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Is Apple really thinking of ditching the MBA?
- Thread starter auzzuro
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Not sure if you asking for confirmation because nobody here can give you that.
Only Apple knows, we can only speculate and wait to see what Apple does.
My opinion? No way in hell Apple gets rid of their entry level (aka sub $1000) device.
Only Apple knows, we can only speculate and wait to see what Apple does.
My opinion? No way in hell Apple gets rid of their entry level (aka sub $1000) device.
Agreed. Apple will keep the MBA around until the MacBook can be produced inexpensively enough to fill the same space.
Apple seems to have learned their lesson after the first Aluminum unibody MacBook replaced the polycarbonate MacBook. A year later that brand new design became a MacBook Pro and the polycarbonate MacBook was back.
The MBA will likely stick around, with possible periodic CPU upgrades, and it will be especially important after Apple drops the 3.5mm Jack from the iPhone, following which they will replace it in the MBA with a Lightning port -- so if someone wants a sub-compact MacBook with a headphone jack, they'll need to buy the MBA ... Sort of like the MBP with DVD drive is still available.
Apple seems to have learned their lesson after the first Aluminum unibody MacBook replaced the polycarbonate MacBook. A year later that brand new design became a MacBook Pro and the polycarbonate MacBook was back.
The MBA will likely stick around, with possible periodic CPU upgrades, and it will be especially important after Apple drops the 3.5mm Jack from the iPhone, following which they will replace it in the MBA with a Lightning port -- so if someone wants a sub-compact MacBook with a headphone jack, they'll need to buy the MBA ... Sort of like the MBP with DVD drive is still available.
I think that will happen eventually, but the MBA will be sticking around for another year or two with only modest updates (i.e. CPU upgrades, port changes) as the budget option until Apple can drop the entry level price of the rMB down to ~$1000.
Nobody around here could possibly know... but that won't stop them from answering anyway.
I hope they do. Its screen is deplorable in today's environment. I owned a 2015 MBA 13 inch, and compared to the new MB it was awful.
There you go again. Those of us who love our MBAs do so for reasons you couldn't possibly understand. You're entitled to your choice. We're entitled to ours. Wouldn't you be happier here?
I had 3 MBA's over the years, including a 13 inch 2015. You didn't read my post, clearly. I'd be happier where I damn well choose to post, stop being so self righteous.
Could you cite the source of this rumor? Doubtful it's true, and certainly I hope it's not true.
I have a 2013 version and like it. If you own a MacBook Air and are using El cap. You may notice that they have worked on improving the viewing and clarity. It seems better now, but if you compare it along side a retina, of course the retina excels.
MacBook Air is a good choice if you don't desire or care about a Retina screen and prefer it over the 12" new MacBook. Retina screens a great, but The air's screen is ok for now in my book.
Love my MacBook Air i7 processor, 8gb RAM, 512 SSD, battery life and the keyboard. Lacks in screen, " yes"but ok. Overall MUCH better then the MacBook retina.
So you own a MB retina? Is that how you can say it's "much better"? MBA is a dinosaur. I mean, feel free to justify it all you want.
Also, it's *than, not then. lol.
I have chatted to Apple store staff several times over the last few years when buying MacBooks both for myself and friends/family and asked them which Mac sells the most, they have all said the Macbook Air and its very popular with students. For this reason i think Apple would keep it around, they would be mad to stop selling their most popular Macbook unless the new ones can match its price point.
You can still get that 2012 Macbook Pro with the DVD drive, so guessing it would hang around like that one did.
You can still get that 2012 Macbook Pro with the DVD drive, so guessing it would hang around like that one did.
LOL automatic typing correction setting messes me up every time.
No, I compare it with my old retina iPad 3 and can tell the difference. I have tried out the new macbook's keyboard a few times and prefer the air's. Just my opinion of course.
Ok.."old" as far as the latest technology, but the design overall is excellent. Some like the overall design of the air over the tech. Inside.
I will admit if the air had a retina screen, it would perfect. But I do not see that coming from Apple.
Feel free to moan and complain in the MacBook threads all you like, just cease this negativity about the MacBook Air unless you actually have one to justify your complaints.
Additionally, we would all appreciate it if you would accept that some people don't speak English as their first language.
Totally agree.
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I also had both and think the MBA is much better, and I don't feel I have to justify anything. loby already described it perfectly.
I wonder if apple will make a redesign of the MacBook Air just to hold the entry level market while the MacBook gets cheaper. Like what apple had with the white unibody MacBook back when the redesigned Airs were first released.
Apple always has an entry level machine to get you in the door and for education markets, so until the retina MacBook gets cheaper the Air will probably stick around.
I think the 11 inch is probably going to be discontinued I'd imagine. That model not getting the 8GB upgrade reveals Apple's plans for it.
I just bought an 11 and I really love it, but I imagine it's a rather niche product at this point.
Apple always has an entry level machine to get you in the door and for education markets, so until the retina MacBook gets cheaper the Air will probably stick around.
I think the 11 inch is probably going to be discontinued I'd imagine. That model not getting the 8GB upgrade reveals Apple's plans for it.
I just bought an 11 and I really love it, but I imagine it's a rather niche product at this point.
True, there is no way to know for sure what Apple will do until they make an announcement, however for some of us it's fun to guess what they will do based on previous patterns and the direction technology is going.Nobody around here could possibly know... but that won't stop them from answering anyway.
I'm with you on the keyboard feel.LOL automatic typing correction setting messes me up every time.
No, I compare it with my old retina iPad 3 and can tell the difference. I have tried out the new macbook's keyboard a few times and prefer the air's. Just my opinion of course.
Ok.."old" as far as the latest technology, but the design overall is excellent. Some like the overall design of the air over the tech. Inside.
I will admit if the air had a retina screen, it would perfect. But I do not see that coming from Apple.
The MBA will never have a retina screen. The power draw would half the battery life without increasing the physical size and then you'd end up with a rMBP.
However, a nice Full HD IPS screen with better color gamut would be most welcome.
This is pretty much my position, too.
As it happens, I, too, have a MBA that has 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD and a core i7; it is easily the best computer I have ever had.
Is the retina screen better than the screen on the current MBA? Of course. But the MBA still offers a sweet spot of power, portability and battery life that nothing else offers; and stuff such as the MagSafe.
To the OP: The rMB reminds me very much of the earliest generations of the MBA, that is, a handsome computer with a stunning form factor, but overpriced and underpowered for what it offered. In 2008, the MBA was nowhere near the stunning computer it had evolved into by 2013 when the battery life because impressive.
I expect that the MBA may well be discontinued, but not - to my mind - until Apple is able to offer the same spec, speed, power, and sheer reliable convenience that the MBA offers to its customer base.
A further thought occurs; reading posts here - and elsewhere - I suspect that the MBA is hugely popular amongst women, especially professional women, but the fact that women tend to be underrepresented in the tech world - and indeed, on tech fora - and may be drowned out by the tsunami of praise for the latest, brightest, and flashiest - may mean the the regard and respect in which the MBA is held by those of us who use them daily, tends to get overlooked.
It is an exceptionally reliable computer (a boring quality not to be sneezed at, but one that working people, and students, who use this computer tend to need to be able to take for granted, and one that is often overlooked when more flashy and fashionable features - such as retina screens - have been introduced, and wowed over and absorb most attention), and is also extremely portable - something that most woman value. Reliability - MBAs just don't give much trouble - and portability are two features that many of us need and value in a computer.
For what it is worth, I used to have a 15" MBP, and, while it was a great computer, it really was bit of a pain to have to haul around, - to be honest, I found it too heavy to be comfortably portable, which was the main reason (that, and the stunning form factor) that I switched to the MBA - whereas I hardly feel the weight of my MBA, especially the 11" which is an absolute gem.
And the MBA is also fast, and powerful and has amazing battery life.
Without a doubt, it is easily the best, and most reliable computer, I have ever had. My 13" MBA is my main computer - I haven't had a desktop in well over a decade - and my 11" MBA is my computer for travel. Both of them, as it happens, have travelled the world - quite literally - with me.
It is an exceptionally reliable computer (a boring quality not to be sneezed at, but one that working people, and students, who use this computer tend to need to be able to take for granted, and one that is often overlooked when more flashy and fashionable features - such as retina screens - have been introduced, and wowed over and absorb most attention), and is also extremely portable - something that most woman value. Reliability - MBAs just don't give much trouble - and portability are two features that many of us need and value in a computer.
For what it is worth, I used to have a 15" MBP, and, while it was a great computer, it really was bit of a pain to have to haul around, - to be honest, I found it too heavy to be comfortably portable, which was the main reason (that, and the stunning form factor) that I switched to the MBA - whereas I hardly feel the weight of my MBA, especially the 11" which is an absolute gem.
And the MBA is also fast, and powerful and has amazing battery life.
Without a doubt, it is easily the best, and most reliable computer, I have ever had. My 13" MBA is my main computer - I haven't had a desktop in well over a decade - and my 11" MBA is my computer for travel. Both of them, as it happens, have travelled the world - quite literally - with me.
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(sarcasm) Great! (/sarcasm) I love my 11" MBA and you just made a case for why my man-card should be revoked.
j/k, you expressed some good thoughts.
Well, haven't we heard the rumors of a 14" MacBook this year? that would give us 12",14" MB,11",13 ", as well as the rumors of a 15" Air, giving us a line up of 11"-15" Airs and MB's, Pro's would be 13"&15" for those needing such machines. If they came up with a 16" MB next year, we'd have a bottom line of machines,(AIRS), a thin and VERY light Middle Line, and topped off by the heavy lifting PRO's. THIS is where I believe Apple is going IMHO, time will tell!
I can't imagine any possible scenario where it makes sense for Apple to introduce a new Air model. The air will stick around as long as necessary to get the price of the MB down to replace it. The Air is the non-retina MBP which Apple keeps around for folks who still need a built-in DVD, and don't care about Retina displays.
The Air is the iPhone SE of the MacBook line. It will serve its purpose, open up new low-end customer adoption, and then fade away, replaced by a new high end model as the current rMB depreciates to take the Air's place.
I also don't see a 14" rMB. Considering the rumored changes for the MBP, there's not likely to be a huge difference between a 14" MB and a 14" or 15" MBP.
My daughter goes to college this fall and we had been trying to figure out what laptop to get her. She has her heart set on a Mac after using them throughout HS. We'd held out on the long shot something would be announced at WWDC.
We went to the store and took a test drive of every model. She far and away preferred the MacBook Air. She liked the form factor, keyboard and weight. She didn't like the keyboard on the MacBook.
We looked at the screens of all three through multiple angles/programs. And it didn't make a bit of difference to her. While she could see a difference, it wasn't big enough to remotely change her mind. (This is the same daughter who still uses a original Mini and doesn't see the big deal about mom's iPad Air.
As much as we all obsess about specs, some consumers are driven by other things. Made my decision easy...and saved me a buttload of money too.
We went to the store and took a test drive of every model. She far and away preferred the MacBook Air. She liked the form factor, keyboard and weight. She didn't like the keyboard on the MacBook.
We looked at the screens of all three through multiple angles/programs. And it didn't make a bit of difference to her. While she could see a difference, it wasn't big enough to remotely change her mind. (This is the same daughter who still uses a original Mini and doesn't see the big deal about mom's iPad Air.
As much as we all obsess about specs, some consumers are driven by other things. Made my decision easy...and saved me a buttload of money too.