New Slim 12" MacBook and MacBook Air Updates Soon

[CGJay]

This is what Apple has to do:

There has to be more choice so Apple should have the following lines:

11" Non-Retina MacBook Air
12" 16:10 Non-Retina MacBook Air
12" 4:3 Non-Retina MacBook Air (like the popular old Powerbook)
12" 16:10 Non-Retina MacBook Air
12" 16:10 Retina MacBook Air
13" Non-Retina MacBook Air
13" Retina MacBook Air
13" Non-Retina MacBook Pro
13" Retina MacBook Pro
15" Non-Retina MacBook Pro
15" Retina MacBook Pro
17" Non-Retina MacBook Pro
17" Retina MacBook Pro

While I understand this post isn't serious, I could see the following:
11" non-Retina MacBook Air
13" non-Retina MacBook Air
12" Retina MacBook – which would pretty much be a Retina MacBook Air
13" Retina MacBook Pro
15" Retina MacBook Pro

 

[TheMTtakeover]

well, then go there, unless ur a troll, you know you never will

Not sure why my comment gives out the vibe that I am a troll. And I am going there. I sold my iPad and now use a nexus. And my next phone will most likely be an android device. I'm not bashing Apple. Their devices are solid but just haven't been moving in the right direction for me. I was just letting another user know that I felt the same way as him/her.

 

[Gudi]

The option to choose 11 / 13 inches is much better than forcing 12 inches only.

When the MBA was introduced, it was 13" only, no 11" option.
When the rMBP was introduced, it was 15" only, no 13" option.
When the iPad was introduced, it was 10" only, no 8" option.

Do you see a pattern?

12" and 14" rMBA 16:9
plus 13" and 15" rMBP 16:10

How is that for a future notebook lineup?

If the rumor of a bigger screen with smaller bezels within the same form factor is true, than we could end up with two new MacBook Airs with Retina Display, each 1" larger than the previous model. Currently Apple has three different notebooks with 13" displays in its lineup: rMBP, cMBP and cMBA. If all the non-retina Airs and Pros are discontinued, the problem with overlapping screen sizes is solved. No reason to introduce another 13" notebook.

 

[iRun26.2]

I agree with you except I could see apple developing a custom ARM processor for the air at some point if they could make one powerful enough and it allowed for improved battery life.

Who would want improved battery life over what the MBAs have now if they lose software compatibility with their current programs because of the switch to an ARM processor?

Anyone who buys their MBA for use with BootCamp would be screwed.

 

[Yr Blues]

How about gold?

gold is so new-rich, gaudy

 

[pubwvj]

Screen is too small.

 

[iRun26.2]

So you use external display..I was talking about relying on the the machine itself as the main compter wthout any extra equipment.
12 inches is very small to be used comfortably (at home).
The option to choose 11 / 13 inches is much better than forcing 12 inches only.

No. I have no external display. I use my MBA as my only computer. I want a retina screen so I can see more information at once.

 

[henry72]

I think it's been there since at least Leopard or Snow Leopard. I have been using tap to click (and all track pad gestures) exclusively since the 2011 Macbook Air.

Sorry I mean 3 finger drag.

 

[576316]

My main want for the next generation of MacBooks is TouchID, will make logging in and getting to work so much quicker and easier. Though I'm not sure quite how they'd implement it appropriately. Make the track pad able to read finger prints? Hmm.

 

[johngwheeler]

The 15" MacBook has a quad core i7. If you need more power than that chances are you also need multiple screens and need to be a workstation running a Mac Pro.

Totally agree. My reason for singling out the 17" is that there appears to be certain user group that wants it back. I think the only differentiator between the 15" and 17" MBP was the screeen size; my opinion is that if you need a bigger screen, you should be using an external monitor (or two) anyway - the experience is just so much better. I always plug in my MBA to an external if possible.

It never ceases to amaze me the number of people I see in offices using laptops with two unused 20-24" monitors next to them. Chiropracters must love all the trade they get from sore necks and other postural problems caused by the poor ergonomics of laptops.

 

[Apple Knowledge Navigator]

The biggest contradiction users are making is that a 'fanless' MacBook will have Retina. This isn't going to happen. The majority of rMBPs have the processing capabilities for this output, but even with integrated graphics, an allegedly slimmer MacBook Air would struggle to keep cool with that pixel density and the workload to match.

Not only this, but Retina is a selling point for the Pro line. If it's an enhancement that, realistically, only benefits professional work, then what is the use including it in a consumer product?

Battery life also comes into effect, as does the screen laminating and more... The cost, specifications and usage don't add up with the existing Airs.

This new (or rumoured) 12" MacBook will likely replace both the 11" and 13" Air models. It has all the hallmarks of Cook being proactive and changing the product paradigm accordingly, and that's not surprising given how computing trends have altered since the introduction of the iPad. Having just one consumer notebook makes a whole lot of sense these days, because the only distinction between the 11" and 13" models, at the present time, is the size of the device itself; the specs are near identical. 12" is a good compromise.

With just one size, the tier would drop from 4 different products to just two - a low end model and a high end. Simpler and a smaller inventory. Who knows, it would even be a good opportunity to drop the 'Air' branding and go back to just MacBook, if it was a singular product.

 

[MyopicPaideia]

If there's a lighter and thinner notebook than the Air, doesn't that defeat the purpose of it? This makes no sense.

Um...it is most probably replacing the current models. Meaning it is going to be the new MBA, the old ones are going to be discontinued.

Likewise, all those complaining about it being yet another SKU in the notebook lineup - it just won't be. I can almost guarantee that with the launch of this product, there will be less SKU's.

This is probably going to be the spiritual successor to the white MacBook, replacing both the 11" and 13" MBA's. It will most likely be simply called MacBook Air. The 13" non-retina pro is gone, so you've got only the 13" and 15" MBP's and the MBA. Three notebooks instead of five.

It is going to kick a**.

Looking like Apple may be moving towards a unified product naming system... bear with me here:

Computers: iMac, Mac mini, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro
Tablets: 8" iPad mini, 10" iPad Air, 12" iPad Pro**
Phones: 4" iPhone mini**, 4.7" iPhone Air**, 5.5" iPhone Pro**

** Obviously pure speculation using the rumours we've been fed over the last 6 months or so... could also of course be pure nonsense.

 

[Menneisyys2]

Agree. There are tons of high quality 17" laptops on the market. If Apple doesn't want the business, it's time to move on.

I wish som eof them ran OSx86 fully, without any issues...

I really feel cheated. Before switching to the Mac, I had been an IBM Thinkpad A/T p-series user. That was the highest-end of all laptops available, with the best quality screens (IPS even as of 2001, in the a22p), (back in the time) largest and highest resolutions (UXGA, that is, 1600*1200, even in 2001).

When I switched to the Mac and made some serious investments in apps, I wouldn't have thought I would later be deprived of the highest-end model. Had I known some 4-5 years ago the 17" line (the only one suitable for me) would be stopped, I personally wouldn't have bothered with switching to OSX (and investing heavily in software on it) at all.

----------

my opinion is that if you need a bigger screen, you should be using an external monitor (or two) anyway - the experience is just so much better. I always plug in my MBA to an external if possible.

There are cases when it's simply impossible, not even with some extra money. I've often explained I spend at least a month in my summer cottage right in the North, pretty close to the Arctic Cycle. In Finland, most summer cottages aren't connected to the electric network but use sun panels to collect some energy. It's fully impossible to drive a 110/220V, full monitor using them - they're onlly sufficient for nighttime lighting (via 12V lamps) and, also via 12V, using 12V -> 5V converters to recharge iDevices, phones etc., but not really for anything working via 110/220V inverters.

 

[johngwheeler]

I dunno-- the differences between the MBA and MBP are fading as the MBP gets smaller and lighter. If they go retina on the MBA, then moving to ARM would be a differentiator. The 13" MBP ensures they won't loose much marketshare if the ARM switch turns out to be a mistake.

Intel has been "working on improving efficiency" since Netburst nearly melted the planet. They seem to be culturally inhibited from sacrificing any performance for efficiency. ARM on the other hand has been working on improving performance and has been much more successful-- particularly in multicore architectures.

I always thought an ARM based Mac was a bad idea, but after reading all of this I can kind of see it. Maybe it's just my mood and I'll change my mind tomorrow...

This may happen in the future, but I don't think ARM performance is anywhere near x86 yet, and would require a massive software shift for Apple. I think the differnentiator between MBA and MBP will be size, CPU power and ports. The new MBA may just become the New MacBook and be the entry level 12" laptop with a medium power 2-core i5.

 

[tmanto02]

12"MBP? I would love that.

However please put in a better GPU in the 12-13" MBP's please Apple

It certainly won't have a decent graphics card if they are going fanless. They have dropped dedicated gpus in all but the top of the line 15inch

 

[xmichaelp]

When the MBA was introduced, it was 13" only, no 11" option.
When the rMBP was introduced, it was 15" only, no 13" option.
When the iPad was introduced, it was 10" only, no 8" option.

Do you see a pattern?

12" and 14" rMBA 16:9
plus 13" and 15" rMBP 16:10

How is that for a future notebook lineup?

If the rumor of a bigger screen with smaller bezels within the same form factor is true, than we could end up with two new MacBook Airs with Retina Display, each 1" larger than the previous model. Currently Apple has three different notebooks with 13" displays in its lineup: rMBP, cMBP and cMBA. If all the non-retina Airs and Pros are discontinued, the problem with overlapping screen sizes is solved. No reason to introduce another 13" notebook.

They'd always released the bigger one first though, if they did this they would go 12 and then 14 later so your reasoning doesn't really work. Plus I don't see them having a Air bigger than a Pro, that just seems weird.

 

[thebrobrah]

fanless...first thing that came to mind was ARM

which means no sale from me

a larger ipad with keyboard? no thanks

 

[Macalway]

Wow

Perhaps they got samples of Broadwell and found that they could go fanless with some of the variants

This would be impressive indeed.

The final move to no moving parts except the keyboard.

Thats next?

 

[thebrobrah]

i dont agree

fanless broadwell means underclocked/underpowered

 

[Renzatic]

Shame on Apple for replacing their devices with more capable ones.
Progress – why can it not be stopped?​

I think he said he was mourning the loss of capabilities, not the inevitable progress of tech.

 

[Navdakilla]

Loved my 11" air when I had it, now my gf enjoys it.

 

[Bill Poulos]

Bfd!

Apple's stock price will begin to match their computer screen size.

 

[panther quest]

My main want for the next generation of MacBooks is TouchID, will make logging in and getting to work so much quicker and easier. Though I'm not sure quite how they'd implement it appropriately. Make the track pad able to read finger prints? Hmm.

I would really love that. i think it's possible.

 

[anthony11]

I used to sell for Apple Retail and had customers using high-end audio and video software on 11-inch Airs with SSD storage—not as their primary machines, but for portable work. The software ran fine. BTW—the black Macbooks are classics. Hang on to your collectible.

I've had it claimed to me that people who like using an old version of Pro Tools buy up Mac Pro 1,1's for the task, which is why they're worth $350 instead of $0.

 

[bungiefan89]

I don't get why anyone actually clicks to click something, tapping is so much easier and less straining over time.

Because of the higher degree of accuracy. It's a digital input rather than an analog one.

I've tried tapping, and it's absolutely not for me. Far to often I've tapped on something for a "click" and if I hit the surface the wrong way, one of my "clicks" ends up just moving the cursor instead of actually clicking on something.

Sure, maybe only 5% of the taps don't register the way I want them to on my iPod Touch, but that's very different from the 0% of clicks that don't register with my mouse or trackpad on my laptop. And considering the amount of clicking I do when using a computer, that 5% quickly becomes a big burden not just in one or two programs, but on my experience of the entire device.

A laptop without a button for the trackpad is a deal breaker for me. Strain? What, are you one of those people who uses two hands to manipulate the trackpad?