Well, the MacBook's memory and chipset technology supported 16 GB when it was launched in 2015, but Apple didn't offer 16 GB until 2017.
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New Macbook in 2018?
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True. But why? Was it because the platform was still too new to have enough volume to warrant the additional SKUs? Because it was too slow to be usable by most? I think the most likely explanation is that sales volumes only warranted one motherboard configuration, with the only difference between SKUs being which CPU was soldered on.
Surely the (finally) decently fast-enough 2017 models are a greater threat to cannibalizing the 13” MBP than were the 2015/2016 models. And the 2017 models do offer a feature-parity 16GB, which undermines your argument. I mean, if they were actually worried about cannibalization, why wouldn’t they still only be offering 8GB?
Cuz 8 GB max in 2017 is lame, even for a MacBook. OTOH, 16 GB for a MacBook will cover 98% of the MacBook buyer population. Yes, I made that number up, but you get the gist of the what I'm saying. Considerably more MacBook Pro users would benefit from greater than 16 GB.
The way I see this shaking out in 2018 is something like this:
12" MacBook
Dual-core fanless
16 GB max RAM
512 GB max SSD
13" MacBook
??? Dual-core (or ARM) fanless
16 GB RAM
512 GB max SSD
13" MacBook Pro
Quad-core
16 GB max RAM
1 TB max SSD
15" MacBook Pro
Hex-core
16 GB max RAM
2 TB max SSD
The way I see it in 2019 is something like this:
12" MacBook
Quad-core fanless
16 GB max RAM
1 TB max SSD
13" MacBook
??? Quad-core (or ARM) fanless
16 GB RAM
1 TB max SSD
13" MacBook Pro
Quad-core
32 GB max RAM
2TB max SSD
15" MacBook Pro
Hex-core
32 GB max RAM
2 TB max SSD
All bets are off for 2020.
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Good point, my usage tends to differ for example i use my Mac during long writing sessions, browse the web and play some very low games (Theme hospital, Prison Architect that type of thing) but other times i do use apps like Final Cut Pro X Pixelmator and so on.
I'm holding out until we see this years Macbook's and the rumoured 13" MacBook/Macbook Air thats said to be around $1000 or just over i think Mark Gurman has said.
Me too, trouble is, being in the UK, dread to think what that will relate to in pounds over here.
That's true but my guess is it will be around £1000 for us here in the U.K, i'm wondering if it will simply be an updated version of the MacBook Air or if it will be a new 13" version of the MacBook and the Air goes away.
I’m wondering too. Coming out with a 13” MacBook to sell alongside the 12” doesn’t make much sense, and it would likely be more expensive than the 12”. Even the 12” would need a 25% price cut to come in under $1,000.
A 14” new MacBook would at least make some sense, unless the 12” will be discontinued. But I really can’t see two MacBooks with the only differentiation being 1” in screen size. They both would likely use the same 5W Y-series CPUs, whereas a 14” would have a big enough battery to use a 15W U-series at TDP-down and still get great run times.
But what about the Air? It can take more abuse than a MacBook and it’s currently $300 cheaper than the least expensive 12” MacBook (partially due to the older, and yes, out-dated screen tech). So it’s especially good for students. I could definitely see Apple introducing a new generation Air, but I don’t think it’s the MacBook.
It’ll be interesting to see what happens.
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It is very weird, if it’s a MacBook it will be a little strange as there is already a 12” version, unless like you say the size is wrong and it’s in fact going to be a 14” much like when the Air came out with 11” and 13”
Or it’s a new MacBook Air with Retina display but that makes less sense because the MacBook exists and is more up to date (thinner lighter and so on).
Ming Chi Kuo has said “MacBook Air” in the latest report he’s come out with so that’s interesting to note.
Personally if they put higher specs and a Retina display in the MacBook Air 13” I would buy it, I think a lot of people would, the 12” MacBook sales would probably suffer tho so I’m not sure Apple will do that.
Come on, you should know by now that it relates to changing $ to £, simple as that
But if you want higher specs and Retina display they already have the 13” MBP, and it starts at $1,299, same as 12” MacBook.
The real issue is how to update the MBA and keep it at $999. I don’t think that happens by introducing a 13” version of the $1,299 12” MacBook, or cutting $300 off the price of the current $1,299 13” MBP.
At a $999 price point, it’s going to be 8GB/128GB, with expensive upgrades from the base config. Maybe no upgrade to 16GB at all for segmentation purposes. There could be a display better than the current 1440x900 TN panel, short of the 2560x1600 IPS retina panel. But I’d hate to see them use a 1920x1080 (16:9) display, and 13” IPS @ 1920x1200 (16:10) doesn’t seem to exist.
I’d expect port changes; maybe 2 USB-C 3.1 without Thunderbolt, no MagSafe because charging is done through a USB-C port, likely no SDXC because it’s little-used now (and even moreso in the future) and can be supported with a simple adapter. Probably the butterfly keyboard. Built to take the wear and tear of being tossed into a backpack every day.
But if you want higher specs and Retina display they already have the 13” MBP, and it starts at $1,299, same as 12” MacBook.
The real issue is how to update the MBA and keep it at $999. I don’t think that happens by introducing a 13” version of the $1,299 12” MacBook, or cutting $300 off the price of the current $1,299 13” MBP.
At a $999 price point, it’s going to be 8GB/128GB, with expensive upgrades from the base config. Maybe no upgrade to 16GB at all for segmentation purposes. There could be a display better than the current 1440x900 TN panel, short of the 2560x1600 IPS retina panel. But I’d hate to see them use a 1920x1080 (16:9) display, and 13” IPS @ 1920x1200 (16:10) doesn’t seem to exist.
I’d expect port changes; maybe 2 USB-C 3.1 without Thunderbolt, no MagSafe because charging is done through a USB-C port, likely no SDXC because it’s little-used now (and even moreso in the future) and can be supported with a simple adapter. Probably the butterfly keyboard. Built to take the wear and tear of being tossed into a backpack every day.
Yes but it doesn’t come in the Airs form factor which a lot of people like, I get your point tho. Ming Chi Kuo has called it the MacBook Air which is interesting, I guess we will have to wait and see later this year as it’s rumored in the second half of the year I believe.
Either way it looks unlikely I just think Apple expected the 12” to take over from the Air.
I might be way off, but I think the Air was always supposed to be the lower-end notebook.
So when it became more-capable that the Macbooks, they probably hit a dilemma. The NEW Macbook Air is almost certainly coming in Sept-Oct and I have no doubt it will change drastically due to the projection of a $899 starting price. That means it will be a seriously neutered Macbook.
Expect one port! It'll have a lame drive or drive size and maybe 8GB memory max. The processor will be low-end. It will be a netbook and not much else. It could even be Apple's step towards iOSx: a notebook computer running a hybrid OS heralding the arrival of a new Apple paradigm which moves Apple away from Intel and into their design department. OORAH!
In that case, it would be an iOS-type device that isn't really part of the Mac line.
Pure speculation.
The Macbooks would still be MacOS and might even expand a port... I'm being too optimistic, aren't I?
Maybe it could be a ARM based MacBook? After Apple announced Marzipan at WWDC I would make sense. Maybe a bit early tho but it’s possible isn’t it?
Yeah, I was kind of saying "ARM-based" but under the umbrella of "iOSx".
It's a possibility, but it is pure speculation. The Macbook Air would then be a consumer device rather than a programmer device... perhaps. It would be a step toward that bridge that is inevitably coming.
Yea I think it would make more sense than simply adding another MacBook Air or introducing a 13” version of the MacBook. An ARM based Mac would also be like you said the first stepping stone but also Apple dipping their feet in the water.
Microsoft are rumoured to be doing the same thing with a device that’s code named “Andromeda” also they are rumoured to be working on a 10” version of the Surface to compete with the iPad Pro.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...id-to-plan-low-cost-tablet-line-to-rival-ipad
There are currently some technical issues, the biggest being higher power draw. Dark mode can mitigate that problem but the high cost of large high-res panels is still an issue.
It’s already in Apple Watch and iPhone, and it’s rumored for iPad. I think we could see it in MBP by 2021.
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OLED would be sweet in MacBook. I already have OLED TV, watch and Iphone. By 2021 we may have other emissive screen technologies entering mass market.
I thought Apple would rather eat glass rather than give money to or rely on Samsung. Isn't Apple investing in 'microLED'? It looks like they've expanding the resources working on it.
If we see it in a watch this year, maybe an iPhone next and laptop the year after.
I just think 'PC's are going to go through an incredible metamorphasis in the next five years or so:
- tpus
- more cores
- combined memory/disk
- cheaper/better batteries
- cheaper/better displays
- wireless charging
However, they'll still have crappy keyboards and multiple touch bars
One thing for sure, I'll bet the pc/mac from five years will be drastically different from the one today.
Rumour has it the successor to 2017 Kaby Lake Y is 2018 Amber Lake Y.
And this Core i7 8505Y is a new chip so it could indeed represent Amber Lake Y.
If so and if 1.5 GHz is the default speed (or even mild TDP up speed) then the 2018 MacBook would see a noticeable speed boost, albeit still only dual-core. The GPU is the same model though.