Gurman: Cheaper iPad to Debut Next Week, Sub-$1,000 MacBook Likely Not Ready Yet

[Matthew.H]

I really am surprised and interested in a cheaper iPad. I personally think that $329 is a damn good price for the current iPad from a price/performance standpoint.

The 9.7" iPad is well priced for what it is but at £339 for the base model that's still too expensive for some people. I can certainly see the use cases for a cheaper model especially in the education market.
As an example, I can remember reading in the local news recently about a school which required pupils to have one of the £339 iPads and the parents had to supply them.
A parent complained about it and asked if they could buy their child a cheaper tablet and the school said no. For some families on a tight budget spending over £300 on a tablet is out of the question

 

[manu chao]

Their laptop line is incredibly confusing right now. The Air naming convention should not exist, period. Just bring to market an entry level MacBook that has a better screen than the current Air but maybe not as good as the current retina MacBook and price it aggressively. Yes it would probably would cannibalize more expensive retina MacBook but who cares.

So, what do you do if you have a product called MacBook Air and it is selling very well and then you release a lighter and thinner but also more expensive product? Do you call it the MacBook Helium? Or call the new, lighter one MacBook Air and rename the existing MacBook Air into simply MacBook? That for sure wouldn't be confusing as hell.

 

[Dydegu]

Also give it a larger screen around 13"-14" and i'd be happy with getting a MacBook, i'm assuming it will start at $1000 and work it's way up to a top end model.

How are they going to give you a bigger screen, an extra port, AND shave off $300? If I bought a rMB in the past two years I’d be furious. That would mean the current rMB would be valued below $1000.

 

[deanthedev]

Why would we consumers want that? I fully grasp what would be in it for Apple the corporation, but what's that going to get us consumers?

Lower prices, better battery life/standby time and all the benefits that come when a single company controls the OS and the processor/hardware it runs on (rather than being tied to Intels release schedule).

Basically everything that MS/Qualcomm are trying to get with their Windows on ARM, except far superior in every regard.

 

[ichad]

What I would really like to see...

1) iBooks renamed to Apple Books as was spotted in a beta (should have never been called iBooks)
2) Apple re-releases a white plastic (robust) iBook
3) iBook to include the first ARM in a notebook
4) Can use iWork in cloud and iOS apps like widgets
5) Not sure on touchscreen, can live without it but 12"-13" screen
6) Some sort of return of magsafe, for kids/education
7) Multiuser support (and externd it to iPads)
8) Upgraded "free" iCloud storage from 5GB to say 10GB
9) Improved education/classroom software for education/campus
10) $499-$599, essentially iPad internals with a keyboard, 128gb and USB. Needs to compete with Chromebooks

I could go on....

Loved my old iBook and then white MacBook

 

[zchrykng]

Really no reason for you to jump in just to say "good for you." I was responding to a post that had nothing to do with you. You act like I can't have an opinion. The people on this site make me sick sometimes.

I never said you couldn't have an opinion. I am just saying that while you like the new keyboard, for some of us it is the single thing that is driving us away from Apple hardware.

And seriously, if you don't want random people replying to you, you really shouldn't be posting to a forum.

 

[and 4096 others like this]

Well, to be honest I think that Apple is a little bit embroiled...

Now they have MacBook Pro, MacBook at MacBook's Pro price point and lighter than Air, which supposed to be lightest MacBook.. But hey! MacBook Air have better hardware (well, not all of it) and is cheaper with crappy display.

I think it would be better if Apple COMPLETELY change their notebook strategy

MacBook Pro 13" and 15" (or even 17" like in old days) for $1299 for basic model (just like now)

MacBook Air - Which should be current MacBook, change the name, Air means light/slight and thin (again, like the current MacBook, so this hardware should be call Air). Add one more USB-C?Thunderbolt 3 and drop the price point from $1299 to $1099

MacBook - Current MacBook Air in the same design but with higher resolution display, one USB-C and USB 3.0 for $949 or like now $999. This wolu be for people that starts their adventure with Apple or even for education. Why 1 USB-C - to be ready for new, why 1 USB 3.0 - if its for students, it's very possible that they don't have money for newest hardware and will not change pendrive's/printers/scaners just because courage...

So - you want to Pro machine? Get MacBook Pro. You want ultra portable hardware? Get MacBook Air. You want budget Apple device? Get MacBook?

If they add retina to Air and better CPU, I can't see people will buy current 12" MacBook for $300 more. Same screen, similar size and weight, worse CPU for more money - sounds cool. If the difference is $150 and with one more USB-C port, that may be worth it.

 

[iMi]

They mentioned software. I hope iWorks suite gets an overhaul to better compete with Office. That would be exciting.

 

[JSt83]

I never said you couldn't have an opinion. I am just saying that while you like the new keyboard, for some of us it is the single thing that is driving us away from Apple hardware.

And seriously, if you don't want random people replying to you, you really shouldn't be posting to a forum.

You come across rather lame though.

 

[albebaubles]

This article says that it WON'T be ready for next weeks event so it's likely that we won't hear anything about this new MacBook until around WWDC time.

Normal for to announce products that wont be available for months, if ever. Airplay2, open sourcing FaceTime....

 

[Greenmeenie]

The moniker macbook “Air” doesn’t make sense anymore. Current macbooks are thinner than the macbook air! Just combine the two already. Just lower the cost of the macbook. Keep it simple Apple.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Lower prices, better battery life/standby time and all the benefits that come when a single company controls the OS and the processor/hardware it runs on (rather than being tied to Intels release schedule).

Basically everything that MS/Qualcomm are trying to get with their Windows on ARM, except far superior in every regard.

How about broken software for at least a few years while non-Apple devs decide if they want to re-code their offerings yet again, especially when the rest of the line is still based in intel?

How about abandonware when devs decide it's just not worth it to re-code again?

Is there a Rosetta-type product available to somewhat smooth this kind of transition? Or would this be the harsher kind of CPU change, where stuff just breaks and Mac people need to own 2 Macs and hop back & forth to be able to use their key software (not made by Apple).

How about consumer confusion that some Apple Mac software runs on this new computer and some doesn't?

How about (probably) no more bootcamp so we can go back to a world where we need separate computers instead of killing 2 birds with one stone? I know someone like you probably would not give a hoot about Windows compatibility but everyone else is not you. For some, it's very nice to be able to switch into Windows when our clients need something done in Windows and/or the only way to connect or do something for clients requires a Windows computer... much nicer than having to lug along a second computer just in case and/or do without or let down a client.

And I have zero faith that Apple hardware deprecation = lower prices. Instead, when Apple kicks hardware features out, pricing seems to RISE. Where you may perceive Apple would deliver lower prices, I expect Apple would enjoy higher margins by not lowering prices.

Apple used to control the OS and the processor/hardware it ran on. Ultimately, that drove them to switch to Intel.

 

[manu chao]

Normal for to announce products that wont be available for months, if ever. Airplay2, open sourcing FaceTime....

Big difference between software and hardware. You can pre-announce software because there is no penalty when buying new hardware now, you'll get the software for free like everybody else later. If you pre-announce hardware, people buying now before the new hardware ships would be worse off compared to waiting and only buying when the new hardware drops. Consequence, lower sales now.

 

[eddjedi]

It is quite sad how Apple have let their computers fall in to chaos. A Mac "Pro" that has 5 year old internals. A Macbook "Air" which isn't their lightest laptop. Macbook "Pro" which many people don't think is up to professional use due to the keyboard (even though mine is fine, lots of people seem spooked by it.) It's really not rocket science, they need three levels of laptop - cheap, mid range, and professional.

 

[Sethal]

I find it hard to believe that they would release an updated MacBook Air, it makes more sense for them to release a cheaper version of the MacBook. Then their laptop offerings wouldn’t be so fragmented.

 

[gertruded]

The air is STILL the best laptop sold by Apple, and that is a problem. The 'pros" have that unacceptable keyboard and outragious pricing. The company no longer cares about the Mac line as demonstrated by their lack of updated Airs and Mini, as well as pro machines and their badly designed Macbooks.

Apple is eating their future customers for short term profits. A lower priced iPad is just a token attempt at reaching what used to be their base of young users.​

 

[WhoDaKat]

I like all the education initiatives, but it won't work. Unless they want to make a $200 laptop to compete with Chromebooks its going to be hard for Apple to stop losing ground in this area. Schools are poor, and people hate taxes so I don't see anything changing any time soon. Too bad because its giving our kids the idea that everything should be cheap or free. Quality is dying in America.

 

[rmoliv]

And is this cheaper iPad going to replace the current cheapest iPad (9.7'' 2017) or are they going to keep both models? Glad I returned mine and got an iPad Pro, it just felt like an overly expensive, outdated iOS device put into a piece of plastic and aluminum. And I think an iPad without pencil support doesn't make any sense anymore. To be able to take notes on it with the pencil is one of the major features why I went for the Pro. I've learned the lesson: never buy low-end Apple products, not worth the price, outdated technologies.

 

[Sethal]

How many ports are you using anno 2018 on your laptop. I mean apart from a usb-stick every now and then and charching I'm really not using any ports.

If you want more ports than you should just buy a mac book pro. Physical ports are destined to be gone and I for one am glad Apple's taking a front role in killing off ports and forcing companies to go wireless. If it was for people like you we'd still be using cd-roms and floppy disks.

I agree completely. Ports are great on a Pro model, but the average consumer probably uses cloud storage if they need to transfer anything. If not, Airdrop is a fantastic alternative. I’m not saying that USB is dead, but it’s hardly used as much by the average joe as it use to be.

 

[Dave245]

How are they going to give you a bigger screen, an extra port, AND shave off $300? If I bought a rMB in the past two years I’d be furious. That would mean the current rMB would be valued below $1000.

Who said anything about shaving off that much? What I’m talking about is a 13” option of the MacBook and dropping the price of the current 12” Macbook. Apple had both an 11” and 13” Air at one point I’m sure they could do the same with the MacBook and maybe have current the 12” with either 13” or s 14” because 13” is a little close to the 12” version.

 

[kt87]

Sell the 9.7" iPad for $199 USD, and the 7.9" iPad Mini for $149 USD, along with updating the specs. I don't see how dropping the price of the current iPad down $70 would make a difference.

 

[BWhaler]

TLDR: product with atrocious keyboard to be released.

I wish I could triple l”ike” this post.

Apple needs to learn these are not “objects” but “tools”

 

[Nicksd84]

How many ports are you using anno 2018 on your laptop. I mean apart from a usb-stick every now and then and charching I'm really not using any ports.

If you want more ports than you should just buy a mac book pro. Physical ports are destined to be gone and I for one am glad Apple's taking a front role in killing off ports and forcing companies to go wireless. If it was for people like you we'd still be using cd-roms and floppy disks.

I don’t use the ports on my MacBook Air that much. When I do it’s usually something that uses a USB 2.0 cable. So not having ONE would make it pain to make sure I have an adapter at all times. The floppy disk and cd-rom argument is not parallel. USB-C will take significantly longer to replace USB 2.0 than those deaths. There’s quite literally receptacles of USB 2.0 cables stationed everywhere. So yes we will complain about Apple not including it in current and future laptops.

 

[ignatius345]

At first glance, it would appear that Gurman is referring to a lower-priced 12-inch MacBook

How could that thing be any cheaper? Zero ports? An even worse keyboard somehow?

 

[Janichsan]

Yea I always heard that, but I had one for a year and I liked it. Got used to it in a couple hours.

I sincerely don't understand the keyboard hate!

I use it daily and I have found zero issues with it! I guess it's just like the iPhone 7 button, the first time you use it it's kinda weird, but them after a week max you forget that it's not a button.

Just wait until the first keys start to fail. Which they will inevitably.

They mentioned software. I hope iWorks suite gets an overhaul to better compete with Office. That would be exciting.

iWorks is not supposed to compete with MS Office, just like Photos isn‘t supposed to compete with Lightroom.