Battery capacity decreasing with every charge cycle

[Stetrain]

Models like the MBA and MBPr have a hibernation mode called "standby mode" that can last up to 30 days on a charge. That mode is not available on other MBPs. This is one reason why trying to calibrate a MacBook Air won't work correctly, since 5+ hours won't drain a MBA battery as much as it would drain the removable batteries that required calibration. Those calibration instructions were written before standby or hibernation mode even existed.

You're may be correct in that it doesn't apply to the newer machines, but the hibernation mode that occurs when you run low on battery (aka Safe Sleep) has existed for quite a while:

Starting with the PowerBook G4 (Double-Layer SD) and continuing through MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro, the progress bar shown below indicates that the computer is waking from Safe Sleep.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1757

I believe that's what monkeybagel was referring to when he said "let it run all the way down until it hibernates on its own."

 

[GGJstudios]

I believe that's what monkeybagel was referring to when he said "let it run all the way down until it hibernates on its own."

That's the problem with trying to calibrate MacBook Airs, which go into standby mode after 1 hour of sleep.