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omelet1978

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Sep 22, 2012
271
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I've always been tempted by the 12 in Macbook, and was just wondering if there are any rumors for an update this year?

I think if it gets TouchID alone it would be a good update. I'm debating on getting a new one or buying a slighly used one on eBay after the October event.
 
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I would wait and see if there is an event this month, there is rumoured to be a new MacBook introduced, the last report from Ming Chi Kuo said that it will have Touch ID, Retina display and updated specs. They will probably update the other Mac line up as well.
 
Seems like no point in 3 computer if they are all the same.

Touch ID and the little bar thing is a gimmick that can stay on the pro

I don’t see much of a diff between the air/MB if you make both retina and the same size. A 2018 computer without a retina screen is ridiculous at this point

Unless they replace either the MB or MBA as they are pretty similar with a Hybrid tablet/computer that uses both OS.
 
I would like to see a new generation MB 12" in the coming months of this year. Intel just released the new m/y Amber Lake cpu generation less than two months ago which would just fit the MB in case of a refresh. Also the MB was last updated 492 days ago which is a lot higher than the average MB and MBP update cycle. If they wait for a refresh until april 2019 this would add around 180 days to the cycle which would result in a total of more than 650 days. That is what is making me believe that there will be an update this year. Probably a silent update like we have seen it before with the MB 12". Design will most likely stay the same with only the cpu, maybe a thunderbolt 3 type-c port and the new 3rd gen. butterfly keyboard updated. Also we might see Bluetooth 5.0 in it.

Edit: Also the last MB 12"s cpu was launched in April 2017 and the refresh of the new MB with that came in June 2017 two months after. If this could be applied to a possible MB 12" refresh this year, it might be released in the end of october scince the new Amber Lake chips were launched in the end of August of this year.
 
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I think they will just update them on the store this or next Tuesday. Do you guys really think a new MacBook Air is event level news even if they make it $800

Computers at this point are an after thought

Even if they make a iPad Pro like the Surface to replace the MacBook or Air that wouldn’t be big enough to have a show for.

I hope it’s announced on a off cycle. I mean maybe we would care because we know better then to buy a 500 day old product for full price but most don’t or don’t care.

A show to be like look cheaper MacBook, cheaper IMac or a 8k one !!! I just don’t think Tim Cook cares about anything other then the iPhone
 
I think they will just update them on the store this or next Tuesday. Do you guys really think a new MacBook Air is event level news even if they make it $800

Computers at this point are an after thought

Even if they make a iPad Pro like the Surface to replace the MacBook or Air that wouldn’t be big enough to have a show for.

I hope it’s announced on a off cycle. I mean maybe we would care because we know better then to buy a 500 day old product for full price but most don’t or don’t care.

A show to be like look cheaper MacBook, cheaper IMac or a 8k one !!! I just don’t think Tim Cook cares about anything other then the iPhone

The 12” MacBook they could update silently, BUT I don’t think they will do the same with the new Air they would want to talk about how they’ve put a Retina display in it and so on. The iPad Pro will be at the event for sure, it’s a redesigned iPad Pro there is no way that Apple won’t want to talk about that.
 
The 12” MacBook they could update silently, BUT I don’t think they will do the same with the new Air they would want to talk about how they’ve put a Retina display in it and so on. The iPad Pro will be at the event for sure, it’s a redesigned iPad Pro there is no way that Apple won’t want to talk about that.

There won't be a MacBook Air. The Air name was dropped years ago on iPad etc.
Apple want 2 products in their lines that make the most money - iPhone XR and XS - iPad and iPad Pro. Why would they have 3 designs on a laptop that doesn't sell like the iPhone in quantity and profit?
The MacBook is due for a new design next year - here we'll see a 128GB option for £999 with options going up to 1TB.
There will be a 2019 new design MacBook and a 2018 MacBook Pro.
The old man Air does not fit Apple's design, it doesn't offer colour options, it's sockets, its keyboard, huge bezels, charging plug ALL CONFLICT with Apple of today. The whole thing has to be thrown away. It's a bit of an embarrassment when you see one. It's old - very very old, conservative and dull. It has no wow factor to it.

Sticking a retina display in an old Air is comical that people will think it's going to happen. It would have happened in 2015. Designers and R&D would NEVER do this. This start with a clean, new idea. It would be like taking an iPhone 3GS sticking a retina screen in it and wondering why people won't buy it in 2018.

People really need to forget about this MacBook Air. It really should have been axed in 2015. Apple has moved on.
 
The MacBook Air is already a $800 computer all the time at Best Buy. I think I got one for 700 or 750 with the college student special.

But again school started most these students already got new computers for the school year. New computers won’t move their bottom line enough to warrant a show. Nor will a new iPad Pro unless they announce another computer that is a hybrid like the surface.

The iPad Pro until I can use Microsoft word or excel on it is pointless for the amount of money they want. The iPad I had it and was a $500 comic book reader/YouTube/movie player. Neither do enough to warrant being the price of a low end PC.

+ having a iPhone + a laptop + iPad are over kill. Maybe if you have a iMac and want to surf the web in the living room and don’t have a iPhone plus. But for $300-800 get a MacBook Air.
 
There won't be a MacBook Air. The Air name was dropped years ago on iPad etc.
Apple want 2 products in their lines that make the most money - iPhone XR and XS - iPad and iPad Pro. Why would they have 3 designs on a laptop that doesn't sell like the iPhone in quantity and profit?
The MacBook is due for a new design next year - here we'll see a 128GB option for £999 with options going up to 1TB.
There will be a 2019 new design MacBook and a 2018 MacBook Pro.

Sticking a retina display in an old Air is comical that people will think it's going to happen. It would have happened in 2015. Designers and R&D would NEVER do this. This start with a clean, new idea. It would be like taking an iPhone 3GS sticking a retina screen in it and wondering why people won't buy it in 2018.

People really need to forget about this MacBook Air. It really should have been axed in 2015. Apple has moved on.

We will see, the “budget” MacBook has been said to be a new Air, whether it actually is I guess we will find out soon enough. They could drop the price of the 12” MacBook and introduce a 13” version but I’m not sure if they will do that.

Both Ming Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman have said there is a lower cost MacBook coming which gives it a lot of weight. Kuo is often right when it comes to his reports, he was right about the iPhone’s this year, he was right about the Apple Watch and he was right about the MacBook Pro’s. Maybe the name of the Air is wrong? It was Mark Gurman who called it that, BUT I don’t doubt that there is a cheaper MacBook coming for the consumer and education market.

I do agree that there will probably be a design change for the 12” MacBook next year, it’s been a few years since the MacBook was introduced so my guess is a spec bump this year with a design change next year or the year after.
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The MacBook Air is already a $800 computer all the time at Best Buy. I think I got one for 700 or 750 with the college student special.

But again school started most these students already got new computers for the school year. New computers won’t move their bottom line enough to warrant a show. Nor will a new iPad Pro unless they announce another computer that is a hybrid like the surface.

The iPad Pro until I can use Microsoft word or excel on it is pointless for the amount of money they want. The iPad I had it and was a $500 comic book reader/YouTube/movie player. Neither do enough to warrant being the price of a low end PC.

+ having a iPhone + a laptop + iPad are over kill. Maybe if you have a iMac and want to surf the web in the living room and don’t have a iPhone plus. But for $300-800 get a MacBook Air.

I don’t see Apple introducing the iPad Pros without an event, they are getting a redesign and that is something they will want to show off. Mac updates are also coming, the iMac is due an upgrade, the 12” MacBook is due a spec bump and then there is the lower cost “budget” MacBook that’s coming.

Ming Chi Kuo has said that it will have Touch ID but not the Touch Bar, you can read his report here that was reported on by Macrumours. https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...all-apple-watch-series-4-models-more.2136191/

“His research note with TF International Securities adds that Apple's widely anticipated lower-priced MacBook may replace the current 12-inch MacBook. Again, the wording is somewhat ambiguous, so it's unclear if Kuo means the 12-inch MacBook will be refreshed, or if it will be entirely replaced.

Kuo expects the new lower-priced MacBook to support Touch ID fingerprint authentication, but without a full-out Touch Bar, which remains exclusive to select 13- and 15-inch models of the 2016 and later MacBook Pro:The new low-price MacBook may replace the position of the current 12" MacBook. We expect this new model to support the Touch ID but it will not have the Touch Bar. Everwin Precision is the main beneficiary because it is the first time this company will enter the Mac casing supply chain and its shipments account for 20% of the new MacBook model's D parts.”

With this again I expect Apple will want to announce it on stage.
 
Realistically, how can a new 13” MacBook Air with a retina screen and Touch ID be introduced as a cheaper model than an existing 12” Retina MacBook without Touch ID?

Now that the 12” MacBook has been around long enough to have recouped its R&D costs I think they will just lower the price of the bottom of the range configuration, just as the original MacBook Air got cheaper after it recouped it’s R&D costs.

Introducing a 13” Retina equipped laptop for less than the cost of a 12” one would basically kill the MacBook off.
 
Realistically, how can a new 13” MacBook Air with a retina screen and Touch ID be introduced as a cheaper model than an existing 12” Retina MacBook without Touch ID?

Now that the 12” MacBook has been around long enough to have recouped its R&D costs I think they will just lower the price of the bottom of the range configuration, just as the original MacBook Air got cheaper after it recouped it’s R&D costs.

Introducing a 13” Retina equipped laptop for less than the cost of a 12” one would basically kill the MacBook off.

That’s what’s also mentioned in the Ming Chi Kuo article, it could replace the 12” MacBook.
 
^aha. Got it.

Sorry I forgot to link the Macrumours front page report on it, here it is https://www.macrumors.com/2018/09/10/kuo-september-2018-predictions/

“His research note with TF International Securities adds that Apple's widely anticipated lower-priced MacBook may replace the current 12-inch MacBook. Again, the wording is somewhat ambiguous, so it's unclear if Kuo means the 12-inch MacBook will be refreshed, or if it will be entirely replaced.

Kuo expects the new lower-priced MacBook to support Touch ID fingerprint authentication, but without a full-out Touch Bar, which remains exclusive to select 13- and 15-inch models of the 2016 and later MacBook Pro:The new low-price MacBook may replace the position of the current 12" MacBook. We expect this new model to support the Touch ID but it will not have the Touch Bar. Everwin Precision is the main beneficiary because it is the first time this company will enter the Mac casing supply chain and its shipments account for 20% of the new MacBook model's D parts.”

As you can see from the full Macrumours article, Ming Chi Kuo was right about the iPhone’s (all 3) and the Apple Watch Series 4 where he said it would feature EKG and ceramic back on all models. After being accurate about those I have no reason to doubt his claims for the new MacBook, the iPad Pro’s or the new AirPods and AirPower that’s yet to be announced.
 
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Even if they make a iPad Pro like the Surface to replace the MacBook or Air that wouldn’t be big enough to have a show for.

That would easily be the biggest Apple news in the past 5 years. Of course it would get its own event. A $299 iPad for education got its own event.
 
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