Apple upgrades the MacBook with next-generation Intel chips, it's still going to be almost on par with the MacBook Air if there are no other changes to form factor or specifications, so it's a mystery why the MacBook is still in Apple's lineup and why Apple has opted to have two machines that are so similar.
Prior to the October update, Apple hadn't made significant changes to the MacBook Air since 2015, and it was believed that the machine, which was priced at $999, was sticking around as a low-cost option until component prices for the MacBook came down. With the launch of the new version, that's clearly no longer Apple's plan, and the future of the MacBook and MacBook Air is murkier than ever.
As for the MacBook Air vs. the MacBook Pro, things are a bit clearer. The MacBook Air is still the lower-cost lower-performance option that is ideal for lighter workloads that don't require high-powered software.
All MacBook Pro models, including the 2017 non-Touch Bar models, offer better performance than the MacBook Air's 7W Amber Lake processor, but with the base MacBook Air vs. the base non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro priced at $1,299, there's not a huge difference. When deciding between these two machines, it's going to come down to whether you prefer a smaller form factor and Touch ID or slightly better performance.
What do you think Apple is planning for the MacBook in the future? Let us know in the comments.
Article Link: Apple's Confusing Mac Lineup: MacBook Air vs. MacBook
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And a beautiful 5K display that Apple should really sell separately. It’s crazy that Apple doesn’t offer something that many many people would be willing to buy.
It’s not the same hooking up a Mac or MacBook to a display without the Apple logo.
It sounds like you aren't aware this year is not yet over. OTOH, that wouldn't give you something to rag on about.
That's OK, if you're confused, so be it.
The 2017 m3 MacBook is not "compromised on power" for the target audience, same with connectivity. I actually have two of the 12" MacBooks, and my 11" iPad Pro will arrive on release day. Nothing wrong with having choices!
Still prefer the weight and size of the 12" Macbook. Hopefully it gets a refresh early next year.
If its too expensive then customers will go to the MacBooks and the Air. I’ve never been a fan of removing features just to get the price down. Just make the best product and sell that. The MacBook Pro without Touch Bar is probably the most useless product in the Notebook line up, it’s neither here nor there. It’s not as powerful as the new Pro’s and its only marginally faster than the new Air but in a thicker and heavier body.
Take the 256GB MacBook Air and the 256GB MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and just max the RAM on both models, which is what most people would do, the price difference is £350. Just save up for another month or two and buy the better machine. That is unless your buying choice is about portability over power then the Air would be better for your needs.
Not enough demand for one. Back when laptops started becoming affordable making them viable for mainstream customers, 17” was a very popular size since it could completely replace desktops which were paired with 17” displays.
As display resolutions have increased, we simply don’t need a screen that big to show all of the content we need. Back in the 1024x768 and 1280x800 era sure.
The people who still buy huge 17” notebooks today are gamers. These are huge machines that have to be plugged in all the time. Video editors and photographers use external displays at home and work.
It's not too confusing if you assume that portable Macs that could've been updated but wasn't probably won't get updated: 12" MacBook and 13" MacBook Pro without Touch Bar.
I think there's a chance for 12" MacBook to receive 13" MBA style update: updated processor, 3rd generation keyboard, and Touch ID -- and maybe two USB-C/TB 3 port.
At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if it silently disappears when 13" MBA is updated next year.
I think there's a chance for 12" MacBook to receive 13" MBA style update: updated processor, 3rd generation keyboard, and Touch ID -- and maybe two USB-C/TB 3 port.
At the same time, I wouldn't be surprised if it silently disappears when 13" MBA is updated next year.