Is Apple really thinking of ditching the MBA?

[blut haus]

Well, I actually DO own both, and both have their spot in my line up. I have the 13" MBA maxed out, and the Rose Gold MB maxed out. The MBA is a bit heavier, but the screen is actually larger, and is still a very clear screen. Remember, although the MBA does not have a Retina display, it is still an upgraded display sporting 127ppi. The MB has 226ppi, but to give an idea of how that compares, a
32" HDTV with 1080P has 52ppi. So, either way, the screen has a great resolution.
If you actually place the two systems next to each other, you'll see that the main area that you notice the difference is when looking at text. On images, you can barely see the difference.

For me, the MBA is a bit easier to use for intensive things. For travel, the MB is lighter and easier to store, but both are nice. Also the affordability of the MBA makes it a strong decision for many folks that would not normally look hard at a Mac laptop. The Macbook does come in some seriously pretty colors, but both are very nice and serve a purpose.

Really? The MBA has a piss poor display. I've owned every single last revision up until the 2014 and they've always been sub-par. The new MB has a ridiculously nice display in comparison.

 

[toddzrx]

I would expect a 14" screen would allow for a FHD resolution, which is all that most MBA people would say is needed to make it perfect for their usage.
I could be wrong, but as the screen would effectively be a new configuration, a FHD resolution would be ideal for watching movies while being highly portable.

Care to wager on this? I'd gladly bet that IF there's ever a redesigned Air, it'll have a "retina" resolution screen and therefore something way higher than FHD.

But the even safer bet is that the Air is toast. Not immediately, but don't hold your breath waiting for the refresh; it'll die a slow death just like the cMBP is.

 

[kiwipeso1]

Really? The MBA has a piss poor display. I've owned every single last revision up until the 2014 and they've always been sub-par. The new MB has a ridiculously nice display in comparison.

Yes, but we're not interested in your constant negativity about the MBA. It could be said that the MBr is really underpowered considering the absurd price it retails for, and is little more than a toy.
However, you could take your attitude to the MB threads, and stop your pessimistic nonsense if you wanted to do us a favour.
[doublepost=1467078702][/doublepost]

Care to wager on this? I'd gladly bet that IF there's ever a redesigned Air, it'll have a "retina" resolution screen and therefore something way higher than FHD.

But the even safer bet is that the Air is toast. Not immediately, but don't hold your breath waiting for the refresh; it'll die a slow death just like the cMBP is.

Gambling is for idiots, not mathematicians.
The point of the MBA is the high battery life and portability, you will not get a high battery life with a retina screen unless you sacrifice portability.
As Apple manufactures models of macs according to intel processor ranges, it is unlikely they will drop the MBA.

What is more likely is that the MBPr will gain a new option for Xeon processors this year.

 

[Osty]

It could be said that the MBr is really underpowered considering the absurd price it retails for, and is little more than a toy.

Hear, hear. Given the absurd price it is in Australia, I can only imagine what you guys pay for it.

Edit: Just checked $2399NZD is insane for that honker of a product.

I've only seen two in the wild in Melbourne - a city of 4million where Apple products are really common. Sign of the times, I'm seeing a lot more Surfaces these days.

Great job Apple, you're on to a winner.

 

[kiwipeso1]

Hear, hear. Given the absurd price it is in Australia, I can only imagine what you guys pay for it.

Edit: Just checked $2399NZD is insane for that honker of a product.

I've only seen two in the wild in Melbourne - a city of 4million where Apple products are really common. Sign of the times, I'm seeing a lot more Surfaces these days.

Great job Apple, you're on to a winner.

Up to NZ$3169 for the custom m7 51gb model. May as well get a Macbook Pro 15" base model for NZ$530 more.
I know there is one NZ tech journalist who likes it, however he also likes living in Auckland, so his taste is questionable to say the least.

 

[Osty]

I know there is one NZ tech journalist who likes it, however he also likes living in Auckland, so his taste is questionable to say the least.

 

[ultravisitor]

Also the affordability of the MBA makes it a strong decision for many folks that would not normally look hard at a Mac laptop.

That's actually how I ended up with an 11" MBA two years ago. I really wanted to get a Surface Pro, but then I compared costs and realized I'd be better off getting the Air.

 

[toddzrx]

Gambling is for idiots, not mathematicians.

And mathematicians do statistics, which apply directly to gambling, so mathematicians must be idiots. Are you a mathematician? Wait, what???

Please stick to answering what I wrote, not deflecting with name-calling. I'm not even sure why you are taking my comment personally? I only offered my view of the MBA's future.

As Apple manufactures models of macs according to intel processor ranges, it is unlikely they will drop the MBA.

Apple doesn't manufacture models of macs according to Intel processor ranges per se; it manufactures given models for what it as a company thinks will sell best. Just because Intel is building a processor doesn't mean Apple should build a computer around it. All this drivel (yours included in other posts) about the new MacBook being a poor machine is just that: drivel. It's selling, and from the likes of the MacBook forum, which is far more active than the Air forum, most of the customers like it because of its 2 primary features: portability and a great screen.

Getting more to your point: if Apple weren't going to drop the MacBook Air, it should have been upgraded with Skylake by now, just as the MacBook was in April. Historically speaking for Apple, this is a warning sign that a given product line is headed for EOL. It will probably be some time before they completely eliminate it from the lineup, but it's days are numbered in light of Apple history.

 

[braundiggity]

I've found a lot of people I work with choose the Air when they start instead of a Pro - the portability and SSD are big selling points. But those things are becoming less unique to the Air...

 

[Appleaker]

I've found a lot of people I work with choose the Air when they start instead of a Pro - the portability and SSD are big selling points. But those things are becoming less unique to the Air...

Especially now since the redesigned MacBook Pros will be thinner than the MacBook Airs thickest point and hopefully will have a slightly improved SSD. Now the Pro may have an edge if the oled display is a useful

 

[kiwipeso1]

And mathematicians do statistics, which apply directly to gambling, so mathematicians must be idiots. Are you a mathematician? Wait, what???

Please stick to answering what I wrote, not deflecting with name-calling. I'm not even sure why you are taking my comment personally? I only offered my view of the MBA's future.



Apple doesn't manufacture models of macs according to Intel processor ranges per se; it manufactures given models for what it as a company thinks will sell best. Just because Intel is building a processor doesn't mean Apple should build a computer around it. All this drivel (yours included in other posts) about the new MacBook being a poor machine is just that: drivel. It's selling, and from the likes of the MacBook forum, which is far more active than the Air forum, most of the customers like it because of its 2 primary features: portability and a great screen.

Getting more to your point: if Apple weren't going to drop the MacBook Air, it should have been upgraded with Skylake by now, just as the MacBook was in April. Historically speaking for Apple, this is a warning sign that a given product line is headed for EOL. It will probably be some time before they completely eliminate it from the lineup, but it's days are numbered in light of Apple history.

Statistics is called maths for cabbages for a reason.

Wrong, and wrong.
Wrong again.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

It's too thick for Ive, so it has to go. /s

 

[KassyKat]

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.

On that note, as a professional female in the tech industry for more years than I want to admit publicly, I love both my MBA and my rMB. Both are small enough that I no longer use a laptop bag, I use a mid to large size handbag as my laptop bag. My family thinks it's a riot that I'm carrying a women's handbag for the first time in decades, and i carry it for my laptop, but the bad guys see a laptop bag and they see dollar signs. They see a women's handbag and they think hairbrush, lipstick, etc.

I have both systems maxed out which equates to the MBA having a 1.7GHz Core i7, 8gb memory, & 512gb flash, and the rMB has a 1.3GHz Core m7, 8gb, & 512gb flash. Both systems are fast, great machines, but one thing that the MBA has way over the retina MacBook is the battery life. My MBA can go days and days without a charge if I put it to sleep in between uses. The retina MacBook not so much. It still has a very decent battery life, but it is not the astronomical battery life of the MacBook Air. The retina MacBook has a great screen, and once I got used to the keyboard, I found I type faster on the MacBook than on other systems (I have a few), and it is lighter, thinner, and smaller than the MBA. The MacBook Air has an upgraded display that while not as sharp as the retina MacBook, is still very clear and sharper than most displays on the market (13" MBA = 128ppi, 112" rMB = 226ppi). I love that the charger on the rMB is a two piece charger as I have a bunch of furballs at home that seem to all love chewing Apple cables, and replacing a $25 USB-C cable is a lot easier on the wallet than the $79 Magsafe. Both are very reliable, although the rMB does not have the track record of the MBA.

Basically, they are different machines, and I take that into consideration. As I said earlier, I have a few Macs, and one of the Macs I have is a 27" iMac, so my usage may be a bit different. Knowing what I do, if I were looking at having just ONE of the two laptops and I was looking at it being my only Mac, I'd opt for the MBA.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

On that note, as a professional female in the tech industry for more years than I want to admit publicly, I love both my MBA and my rMB. Both are small enough that I no longer use a laptop bag, I use a mid to large size handbag as my laptop bag. My family thinks it's a riot that I'm carrying a women's handbag for the first time in decades, and i carry it for my laptop, but the bad guys see a laptop bag and they see dollar signs. They see a women's handbag and they think hairbrush, lipstick, etc.

I have both systems maxed out which equates to the MBA having a 1.7GHz Core i7, 8gb memory, & 512gb flash, and the rMB has a 1.3GHz Core m7, 8gb, & 512gb flash. Both systems are fast, great machines, but one thing that the MBA has way over the retina MacBook is the battery life. My MBA can go days and days without a charge if I put it to sleep in between uses. The retina MacBook not so much. It still has a very decent battery life, but it is not the astronomical battery life of the MacBook Air. The retina MacBook has a great screen, and once I got used to the keyboard, I found I type faster on the MacBook than on other systems (I have a few), and it is lighter, thinner, and smaller than the MBA. The MacBook Air has an upgraded display that while not as sharp as the retina MacBook, is still very clear and sharper than most displays on the market (13" MBA = 128ppi, 112" rMB = 226ppi). I love that the charger on the rMB is a two piece charger as I have a bunch of furballs at home that seem to all love chewing Apple cables, and replacing a $25 USB-C cable is a lot easier on the wallet than the $79 Magsafe. Both are very reliable, although the rMB does not have the track record of the MBA.

Basically, they are different machines, and I take that into consideration. As I said earlier, I have a few Macs, and one of the Macs I have is a 27" iMac, so my usage may be a bit different. Knowing what I do, if I were looking at having just ONE of the two laptops and I was looking at it being my only Mac, I'd opt for the MBA.

Great post, @KassyKat.

And nice to see another woman post with praise for the MBA; agree, too, about the stunning battery life, it is absolutely wonderful. Actually, when I have all day meetings in the capital, I don't need to take peripherals (chargers, adaptors, etc) with me - they only travel when I have to overnight somewhere.

Both of my MBAs (I hadn't planned on getting two - it is a long, and somewhat convoluted story) are maxed out CTOs: that is, 8 GB RAM, 512 SSD and Core i7 - two superb computers that haven't given me a minute's bother.

 

[KassyKat]

Great post, @KassyKat.

And nice to see another woman post with praise for the MBA; agree, too, about the stunning battery life, it is absolutely wonderful. Actually, when I have all day meetings in the capital, I don't need to take peripherals (chargers, adaptors, etc) with me - they only travel when I have to overnight somewhere.

Both of my MBAs (I hadn't planned on getting two - it is a long, and somewhat convoluted story) are maxed out CTOs: that is, 8 GB RAM, 512 SSD and Core i7 - two superb computers that haven't given me a minute's bother.

I think the fact that I can use a handbag as a laptop bag is a riot, and I've spoken with more than a few guys that have been jealous that I can carry a bag that does not LOOK like I have $3000 worth of electronics in it.

 

[Osty]

Nothing wrong with a manbag

 

[Mainsail]

I would love to see Apple keep the MBA as their entry level computer and gateway machine for students and home use. They could make a few minor enhancements that would maintain the essential character of the device without costing too much: IPS 1080p display (better viewing angles, but not a battery hog like retina), smaller bezel, Force-Touch Trackpad, routine processor updates.

 

[onelessthing]

+ replace the tb2 port with tb3 and it would be perfect!

 

[Mainsail]

+ replace the tb2 port with tb3 and it would be perfect!

yes yes

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Where have you been, under a PC
[doublepost=1478477538][/doublepost]

Could you cite the source of this rumor? Doubtful it's true, and certainly I hope it's not true.

They pulled the 11" from the APPLE SITE

 

[pika2000]

I have both systems maxed out which equates to the MBA having a 1.7GHz Core i7, 8gb memory, & 512gb flash, and the rMB has a 1.3GHz Core m7, 8gb, & 512gb flash. Both systems are fast, great machines, but one thing that the MBA has way over the retina MacBook is the battery life. My MBA can go days and days without a charge if I put it to sleep in between uses. The retina MacBook not so much. It still has a very decent battery life, but it is not the astronomical battery life of the MacBook Air.

This is my pet peeve on the retina Macbook Air. I would've gotten one if it reached 12-hour battery life like the 13" Macbook Air, considering it opted for the Core M CPU. I'm even willing to sacrifice the lack of ports in the exchange for a lighter laptop and great battery life. But no dice so far. While the 13" Macbook Air is hanging in the balance, it is still the battery life champion, something that I thought Apple would put into consideration when they designed the retina Macbook.

 

[The Mercurian]

So I was hoping to pick up a bargain 11" MBA on the refurb store - but there are no MBA's on the refurb store where I live nor in some of the neighbouring countries. I've checked Ireland, UK, Netherlands and Germany and only Germany has an MBA and it is over €1000 (not a bargain).

Are they intentionally restricting refurb deals to sell more rMB's & new MBPS ?

 

[BornAgainMac]

If they put in the second generation keyboard in the current MB and lower the price to $1,000 for the entry model. Allow a the low end MacBook Pro with the Air level CPU closer to that $1200 spot I can see Apple stop making the Air.

[doublepost=1478521811][/doublepost]

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.

I had the MBA 11 (fully loaded) as a main computer by using a 27 Thunderbolt display. I also picked up the 13 MBA before on the last minor update before they disappear. I agree with you about the machines. Even if Apple does low the price of the current laptops, there is something special about these laptops that go beyond specs, screen, or price. They are like a great pair of jeans that are faded, slightly wore, that fit perfectly. The new laptops don't give you that experience at all.

I wish I still had my MBA 11. I gave it to my brother to replace his laptop and would have purchased a newer MBA 11 later.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

If they put in the second generation keyboard in the current MB and lower the price to $1,000 for the entry model. Allow a the low end MacBook Pro with the Air level CPU closer to that $1200 spot I can see Apple stop making the Air.

[doublepost=1478521811][/doublepost]

I had the MBA 11 (fully loaded) as a main computer by using a 27 Thunderbolt display. I also picked up the 13 MBA before on the last minor update before they disappear. I agree with you about the machines. Even if Apple does low the price of the current laptops, there is something special about these laptops that go beyond specs, screen, or price. They are like a great pair of jeans that are faded, slightly wore, that fit perfectly. The new laptops don't give you that experience at all.

I wish I still had my MBA 11. I gave it to my brother to replace his laptop and would have purchased a newer MBA 11 later.

I can only second everything written here.

Actually, I like your analogy of the MBA being like "a great pair of jeans" that "are faded slightly worn" that fit perfectly, but - and this is key - are a pair that you feel completely comfortable in.

 

[Boyd01]

there are no MBA's on the refurb store where I live nor in some of the neighbouring countries. I've checked Ireland, UK, Netherlands and Germany and only Germany has an MBA and it is over €1000 (not a bargain).

Sounds like it's just a regional supply and demand issue. They've been in the US refurb store every time I've checked. At the moment theres an 11" 4/128 model for $759 (€683) and a 4/256 for $929 (€836).

This might mean that the MBA is more popular in the EU and sells out faster, or maybe it means the MBA is less popular, so there isn't as big of a supply?