Does today's release signify no redesigned Air for a couple of years?

[Adelphos33]

I want a USB-C laptop (still rocking the 2015 pro) and was concerned that Apple was going to redesign the keyboards (or otherwise redesign the laptop) this year. It looks like that isn't happening this year. Next year, they may announce a new laptop with an updated keyboard design, but that may be a higher end pro or similar model. Is it safe to assume this Macbook Air is going to be the basic design we will see for the next couple of years? If so, it may make sense for me to buy now.

 

[chabig]

You can't assume anything. If you want an Air now, buy one. Don't be afraid of what might or might not be released in the future.

 

[lambertjohn]

Why would they update the Air in 2019? They just did in 2018. I think the current Air will be "the" Air for the next five years. Maybe longer.

 

[Leo90]

I will probably be buying an Air this weekend. No worries if a new Air comes up in a few months. I need macOS right now and I can’t wait.

 

[Adelphos33]

Why would they update the Air in 2019? They just did in 2018. I think the current Air will be "the" Air for the next five years. Maybe longer.

Apple is allegedly working on a new keyboard for a 16" Macbook Pro. At some point this will come to the 13" model and the Air presumably.

 

[Audit13]

There has been speculation but no concrete evidence of a 16" MBP from what I have seen.

 

[Infinite Vortex]

Apple is allegedly working on a new keyboard for a 16" Macbook Pro. At some point this will come to the 13" model and the Air presumably.

There are a lot of things at play that work against each other. The rumours about a 16-16.6" MBP have come about so that Apple has greater latitude to deal with thermal issues associated with Intel's current CPUs. That's all well and good but Apple has a love affair with thinness that will override any of that and what they give with one hand they will take with the other. So if they're giving up space and weight to deal with thermals, I can't imagine them doubling down to give a keyboard that additionally requires more space.

Many people are happy to say they're happy to compromise on x to get y but are they really?

For instance, if you were to say to me that I would get 50% more performance out of my MBP 13" 2018 i7 if it weighed 500g more and was 10% bigger I wouldn't go for it. The reason being is that at the current performance I am happier sacrificing performance over size and/or weight. Don't get me wrong, if I were doing other things with my laptop and/or didn't have a beefy desktop then maybe I'd have a different opinion… but I don't. It'll really come down to which perspective Apple believes would generate more sales.

 

[AustinIllini]

If the next gen keyboard in the rumored 16" is great, I can see Apple moving to adopt the keyboard everywhere fairly quickly. I'm thinking 2021 or 2022 at the earliest.

 

[Adelphos33]

If the next gen keyboard in the rumored 16" is great, I can see Apple moving to adopt the keyboard everywhere fairly quickly. I'm thinking 2021 or 2022 at the earliest.

A base Macbook Air could suit me well over the next few years - I use it sparingly as a travel computer (ironically my iPad Pro is my main "home" machine)....

 

[AustinIllini]

A base Macbook Air could suit me well over the next few years - I use it sparingly as a travel computer (ironically my iPad Pro is my main "home" machine)....

I'd get a 2017 if that's the case. The 2018 is nice but if you use it sparingly...

 

[Jimmy James]

You can't assume anything. If you want an Air now, buy one. Don't be afraid of what might or might not be released in the future.

I want one and won’t buy it now. I’d only buy now based on need.

I don’t expect the current machines to have the longevity of older models. That’s important to me.