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The lack of a backlit keyboard would've been a dealbreaker for me, but it's moot since I picked up the heavily discounted M4 Air during the holidays instead of waiting for this. I do think this is a good alternative to people with more limited funds if Apple prices it right.
 
If this is true, this sounds like a $399/$499 (or $599 for a slightly higher spec'd SKU) Chrome Book competitor. Anything above $599 would bring you into the MacBook Air category (for only a couple of hundred more at some resellers), and for a whole lot more in terms of features. Curious to see what they actually come out with. I am sure they will make this MacBook a bit more compelling over Chrome Books.
 
do we think lack of backlit keyboard is evidence for white keyboard?

all sound acceptable to me, though 8 gb max would be worrying for long term software support..
 
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Folks, it's really not that complex. Apple is required to have a clear upgrade path for each device. It's not that they couldn't include many, or all, of these things. It's that if they did so, there would be no clear upgrade path, which disrupts the mandatory increased profits each quarter. Remember, Tim said the pipeline has never been stronger, and that's because Apple has clear upgrade paths to take their best-in-class products to a whole new level, featuring game-changing features.
 
I'm only surprised by the "No N1 chip".
Isn't that supposed to be cheaper for Apple?

No, because Broadcom ships like 500-600M BCM family Wi-Fi chips each year, everything from routers to Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

N1 has always been about Apple-specific features and performance, not cost.
 
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While I get the intent here is to compete on price, I can't help but to think why anyone would want something other than a flagship product (MBA or MBP). I would hate to have a constrained version of a product but i think this will be a hit in education - I hope all Chrome Books are tossed in the garbage and replaced with these.
Because a sizable amount of people don't see the value in spending much on technology. They mainly think about the charge being sent to their card, not the value that the product will provide them

My family thought this way up until I got my first MacBook (nobody else had a Mac prior), and then they started spending a little more on technology
 
Clearly this is not targeted for the average MR folks …
And if they price it above $599, I doubt it will sell in the rumored quantities (eg 30% of MAC sales)

I would argue that $699 is palatable for people now that they are used to the absolutely-not-a-tax pricing that has trickled into the consumer component space. With even basic SSD prices now high, I see less of a sticker shock in play. If anything, I feel $599 would be a miracle.
 
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