Apple's Ultra-Slim 12-Inch Notebook Reportedly Entering Production in Small Quantities

[jscooper22]

Personally I find it hard to believe that Apple will merge the 2 but it's possible.

I used to think that. But when they did away with Save As in their apps (was that in ML? can't remember) I got the impression they were moving OSX toward a more sand-boxed approach, with every app having its own pool of files (e.g. iOS). Obviously it still has the Finder and access to the directory structure to put stuff where you want, but it really seemed like they were trying to get people use to the idea that file management would eventually no longer be a free-for-all.

 

[justin216]

Why do so many people want touch on the Mac? Touch targets in OS X would be so tiny, to make them viable for tapping would require most apps to be rebuilt. Look at Windows 8 -- touch is effectively only useful when scrolling a webpage or using a Metro app. Fire up a normal desktop app, and it's fairly useless most of the time.

The only way I could see it's remote usefulness is if they allowed iOS apps to run on Mac OS. Otherwise, sounds like it would be added just to be added, and cause everyone some frustration in actual usability.

 

[Max(IT)]

I'm guessing it won't have graphics capabilities to support a Retina display screen?

Actually I'd bet on a retina display

 

[jmgregory1]

A giant iPad, although having some appeal for the more full sized screen, becomes a mess when you think about real world use. It's so big, you would need to hold it with 2 hands, which then makes it impossible to interact with it.

Or it sits flat on a desk, which is another not perfect scenario for using any device.

As someone who uses an iPhone 6+, iPad Air, MacBook Air (2011 13"), a MacBook Pro retina (2013 15") and a 21" iMac, I find they all fit a number of use-cases. I like the 15" retina not just for the retina screen, but for the usable size (as an almost 50 year old my eyes are not what they used to be). I love the MBA for its portability and it has to be one of the best looking laptops ever made (not that looks matter, but it beats working on a nasty plastic brick). The iMac is still the go-to machine for doing engineering and design work (where screen size makes a difference) and the power and silent operation are also big pluses for me.

Since getting the 6+, I do find my use of the iPad Air reduced, but it still is perfect in meetings, when I want to show photos to several people sitting around a table, something that I at one time accomplished by passing around the mba.

I'm quite sure that if Apple comes out with a 12" iPad with a great detachable keyboard, I could dump the mba and iPad and have a great travel laptop / iPad. That makes complete sense to me.

 

[Max(IT)]

Now Apple follows the market, which is both good and bad.

Here's hoping for the headless iMac - it's only been a 15 year wait.

Apple is making the market...

 

[Kebabselector]

I don't know about that... where I work, the Surface Pro 3 is attracting attention from people who previously wouldn't have considered anything but an iPad and don't want to carry a laptop. Although I'm skeptical about some of the claims in the Digitimes rumor, a very lightweight 12" laptop might be an attractive alternative, especially if its power consumption is low enough to guarantee great battery life.

Lenovo produce a similar device which some of our lot are trying to embrace. Sadly its just lacking. In laptop mode it's just a small laptop, in tablet operation it's a tablet running full Windows that just doesn't work without the keyboard and mouse. Now if Microsoft enabled their apps to switch to a touch mode then they'd be on to a winner (unless they do and I'm missing something).

 

[joneill55]

Stay tuned for the first photo of a bent super-slim MacBook Air.

Haha.........true-that!

 

[Stella]

I used to think that. But when they did away with Save As in their apps (was that in ML? can't remember) I got the impression they were moving OSX toward a more sand-boxed approach, with every app having its own pool of files (e.g. iOS). Obviously it still has the Finder and access to the directory structure to put stuff where you want, but it really seemed like they were trying to get people use to the idea that file management would eventually no longer be a free-for-all.

OSX would be crippled if Apple ever attempted this.

The Safari, word processing and email group - i.e., very light users would probably like this because everything would be dumbed down to their level but for most other people, OSX would be a paper weight.

 

[Iapple023]

Do you think that design will change?

 

[jmgregory1]

Lenovo produce a similar device which some of our lot are trying to embrace. Sadly its just lacking. In laptop mode it's just a small laptop, in tablet operation it's a tablet running full Windows that just doesn't work without the keyboard and mouse. Now if Microsoft enabled their apps to switch to a touch mode then they'd be on to a winner (unless they do and I'm missing something).

Yep. That's the thing with touch screens. They only work well when the software is based around touch. Otherwise, it's just a gimmick when you really need to have a stylus/mouse/trackpad and keyboard to effectively work.

Microsoft, in an effort to seem relevant against the onslaught of iPad, iPhone and even to some extent MacBook and iMacs, tried to sell everyone on the idea of a dual purpose device, but the fact that the software forces you to use what is effectively two systems, meant that neither (touch nor keyboard based) system works well.

I, for one, absolutely hate when other people touch the screen of any of my computers. I'm ok with having to wipe my iPhone and iPad screen to get rid of the mess our fingers leave, but it's altogether different when it's a laptop or desktop that has no good reason for someone to touch the screen.

 

[iHateMacs]

Touch screen on a laptop? Didn't Apple already dismiss that as a poor interface?

Yes but that was when Steve was at the helm. Apparently none of that matters any more.

I heard a rumour that they are bringing back the Mesage Pad too

 

[GoCubsGo]

shut up digitimes

-

Can I make up more plausible rumors to get it featured on Macrumors? digitimes is completely way off 99% of the time.

I don't think that word means what you think it means.


I don't know how a fanless machine will work. Apple laptops, in my experience, have run pretty warm with fans.

 

[Iapple023]

So this would add some substance to the rumoured hybrid iOS/OSX.
iOS for Touch, OSX for Desktop environment!

Good...but I think you should wait for more years...the battery can't endure.

 

[Naimfan]

It'll be like the entry-level ripoff iMac: way overpriced for what it offers.

 

[iSee]

...and no I'm not one who bangs on about Apple losing it's way...

I'm pretty sure you are.

 

[Michael Goff]

I used to think that. But when they did away with Save As in their apps (was that in ML? can't remember) I got the impression they were moving OSX toward a more sand-boxed approach, with every app having its own pool of files (e.g. iOS). Obviously it still has the Finder and access to the directory structure to put stuff where you want, but it really seemed like they were trying to get people use to the idea that file management would eventually no longer be a free-for-all.

If they're taking away Save As, they need to do that in the most recent pages. It's still there when you click option while in the file menu. >_>

Where did they take away Save As, anyway?

 

[Thunderhawks]

Too thin - Need some heft. I want the 17" MBP Back.

Want the screen size and be able to upgrade things myself.
Dreaming, I know

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It'll be like the entry-level ripoff iMac: way overpriced for what it offers.

In that case a smart buyer would not buy it and either wait or buy something else.

 

[kazmac]

I figured with the delays regarding Intel's chips and the slim design the 2015 dates are on point.

As for touch screen, if it eventually goes through I hope the software department tests the hell out of the OS software before they release it into the wild. Whether or not it is touch screen, who knows?

 

[Mainsail]

Continuity might change the game

I am wondering if the Continuity feature in Yosemite might help change the game toward a hybrid tablet/laptop.

I am thinking about an iPad with 12in screen running iOS, and a keyboard dock with OSX and laptop internals. When docked, it runs OSX like a laptop, and when separated it runs iOS. The Continuity feature could be used to allow the seamless transition from tablet to laptop mode.

Of course, this device would cost a hunk of money because it is really two devices that share a common screen and maybe battery. So, initially, it might be kind of a niche product like the early Macbook Airs.

For this reason, I think there will still be a market for a simple lightweight and relatively inexpensive laptop only device like the later Macbook Air models. The long battery life and competitive pricing really has brought the MBA into the mainstream of computing.

 

[D.T.]

Small quantities = 10.

 

[lincolntran]

Oh good, slimmer. Everyone keeps asking for slimmer and not more power/battery...

Is it some weird space-time continuum thing going on that means for every percent Jony Ive gets fatter his devices have to get slimmer?

I'm not sure if you noticed but laptop are actually very big and heavy. Given that Apple laptops are the best and lightest, it can always get lighter and slimmer. And, nobody ever complain about MacBook battery life, ever.

 

[ipedro]

iPad Pro vs MacBook Air?

Tim Cook raves about how he uses an iPad exclusively as his work device and the Apple/IBM partnership aims to develop iOS applications for the corporate world. An iPad Pro would be best suited for serious work.

So given the choice, in a world where an iPad Pro is just as powerful as a laptop with work applications and a snap on keyboard, would most of you still go for a thinner 12" MacBookAir with OSX and no touch screen or would you go with a 12" iPad Pro with touch screen tech which is where computing is clearly going?

 

[sracer]

The Surface needs to be become competition for Apple to consider it a threat.

Whilst the Surface is a nice bit of kit, it really doesn't need to exist. Microsoft need to get used to the idea of what a tablet is, if you need a surface for your tablet needs then just get an ultrabook.

Hardware-wise, Microsoft got it right, IMO. The pitfall is the software (lack of touch-optimized apps) and the early instability of some of the drivers.

It has been my belief that Microsoft had a hunch or knew that Apple would be announcing a hybrid device this year... and that is why they rushed the Surface Pro 3 out a mere 8 months after the Surface Pro 2 (and some technology showcased during the SP2 debut never materialized... "blades" anyone?). There were some design elements of the SP3 hardware that appear to reflect that rush.

I would be surprised if Apple did NOT announce either an iOS/OSX hybrid, or some type of iPad Pro.

 

[thekeyring]

The trackpad on a MacBook means there is no need for a touch screen. You can scroll through a website, pinch to zoom, swipe through pages of a book or PDF, quickly see all your open apps at once... And you can fit more content on the screen because the interactive UI elements can be smaller. (Mouse click vs Finger press).

Giving the iPhone a bigger screen was one thing: That was trading one-handed use for more content. However, following the struggling PC market as it makes hybrid devices that can't really do one thing well does not seem very 'Apple'.

Edit: And for those claiming it will switch between iOS and OS X: You're stuck looking at 'OS: ?' as another item on a spec sheet. The iPad doesn't 'run iOS' it IS iOS. And the Mac IS OS X.

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What I don't understand is that any designer worth his salt would have taken a step back, looked at the current ranges and made this a 12" iPad + keyboard clamshell design that locks together to function as a laptop or simply detaches the touch-screen iPad section if you want to keep it basic. It just makes sense and would be very popular, far more so than a mere laptop will be.

"If you need a tablet, get an iPad. If you need an ultra thin laptop, get a MacBook Air. If you really need both, buy both." - Apple

 

[blackcrayon]

Why do so many people want touch on the Mac? Touch targets in OS X would be so tiny, to make them viable for tapping would require most apps to be rebuilt. Look at Windows 8 -- touch is effectively only useful when scrolling a webpage or using a Metro app. Fire up a normal desktop app, and it's fairly useless most of the time.

The only way I could see it's remote usefulness is if they allowed iOS apps to run on Mac OS. Otherwise, sounds like it would be added just to be added, and cause everyone some frustration in actual usability.

No idea. Vertical touch screens are still a pretty terrible idea (unless you're standing up and using them very briefly, like a control panel of some kind). And then someone shows the use case of scrolling a window with your hand outstretched to the bottom right corner of the screen- isn't the big multitouch trackpad still better for that?