How many major OS update Can I expect on MBA?

[617660]

Well, I know on the iPhone, Apple gives each generation 3 major updates, which is decent enough. I wonder how many major OS update can be expected on the 2011 mid-year MBA? It's shipped with Lion 10.7.

Is there a cold hard fact derived from the past? Or we just have to take a guess?

 

[ThomasBoss]

my guess is probably 2 with great performance, and a third with 'mehhh...'

 

[KPOM]

Well, I know on the iPhone, Apple gives each generation 3 major updates, which is decent enough. I wonder how many major OS update I can expect on my 2011 mid-year MBA? It's shipped with Lion 10.7.

Is there a cold hard fact derived from the past? Or we just have to take a guess?

We'll all need to take a guess, but since the 2011 MacBook Air has a processor that debuted in mid-2011 (from a family that was first released in late 2010), I'd say that it should last for quite a while.

 

[kjlake]

I'm not personally aware of any rule of thumb when it comes to Mac OS updates and system lifecycle. I have both a 2007 MacBook and a mid 2011 Air and when the MacBook was released the OS version was 10.4. However, if I choose, it will run Lion without difficulty.

Unlike some other OS's, Apple seems to maintain compatibility for quite a while.

I wouldn't be too worried about it...

Regards

Kevin

 

[Tycoonguy]

Don't worry, Macs don't have 2 year contracts.

My iMac is on it's 4th Mac OS (Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard & Lion). I don't see a reason I won't be able to run the next OS either.

 

[MultiFinder17]

My 2009 Air is on its third major release with great performance, and I'd imagine that it'll run 10.8 well enough.

 

[617660]

I think what I am looking for is a historic timeline. I know SL drops the support for all PowerPC Macs, and Lion drops some intel-based macs (please correct me if wrong). So I guess I am just looking for cold hard facts, but it sure is nice to hear the positive feedbacks thus far.

 

[mrsir2009]

I'd say three.

 

[bill-p]

I think 10.8 or 11 or whatever the next major update may be would be a long time from now.

If you plan on keeping your Macbook Air around for that long, then know that some people still lug around their G4 Powerbook running 10.4...

 

[ditzy]

It is possible, I'm not saying likely, that apple could drop compatibility with Core 2 Duo macs. Again I'm not saying I think that this is going to happen, but as no computer with a C2D processor has been released running Lion it is possible. This isn't an issue for you and I'd expect that you would have at least one and more than likely two or three upgrades.