Yes, that's exactly what I think will be offered at first. After Retina display prices come down I wouldn't be surprised to see the non-Retina MacBook Airs pulled in favor of just the 12" Retina MBA. Maybe after one or two years.
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New Slim 12" MacBook and MacBook Air Updates Soon
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Yes, that's exactly what I think will be offered at first. After Retina display prices come down I wouldn't be surprised to see the non-Retina MacBook Airs pulled in favor of just the 12" Retina MBA. Maybe after one or two years.
This sounds credible - keep the "legacy" 11" & 13" MBAs around for a while in their lower spec'd forms, at an entry level price, and focus marketing on the new retina 12" MacBook.
13" & 15" rMBP will get CPU upgrades, and maybe a thinner, lighter design makeover in 2015.
I have a 2013 13" MBA, so I don't need to upgrade any time soon, but I'll be closely following Apple's laptop strategy. At the moment, there is too little differentiation between MBA 13 and rMBP 13, and the compromise between weight vs retina display is unsatisfactory for consumers. I'd like the choice to be between lightweight / small & powerful / expandable but with both having great displays.
Those people are dumb, and don't deserve an iPad. They deserve their gorilla arms.
: props up iPad with smart cover :
to all those monkeys here that do not understand the needs of others. Just cause you don't need 17" screen as you can use your 13" with external monitor doesn't mean that we all have the same option! For crying out loud if I could always connect the external screen then why would I even bother with a laptop? I could get mac pro and get all the power I need and have all the screen space I want with as many screens as I need!
To me, 13" is ridiculous computer. Too small to do anything yet I don't come here bashing everyone around just cause your model sells more! There is a lot of people asking for 17" and those people ask for a reason. They don't invent their desire and they do have needs for it so why do you keep coming and bashing them for it? I want and need 17" for the screen estate. I have 15" and its just damn small. No, I can't plug in external screen everywhere I go! If I was like everyone of you then I would be coming here and saying that I hope they will discontinue 13" and 15" so you can all use fricking 11" MBA! Now lets see how you would like that when your NEED is different!!!
For crying out loud, leave the people alone. There are people that actually need 17" for a valid reason so stop attacking them! Be understanding that there is a group of people that have different needs than you! Yes, 13" is fine for facebook but those that need 17" are in a different software group. In fact, try to do anything in Maya on 15" for extensive period of time and let me know how that goes. Having just graph editor, hypershade, outliner and perspective view + shot view open. Then come here and boast how great the 13 or 15" is great for anyone!
To me, 13" is ridiculous computer. Too small to do anything yet I don't come here bashing everyone around just cause your model sells more! There is a lot of people asking for 17" and those people ask for a reason. They don't invent their desire and they do have needs for it so why do you keep coming and bashing them for it? I want and need 17" for the screen estate. I have 15" and its just damn small. No, I can't plug in external screen everywhere I go! If I was like everyone of you then I would be coming here and saying that I hope they will discontinue 13" and 15" so you can all use fricking 11" MBA! Now lets see how you would like that when your NEED is different!!!
For crying out loud, leave the people alone. There are people that actually need 17" for a valid reason so stop attacking them! Be understanding that there is a group of people that have different needs than you! Yes, 13" is fine for facebook but those that need 17" are in a different software group. In fact, try to do anything in Maya on 15" for extensive period of time and let me know how that goes. Having just graph editor, hypershade, outliner and perspective view + shot view open. Then come here and boast how great the 13 or 15" is great for anyone!
I have the 2011 13" MBA that i love but i would not want a smaller screen then 13". Guess my next machine will be a rMBP.
I don't recall trying to "force" you to do anything. Just saying it's an improved experience on newer hardware and worth trying out on said hardware. Maybe via a magic trackpad? It's a bit of a learning curve getting used to gestures but I feel like it's worth it.
If you really hate it though I hope they keep a hardware click in place for people who like it but I feel like it may be fazed out of all their stuff eventually.
I used an emoticon and everything.
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You will get used to it. Weirdness wears off fast. Theoretically it is better to start with the bigger model, because it is more expensive and has a higher TDP, which means less engineering and financing problems. But because the screen sizes are changing and the 12" is right in the middle between the existing 11" and 13" screen sizes, it might seam wise to do the intermediate model first. I don't know, the transition period is not the most important thing. The final lineup must make sense. And only one 12" rMBA doesn't make sense to me.
Exactly my thoughts. I've got the 13" cMBP and the (imaginary) 14" rMBA would be an unbelievable upgrade for me in every possible way. The best of all worlds. I don't see, why the wedge shape design should be limited to 13" or smaller. That's an artificial constraint.
The question to answer is: Are the Airs primary meant to be a line of subnotebooks or do they represent the whole consumer notebook market for Apple. In the latter case at least one 13" or bigger model is mandatory in my opinion. 12" and 14" rMBA would be perfect to cover all needs. Only the 17" crowd will cry forever.
Another customer for my imaginary 14" rMBA.
Which is why you have your company buy it for you
Seriously though, you can spend $2200 on a maxed out MacBook Air, and over $2500 on a maxed out retina MacBook Pro.
I wish! Apple has 90% of their focus on making everything smaller. 10% of their focus is on function anymore. The eye is off the ball... Innovation is MORE than making it thinner....
I want a retina screen too,but on a more standard and much more convenient 13" size of MBA not on a cramped 12 " screen.12" or bellow sucks.
Not at all. The software support decides, if some interaction method is usable as an integral part of the system or not. iOS remains a touch-based OS, even when you add a keyboard case. And OS X remains a pointer-based OS, even when you add a touch screen. Things don't change by changing the hardware alone. Even with a keyboard the iPad has no shortcuts and no modifier keys. So the following OS X commands have no meaning in iOS.
⌘A ⌘C ⇧⌘N Subfolder ↵ ⌘O ⌥⌘V ⌘W
No need to wait, you're wrong.
This is...interesting.
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Why non-retina? Keep costs down and make it a less expensive companion to higher end Airs? Because I love Retina.
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Why non-retina? Keep costs down and make it a less expensive companion to higher end Airs? Because I love Retina.
I keep hearing the A7 64bit pitch when the iPad Air and retina mini were introduced......"DESKTOP CLASS"
Another year, another speedbump.
I wonder if Apple thinks that in 500 years people will still, just like in 1990, want to unfold a little display and have to type into a typewriter keyboard and chase the cursor around a little square with their finger to make things happen on it.
100 years?
20 years?
What's it going to take to get Apple to spend a fraction of the hundreds of billions of dollars they're squatting on, on building the computers of the future today?
I wonder if Apple thinks that in 500 years people will still, just like in 1990, want to unfold a little display and have to type into a typewriter keyboard and chase the cursor around a little square with their finger to make things happen on it.
100 years?
20 years?
What's it going to take to get Apple to spend a fraction of the hundreds of billions of dollars they're squatting on, on building the computers of the future today?
There still will be, but only between the 15" ones.
The 15" ones will always have a processor with more cores than the 13" Pro/Air and a dGPU. And more max RAM.
Wow! I do all of my work on my 11" MBA (and you say a 13" screen is ridiculous.)
I write DSP and micro-controller software and use their in-circuit debuggers. I create schematic and printed circuit board layouts for my designs. I also use MATLAB for DSP algorithm research and design. Writing reports using MS Word is also common.
That probably sounds crazy to you but I love the portability. I'm sure I look silly working on my 11" MBA screen but my managment says its my choice.
I can get work done virtually anywhere because my 11" MBA can go almost anywhere. That is why I broke away from the monster sized 'notebook' computers. I used to always have the top of line notebook computer with the biggest screen.
A retina screen means more pixels. I can't wait!
I'm sorry you are unhappy. Apple can't make everything everybody wants. If they move the MBA to an ARM processor then they'll lose me too.
Imagine a MBA form factor. A8 processor. A bumped up iOS version, 7.3, with some reworked gestures to make the trackpad work well. All the in house apps(iWork, iLife, Maybe even Logic and Final Cut) reworked and optimized. Retina screen. 12+ hour battery life. Maybe even OSX and a workable recompiling method for developers. 4gLTE. It could be done and would be very interesting.
Unless there is a version of parallels that is designed around the new ARM platform. I don't think ARM is ready, not even close yet. But it could happen some day.
Which is why you have your company buy it for you
Seriously though, you can spend $2200 on a maxed out MacBook Air, and over $2500 on a maxed out retina MacBook Pro.
My first laptop cost $6300.00, back in 1996 (and it only had a 10" screen). I can't spend that kind of money now but I'd love Apple to add BTO options that put it close to $3k. I'd love a 1G SSD, 32G RAM, etc...
But thinner and lighter is the future and that is where Apple will beat the competition.
The article also talked about a new trackpad with possibly tactile feel. That would be amazing innovation (especially it contributes to a smaller MBA). I doubt that's ready yet, but who knows.
Also, the article mentioned a fan-less design. No fan noise? That would be an awesome improvement! I hate my 11" MBA fan. I have good hearing and, though it is pretty quiet, it still is annoying. Getting rid of the fan would also be excellent innovation. Again, I doubt that's ready either, but it would be nice.
Just keep an eye on the rumors for the next 13 days and see if there is anything more solid. You can't always wait for the next best thing when it's all based on rumors...
On a note related to MacBook Airs and upgrading:
I've gotta say that my 2011 MacBook Air is still super fast, my only complaint is the SSD drive is too small for me (but I got the largest at the time). Speed-wise I've also got a 2013 MacBook Pro which is at least double all the specs (processors, buss and RAM) of my MBA, but the MBA is so much faster than the Pro because of the solid state hard drive.
Gary
I think a high contrast 12" retina screen might actually still be good enough for you. Maybe not. I know I'd love it.
I plan to use in the native resolution.
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While I completely agree with you, I think you sound rude by saying it like that. Be happy to be right in three months.
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That was simply to sell iPhones!
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Agreed! Someday is not this year. Parallels couldn't do BootCamp anywhere near fast enough at this point if it is using an ARM processor.