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Tightening MacBook Air Supplies at Resellers Hint at Upcoming Refresh

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As noted by AppleInsider, MacBook Air supplies are beginning to dry up as Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference approaches.

Currently, the 13.3-inch 256GB 1.8Ghz MacBook Air is out of stock at Amazon.com, with a listed one to two month waiting period. While the low end 13.3-inch MacBook Air is in stock, the 11.6-inch MacBook Air is in short supply. Amazon lists an inventory of just ten 1.7Ghz 128GB 11.6-inch MacBook Airs and just one lower end 64GB 11.6-inch MacBook Air available through a third party.

macbookair.jpg
Several other authorized Apple resellers, such as MacConnection, MacMall, and B&H, are also seeing dwindling MacBook Air inventory, with the higher end versions of 13.3-inch MacBook Air being the hardest to find.

Low inventory supplies at third-party Apple retailers are often one of the initial signs of an upcoming product refresh. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will be introducing new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines based on Intel's Haswell processors at WWDC, which takes place next month from June 10 to June 14.

Article Link: Tightening MacBook Air Supplies at Resellers Hint at Upcoming Refresh
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/05/17/tightening-macbook-air-supplies-at-resellers-hint-at-upcoming-refresh/
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Hmm… I wonder what will happen. I work in a K-8 school district. We have plans to order about 800 MacBook Airs for our buildings (though that could change depending on what the board does). Our IT guys are already almost done getting the basic software image done for next year for our computers. If new Airs come out and only support 10.9, that'll throw a serious wrench into things. Mainly because we don't know how it would affect other software & systems we use.

A little OT, but I'm also interested in seeing if Apple announces new versions of iLife and iWork.
 
guzhogi said:
Hmm… I wonder what will happen. I work in a K-8 school district. We have plans to order about 800 MacBook Airs for our buildings (though that could change depending on what the board does). Our IT guys are already almost done getting the basic software image done for next year for our computers. If new Airs come out and only support 10.9, that'll throw a serious wrench into things. Mainly because we don't know how it would affect other software & systems we use.
Click to expand...
Maybe it would be good to wait for the announcement. The price will drop on your order or you could get better gear for a similar price. Just wait.
 
hmmm.... Will this be the day I bite and get a MBA to replace my late 2007 whitebook?? I've been, "I'm buying the next Macbook refresh" for just over 2 years... But the reality is that it gets the job done. Especially when I'm using my iPhone and iPad most of the time anyway... It's just hard to justify the need now.

If OS X 10.9 really impresses me that could be the differentiator, cause I'm stuck on lion with my machine :(
 
What would be the difference between the rMBP and a rMBA besides a discrete graphics chip?

If I was managing Apple's notebook like, the standard non retina MBP would stay the same (well maybe lose the optical drive to allow for a larger battery or a second HD) and be rebadged as MacBook. The MBA would stay with the standard display and be Apple's ultra portable consumer computer. The so called Retina MacBook Pro would simply be MacBook Pro.

So
MacBook 13" and MacBook 15"
MacBook Air 11.6" and MacBook Air 13"
MacBook Pro 13" and Macbook Pro 15"

Not everyone wants or can afford a retina product. If I could afford one, I still wouldn't buy it. I like the freedom to upgrade my hard drive with out paying my soul to Apple. I also don't want to have to sell a computer at a loss so I can get one with more RAM.

I like freedom.
 
guzhogi said:
If new Airs come out and only support 10.9, that'll throw a serious wrench into things. Mainly because we don't know how it would affect other software & systems we use.
Click to expand...

At the WWDC we're pretty sure to get the first preview of 10.9.
Maybe the first Developer Preview of 10.9 will be available for download after that.
But, don't expect 10.9 to be final soon! It could be Christmas once it's done.

So, new hardware will either have a build of 10.8.3 (special build which includes support for the new Macs) or be compatible with the generic 10.8.4 build.

Either way your IT folk will have an easy time upgrading the image.
 
How about bringing back the 17 inch MBP? Even better, how about an MBP without the B?

This is a developers conference. I don't know that many professional developers that use a MBA.
 
Ralf The Dog said:
How about bringing back the 17 inch MBP? Even better, how about an MBP without the B?

This is a developers conference. I don't know that many professional developers that use a MBA.
Click to expand...

iOS developers do. As much as Apple wants us to think they care about the Mac, it is VERY evident that they simply don't.:(:mad:

The standard MacBook Pro hasn't been updated since last WWDC 2012! The new iMac is a horrible design and has no upgradability. The Mac mini hasn't seen love in a while, and the Mac Pro is a dead chicken.
 
ouimetnick said:
What would be the difference between the rMBP and a rMBA besides a discrete graphics chip?

If I was managing Apple's notebook like, the standard non retina MBP would stay the same (well maybe lose the optical drive to allow for a larger battery or a second HD) and be rebadged as MacBook. The MBA would stay with the standard display and be Apple's ultra portable consumer computer. The so called Retina MacBook Pro would simply be MacBook Pro.

So
MacBook 13" and MacBook 15"
MacBook Air 11.6" and MacBook Air 13"
MacBook Pro 13" and Macbook Pro 15"

Not everyone wants or can afford a retina product. If I could afford one, I still wouldn't buy it. I like the freedom to upgrade my hard drive with out paying my soul to Apple. I also don't want to have to sell a computer at a loss so I can get one with more RAM.

I like freedom.
Click to expand...

Less upgradable or not at all is the future at Apple. In other words, Apple's solution for you is to get the highest specs when you order, and to upgrade to new hardware when you begin to feel restricted with what you currently have. That could change in the future, but at the moment that's the path Apple has chosen.
 
Anyone interested in a new 13" 1.8GHz 128SSD model? I'll throw in Adobe CS 6 Master Collection and others ;)
 
A redesigned macbook air would be great, but since everything is starting to go in the retina direction, it will probably only happen next year.
Apple should really step up the game now and surprise us, since there are better options in the market right now.
A de-bezeled MBA would do the trick, something similar to the ipad mini is not to farfetched.
 
ouimetnick said:
The standard MacBook Pro hasn't been updated since last WWDC 2012!
Click to expand...

And?

Thats a year ago. Thats standard update procedure, anything shorter than a year and you'd be bitching that your new MBP was out of date too soon.
 
...

Nice to see a Mac rumor. :)

I like the concept of the Air, but the screen and battery life just aren't enough for me right now. That said, if there is a better screen and much improved battery life with the same weight and price, I'd definitely buy an Air over any iPad.

My needs are constantly evolving.

We'll see.
 
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