Gurman: Apple to Begin Accepting Trade-Ins for Three New Mac Models on Day of WWDC Keynote

[lazyrighteye]

Me too for the new 15” MacBook Air (if of course it gets announced). It will be my first M series MacBook too, my current one is a 13” intel MacBook Pro from 2019.

Based on my M2 MBA and M2 Mac mini experiences, you’re going to be blown away by performance. Congrats and enjoy!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

The biggest issue for them with the M3 is if they don’t release it now but do release the 15 inch MBA they’ll have to wait a while to release the M3, maybe up to a year. They won’t want to release a brand new M2 MBA now then release a new M3 MBA in the fall.

There's no rule or law about that. If ready, they could roll out M3 in June and M4 in July (if it was ready). And more power to them if they can.

A potential solution to the 40% downturn in Mac sales is to roll out new, more powerful Macs. If M3 Macs are ready to go, launch them. If that's not until Fall, launch them then. The sooner a meaningful step forward is launched, the sooner those waiting for that bigger step potentially buy. That may remedy the downturn. Perhaps a good chunk of the market doesn't want last year's M2? Perhaps it waits for M3+?

These concepts like if they release a M2 Air now, they must wait until next year makes no sense. Potentially, after this rumored Air, there may be OTHER M2 Macs to roll out before an M3. Does each M2 Mac roll the M3 date even further into the future? I suspect some Macs may skip M2 altogether.

Launch new, better technology ASAP. If some of us feel burned because we bought Mx and Mx+1 hit only days/weeks/months later, that's part of the technology buyer experience. We all know that M2 launched LAST year. The clock was ticking on replacing it with M3 as soon as it launched... not when the last one launches.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

No you are gong to get the AR/VR Headset instead! 🤣

That too but I don’t Apple is planning on releasing it during the Summer. I think we might be waiting until Fall for AR/VR headsets to be released to the wild. Plus, the developers need time to create Apps for xrOS for the headset.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

In Midnight, right? 🤘

Yes sir! I'm getting tired of my silver MacBook Pro as my daily driver. I really hope the screen display contains 120Hz.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Those thinking M3 will be announced in this WWDC are being naive.

I don't see Apple announcing a new MBA with an M2 chip. It will either contain an upgraded version of M2 or straight to M3. Don't think Apple will release a new laptop containing last years chip.

 

[Orange Bat]

These concepts like if they release a M2 Air now, they must wait until next year makes no sense. Potentially, after this rumored Air, there may be OTHER M2 Macs to roll out before an M3. Does each M2 Mac roll the M3 date even further into the future? I suspect some Macs may skip M2 altogether.

If they release too early the risk upsetting people who buy the brand new 15 inch MBA. Imagine getting a MBA in July and the M3 is released in October. That would upset quite a few consumers. And I don’t think there is any way they release an M2 15 inch MBA now and a new 13 inch in October offsetting the upgrade dates of the two machines. It’s a matter of good marketing, which Apple excels at. The only solution is to release M3 now or wait for next year to avoid upsetting consumers.

 

[JPack]

Apple has defied rumors before and surprised people with a release. The biggest issue for them with the M3 is if they don’t release it now but do release the 15 inch MBA they’ll have to wait a while to release the M3, maybe up to a year. They won’t want to release a brand new M2 MBA now then release a new M3 MBA in the fall.

Like you said, shipments are down so they probably want to let the M2s sell for a little longer anyway to deplete the current inventory. I don’t believe we’re getting an M3 anytime before 2024.

I suspect for many consumers, the 15-inch form factor is a bigger selling point than whether it's M2 or M3. It's aimed at the laggards using 15-inch Intel-based machines who will have one more reason to finally upgrade. At the same time, Apple probably takes into consideration whether they've recovered the multi-billion dollar cost of developing M2 when picking the launch date for M3.

Overall, I don't see M3 helping to juice sales even if it were ready today. Nobody is looking forward to M3 because their M1 is too slow.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Yes sir! I'm getting tired of my silver MacBook Pro as my daily driver. I really hope the screen display contains 120Hz.

Not going to happen. the company that keeps base models at ridiculously low configurations (compared to every other PC maker) so they can upsell (overcharge) upgrades to decent minimum specs for an extra $400 (when it's worth about $40 at retail anywhere else), isn't going to give you 120Hz display, which is Pro-line specs, and if they did, it's add so much to the price, you might as well buy the 14" or 16".

What you'll see is a 15" 8GB/256Gb for $1399 or so and $200 upgrades to 16GB RAM and $200 for an extra 256GB slow SSD (which is going for about $20 on the retail market in the PC world). How people can happily shell out $200 for $20 worth of product is beyond me.

Better roll back those expectations of yours!

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

I suspect for many consumers, the 15-inch form factor is a bigger selling point than whether it's M2 or M3. It's aimed at the laggards using 15-inch Intel-based machines who will have one more reason to finally upgrade. At the same time, Apple probably takes into consideration whether they've recovered the multi-billion dollar cost of developing M2 when picking the launch date for M3.

Overall, I don't see M3 helping to juice sales even if it were ready today. Nobody is looking forward to M3 because their M1 is too slow.

If those 15" Intel laggards really wanted to upgrade, they'd have taken advantage the 100 or so sales on the MBP14 for $1500 where they would get features and performance you'll not see on an Air. With the 15" MBA, the price differential between it and other M1 Pro and M2 products is going to start being the same or just a bit more making it very hard to decide if features and performance are important over thin-and-light.

 

[Orange Bat]

I suspect for many consumers, the 15-inch form factor is a bigger selling point than whether it's M2 or M3. It's aimed at the laggards using 15-inch Intel-based machines who will have one more reason to finally upgrade. At the same time, Apple probably takes into consideration whether they've recovered the multi-billion dollar cost of developing M2 when picking the launch date for M3.

Overall, I don't see M3 helping to juice sales even if it were ready today. Nobody is looking forward to M3 because their M1 is too slow.

Agreed.

Apple’s main problem in the computer space is that the M1 release was TOO successful. I believe that so many people bought M1 machines that there was little market left for the M2s. Not only that, but people have been, and continue to be, extremely happy with the performance of their M1s.

I think M3 will help to boost computer sales simply because many will be on an upgrade cycle from M1. M1 was released in 2020, and if M3 is released next year it will be 4 years since many consumers had upgraded. However, my M1 mini still runs nicely and I’m in no hurry to upgrade, and I imagine many others being in the same boat.

 

[JPack]

If those 15" Intel laggards really wanted to upgrade, they'd have taken advantage the 100 or so sales on the MBP14 for $1500 where they would get features and performance you'll not see on an Air. With the 15" MBA, the price differential between it and other M1 Pro and M2 products is going to start being the same or just a bit more making it very hard to decide if features and performance are important over thin-and-light.

The 15-inch MBA will probably have the same number of sales/discounts/promos as MBP 14. The price delta will always be the same and there's no free lunch.

At the end of the day, 15-inch is 15-inch. Unless it's something revolutionary like iPhone X, most people with a 15-inch won't want to downgrade to a 14-inch display.

 

[Orange Bat]

What you'll see is a 15" 8GB/256Gb for $1399 or so and $200 upgrades to 16GB RAM and $200 for an extra 256GB slow SSD (which is going for about $20 on the retail market in the PC world). How people can happily shell out $200 for $20 worth of product is beyond me.

This is really frustrating for me right now. I need a laptop but don’t need a top-of-the line machine. However, I do need 16/512. To get the 13 inch MBA it would cost $1600. For another $400 I can get a better screen, more ports, and a better processor. It doesn’t make sense to buy an upgraded MBA when I can get an all around better machine with the 14 inch pro.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

If they release too early the risk upsetting people who buy the brand new 15 inch MBA. Imagine getting a MBA in July and the M3 is released in October. That would upset quite a few consumers. And I don’t think there is any way they release an M2 15 inch MBA now and a new 13 inch in October offsetting the upgrade dates of the two machines. It’s a matter of good marketing, which Apple excels at. The only solution is to release M3 now or wait for next year to avoid upsetting consumers.

OK, so let's apply that "good marketing" beyond this launch. How many other Macs are not yet M2? Presumably, they will not all leap to M2 at WWDC. So when does the next Mac hit with M2? Aug? Sep? Oct? Pick a month. Now you have another group of Mac buyers who have just purchased an M2 Mac. So, should "good marketing" hold back on M3 for the same number of months to keep from making those customers upset?

Play that out further. There will probably STILL be some Macs not yet M2. Let's say Apple gets to them by when- Oct? Nov? Dec? Jan? Pick a month. And again, you have yet another group of Mac buyers who have just purchased a M2 Mac. So, should "good marketing" hold back M3 Macs for the same number of months beyond that one?

Good marketing is about facilitating sales. Mac sales are apparently way down. "Holding back" better tech if it is ready doesn't seem to support exciting those who would buy that new tech. Applying this thinking implies there's no M3s until likely well out in 2024... or perhaps even longer at the pace of Macs going M2.

I don't believe tech would be "held back" if it was ready in sufficient volume... especially against a backdrop of disappointing sales. Would-be Mac buyers are apparently NOT frothing for "last years" M2. But there does appear to be a fair number looking forward to M3 Macs.

If Apple feels this desire to not "upset customers," they might launch 15" M2 MBair at WWDC and then NOT update it in the Fall when other Macs might go M3. And yes, that very well could play out that we have "new" Macs for sale with M3, M2, M1 and one holdout STILL on Intel in the Fall.

 

[Ponylover52]

This seems all too much for a 15" Air....wondering if they surprise with M3..... Apple has never let the same gen hardware be traded in for variations. Like we can't go trade in iPhone 14's if a new color dropped if a mini came out. So something definitively NEW has to be coming beyond a simple 15" Air....

 

[Orange Bat]

This seems all too much for a 15" Air....wondering if they surprise with M3..... Apple has never let the same gen hardware be traded in for variations. Like we can't go trade in iPhone 14's if a new color dropped if a mini came out. So something definitively NEW has to be coming beyond a simple 15" Air....

While M3 is always a possibility, I believe Apple is going to release the 15 inch Air with M2 and lower the price of the 13 inch (discontinuing M1 MBA). Lowering the price of the M1 MBA to $999 and selling the 15 inch at $1199 will satisfy enough people that the lack of M3 won’t be much of a disappointment.

 

[minik]

I wish a 12” MBA would be announced alongside the new 15” MBA

That would be a painful decision for me.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Yes sir! I'm getting tired of my silver MacBook Pro as my daily driver. I really hope the screen display contains 120Hz.

120hz would be a surprising, but welcome, update. Midnight (dates navy) is my color. Navy is the new black. Heading into MBA M2 preorder, I was all-in on Midnight. At the last second, a bit anxious about the potential finger print mess reported by some, I called an audible and went Starlight. I have to say, I’m surprised how much I like it. It’s like a refreshed silver. But visually, that Midnight color is the one. If I go 15”, I may have to go to the dark(er) side. We’ll see.

 

[doggystyle101]

I see lots of requests for a revamped 12" Macbook Air. What's the point? Get the 13" or an iPad instead. The 13" is already thin and light. That'd be a redundant product imo.

 

[doggystyle101]

120hz would be a surprising, but welcome, update. Midnight (dates navy) is my color. Navy is the new black. Heading into MBA M2 preorder, I was all-in on Midnight. At the last second, a bit anxious about the potential finger print mess reported by some, I called an audible and went Starlight. I have to say, I’m surprised how much I like it. It’s like a refreshed silver. But visually, that Midnight color is the one. If I go 15”, I may have to go to the dark(er) side. We’ll see.

I'd rather have a single fan than the 120hz. The drop in gaming perfromance when throttling is kind of bothersome.

A green Macbook air would be a hit.

 

[KaiFiMacFan]

120hz would be a surprising, but welcome, update. Midnight (dates navy) is my color. Navy is the new black. Heading into MBA M2 preorder, I was all-in on Midnight. At the last second, a bit anxious about the potential finger print mess reported by some, I called an audible and went Starlight. I have to say, I’m surprised how much I like it. It’s like a refreshed silver. But visually, that Midnight color is the one. If I go 15”, I may have to go to the dark(er) side. We’ll see.

For me it wasn't the fingerprints putting me off the Midnight color, but stories about the paint chipping off and revealing the silver underneath.

I don't know if I'll be getting the 15" Air, but if I do, it probably won't be that color, as cool as it looks.

 

[lowkey]

I always thought a 12” MBA was an ideal size. Perfectly Futuristic!

View attachment 2208848

I loved my little 12” MB. 1.1GHz of “power” could do a surprising amount. Ran Indesign pretty well.

 

[doggystyle101]

For me it wasn't the fingerprints putting me off the MIdnight color, but stories about the paint chipping off and revealing the silver underneath.

I don't know if I'll be getting the 15" Air, but if I do, it probably won't be that color, as cool as it looks.

It's actually a pretty basic color. It's the novelty factor that makes the color popular. Otherwise, there are a bunch of dark blue/black Windows laptops out there. Nothing special. Space gray for the slick look. Silver for longevity.

 

[75Batt]

I don't have a mini 6 to test this out, can someone confirm this?

I’d like to know too because from my personal experience of a few people that work with Apple I’m very close with, they’ve never accepted current generation, unless it’s changed recently.

 

[Realityck]

I’d like to know too because from my personal experience of a few people that work with Apple I’m very close with, they’ve never accepted current generation, unless it’s changed recently.

Regarding

For instance, you have been able trade an iPad mini 6th gen in for awhile.

Using my S/N on iPad mini 6, it offered $250 USD. So yes thats verified, if you want to do that.

Your device	Estimated trade-in valuefootnote¹
iPad Pro	Up to $470
iPad Air	Up to $320
iPad	Up to $175
iPad mini	Up to $250

 

[doggystyle101]

I'd rather sell mine online. The trade in value for M1 Air (16/512) is $565. I could easily sell it for 1k.