What I mean by the "old Macbook Air" is the default "Apple laptop" that consumers of all stripes bought in volume, making it the most popular laptop in the lineup. Currently, it's $1,299 with an improved keyboard from prior versions, solid storage and solid RAM. When the next version of the keyboard debuts, along with faster intel chips and maybe one more USB C port, and if the price remains $1,299, this thing will start flying off the shelves.
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The "Macbook" is one or two versions away from becoming the old Macbook Air
- Thread starter Adelphos33
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I don't think you'll see that until the USB-C port (at least one of them if Apple adds a second) includes TB3, and the price is reduced at least a little. I'm personally holding out for a TB3 connection since I think over the next few years it will all but replace USB 3 because of Intel's recent decision to go royalty free.
No, not until the Air is discontinued.
Smaller screen gives it a lesser perceived value than an Air to the average consumer you reference.
It's pretty evident Apple is keeping the Air around for 2 reasons:
1. They obviously do not want to lower their margins on the MacBooks (in general, not just with the MacBook line), so we won't see much if any price drop at all for a while to come. If they wanted to, they would have done it already, and not kept the Air line around.
2. They want to position the iPad Pro as the MacBook Air's replacement. That's pretty evident with the new changes to iOS 11 to make the iPad Pro more of a computer and less of an appliance.
So I'm afraid what you're thinking of will most likely never come to pass. The MacBook will most likely stay in its current place for a while yet, while the MacBook Air will most likely go away when the iPad Pro becomes more productive.
1. They obviously do not want to lower their margins on the MacBooks (in general, not just with the MacBook line), so we won't see much if any price drop at all for a while to come. If they wanted to, they would have done it already, and not kept the Air line around.
2. They want to position the iPad Pro as the MacBook Air's replacement. That's pretty evident with the new changes to iOS 11 to make the iPad Pro more of a computer and less of an appliance.
So I'm afraid what you're thinking of will most likely never come to pass. The MacBook will most likely stay in its current place for a while yet, while the MacBook Air will most likely go away when the iPad Pro becomes more productive.
The key is:
More power - This will happen naturally with Intel (although Apple should drop the m3 for consistency and clarity).
Adding another USB-C port - This is what a lot of potential buyers want and would make it more appealing.
Lower price - It needs to go down to $999/$1099. Although pricing is hard now due to iPad Pros.
More power - This will happen naturally with Intel (although Apple should drop the m3 for consistency and clarity).
Adding another USB-C port - This is what a lot of potential buyers want and would make it more appealing.
Lower price - It needs to go down to $999/$1099. Although pricing is hard now due to iPad Pros.
It really needs a 2nd port. It can't drive a USB-C external monitor and be charged at the same time.
Also, my single port (2016 MB) developed a problem. The cable won't stay in for charging. My single port has a heavy duty cycle, many dongles, recharges etc. each day, so perhaps it's getting flakey. Anyway charging is intermittent. (The charger is fine, the cable is fine.) This means next Monday, an emergency visit to the Apple store. If there were two ports, it would lessen the wear and tear on the single port and I could still use it without dropping everything to go to an Apple store. I think I need to purchase a 2nd MB as backup.
Also, my single port (2016 MB) developed a problem. The cable won't stay in for charging. My single port has a heavy duty cycle, many dongles, recharges etc. each day, so perhaps it's getting flakey. Anyway charging is intermittent. (The charger is fine, the cable is fine.) This means next Monday, an emergency visit to the Apple store. If there were two ports, it would lessen the wear and tear on the single port and I could still use it without dropping everything to go to an Apple store. I think I need to purchase a 2nd MB as backup.
When I travel for work to go to conferences and such, the Macbook Air is still (by far) the most popular Apple laptop. Macbook Pros, Macbooks, etc are not that well represented. I don't think iPads can replace the ubiquity of the Macbook Air, at least when it comes to "work" use. I say this as a heavy iPad user.
If the monitor supports pass-through charging, you don't need a second port. That's the beauty of USB-C/TB3.
This simply shouldn't happen and adding another port doesn't solve the problem, only gives you a bit more time. If there's a limit to the amount of times you can connect a USB-C cable to the MB you'd need one extra port (or whatever) for each additional year you're planning to use it
In the end I never see another port happing, no matter how much people want it. It's just not what the MB is meant for, and things will move towards USB-C with daisy chaining, more stuff will be in the cloud, etc. Does that make it a perfect MBA replacement? Probably not for some, but it will for more and more users, especially in 2-3 years.
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I have an Asus 15" external monitor. with one USB-C port. It is powered via the port. Attached to the MacBook it works fine but drains the MacBook battery in no time.
I've tried various dongles that allow passthru charging of the MacBook and simultaneously supplies an extra USB-C port. It works for my USB-C disk drives. Unfortunately, then the monitor cannot turn on (not enough power from the dongle).
The problem is that while you don't think iPads can replace the MacBook Air, Apple does.
And they are pretty dead set on making it replace the MacBook Air, too, judging from the changes in iOS 11.
Not so. It can drive an external monitor and be charged at the same time. I have my 2016 M3 driving a 4K monitor all the time while being charged. And that monitor has additional USB-C ports so can serve as a hub.
Don't think you understand the setup. Your 4k monitor has external power. My Asus USB-C portable monitor doesn't. When I use a dongle with pass-thru charging of the MacBook, there is not enough power available to boot up the monitor.