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Leakers Claim Next MacBook Air Will Have White Notch and Bezels, Here's Why They Could Be Right
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White bezels makes sense from a design perspective, to give the "Pro" models a more pro look while having the more "fun" models with more color options and lighter bezels. But as people have said, the big problem is a white notch does actually stick out quite dramatically in every mode. The black notch works on the new MBP because the miniLED display lets the notch become completely invisible in fullscreen modes, but even with full white displayed the white notch would always be visible, and with black camera cutouts, a lot uglier.
Hey, I’d agree, personally - but looking at the Internet, there definitely *is* drama
I personally really like the solution they chose.
I think there is drama, but it represents a fractional impact to Apple and the sales of the device. The bulk of people out there just don't care enough. You are already talking about the minority of people who even know Apple just came out with a new laptop. Most average people won't find out for months. You think they care? No. There is no drama for them.
For those that know and who are going to use the MB Pro as a tool, a true professional device to get your work done and you can't easily use something else...you don't care about a notch. Why? Because you care how the laptop will help you get your work done faster, that is what matters. Time = Money. My business and its efficiency is not so fragile that Apple's notch decision is what matters. The performance of the machine? Yes! The storage capacities? Somewhat. The screen? Somewhat. And so on. Performance is what it is all about. I can now truly do workflows remotely that I could not do before. I can better utilize my time. That is what matters when making a business decision.
I get that there are people who won't HAVE to get the new machine because their business needs don't depend on the horsepower of the laptop they are using. Maybe they don't use it for their business and they just want a fast machine. For those people they can afford to be nit-picky and vocal. But in the end, they will either get it or not and since they are just the vocal minority, I doubt really anything will change. So in that sense, I don't see any "drama" at a large scale, just the normal vocal "fans" that are invested emotionally but don't represent the larger buying base.
I predict no Macbook Air anymore, just a new Macbook that is really an Air.... 13 inches and only MBPros will have 14 inch or higher screens.
I'm an anti-notcher............ btw... thought-crime person , sinner, and hanger-on to older Macs.
I'm an anti-notcher............ btw... thought-crime person , sinner, and hanger-on to older Macs.
The solution here would be an iPad Pro running MacOS. Apple seems to be working towards parity in internals, so maybe we'll get that.
Interesting idea. Could put a mag safe mount near the center-top of back of screen to hold phone so the back camera peeps over the lid. They won’t ever do anything like that, but fun to think about.
After having used the M1 Pro MBP for 2 days and at night, I think there is a practical reason for the matte black well around the keys. It reduces the visibility of the keyboard backlight bleeding from around the keys
Honestly I was eager for their release, but when I saw the design I was appalled by it, then went to check in person and was horrified.
I think these new MBAs look good. Personally, I prefer the classic MBA wedge shape and current color schemes for the chassis, keyboard, and bezel. But, that's subjective.
When they replace the current MBA with the new model, I hope Apple offers a MacBook SE. Basically, they could sell the current M1 MacBook Air with an updated processor. Apple might even be able to offer it for $899 ($799 education discount) rather than the current $999. Retailers are already selling the current MBA for less than that. This would nicely round out Apple's SE line-up:
iPhone SE
iPad SE (iPad 9)
Watch SE
MacBook SE
AirPodsSE (2nd Gen)
Very good time-tested devices at very good prices.....marketed for everyday home, office, and student consumers.
When they replace the current MBA with the new model, I hope Apple offers a MacBook SE. Basically, they could sell the current M1 MacBook Air with an updated processor. Apple might even be able to offer it for $899 ($799 education discount) rather than the current $999. Retailers are already selling the current MBA for less than that. This would nicely round out Apple's SE line-up:
iPhone SE
iPad SE (iPad 9)
Watch SE
MacBook SE
AirPodsSE (2nd Gen)
Very good time-tested devices at very good prices.....marketed for everyday home, office, and student consumers.
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I actually think this is a great shout. Though if they keep the current M1 Air around it'll keep the same processor/chip I bet at a lower cost
I also wonder if they'll actually go with the SE branding as that's only used for the phone and watch. They could have rebranded the iPad and the AirPods this time round but they chose not to.
But it is quite as simple as that; even after the elaborate explanation in the article. Seeing as how Apple is restructuring and tidying up their utterly confusing product lineups, in terms of appearance, Macs will (should) begin to feel much more like a family rather than distant relatives. A MacBook Air with colors and black bezel would be a deviation from the new language and present an anomaly in their computing lineup.
Perhaps you'll be able to turn the menubar light even with dark mode such as the third-party tools that turn the menubar dark for light mode on the new MBPs.
Try them out firsthand before you write them off based on internet rumors and hot takes.
I speculate there could be two sizes of colourful Macbook Air. It would make sense for more market coverage have more sizes. I'd made 13.5" (13.3" if no notch) and 15.5" (15.3" if no notch). Unless Apple want to claim "one size rule them all". In that case I'd guess for 14.2" (14" if no notch). I hope they make two sizes.
They should also make not colourful laptop for executives and managers - Macbook. They could make it with different color options silver, grey, gold with black bezels in same design and size of new Macbook Air.
But for more fun I'd make two other sizes of "executive" Macbook in complement to colourful Macbook Air. So 12.5" (12.3" if no notch) and 14.5" (14.3" if no notch). If "one size rule them all I'd guess for 13.5" (13.3" if no notch).
Looking forward for rumours
They should also make not colourful laptop for executives and managers - Macbook. They could make it with different color options silver, grey, gold with black bezels in same design and size of new Macbook Air.
But for more fun I'd make two other sizes of "executive" Macbook in complement to colourful Macbook Air. So 12.5" (12.3" if no notch) and 14.5" (14.3" if no notch). If "one size rule them all I'd guess for 13.5" (13.3" if no notch).
Looking forward for rumours