Upcoming Ultra-Thin 12-Inch MacBook Air Design Imagined in New Renderings

[tillsbury]

The USB Type C will be able to charge the laptop. I'm sorry but Apple should at least put two on these one on each end would be a good start or 3 two one one and one with the headphone.

Having one jack will just result in people being forced to choose between charging and using a usb key or having to purchase an expensive docking solution that's a good chunk of the device cost already.

Apple could *gasp* put them all on the same side and make a docking solution for it themselves. We do like to hook our laptops up to large external displays on occasion.

The more I think about this the more I think one could work. If this were to be the case I would ideally want:

1) The power supply to have a longish cable with a male/female USB-C connector back-to-back. This could be plugged in to the machine and would duplicate the port out the back, still leaving one.

2) A "docking port" provided in the box into which this power supply can be plugged, which has ethernet, SD card, video out of some description (say DP or HDMI or both), audio out, and three or more USB-3 ports. And (most importantly), a cable about a metre long with a duplicated USB-C male-female port.

On the desktop, this port box thing would be out of the way, with cables connected to it for your speaker, ethernet, display, and what-have-you. Just one cable leading to the machine.

When you're on the road, you take the Air and the main power cable alone, leaving the dock-port thingy behind on your desk.

To me, this would be a better and cleaner solution than having half a dozen connectors on the machine that need to be plugged and unplugged whenever you take the machine anywhere.

 

[thresk]

hmm

I want to like it but I have some reservations.

 

[MartiNZ]

Looks stunning, but those arrow keys are desisting though.

Yeah that is the layout on the Surface keyboards, and it is the only downside of those, really evil layout.

 

[Xiroteus]

The ONE thing that needs to shrink that that bezel!

Apple hates ports now.

At this point I think they hate almost anything and or everything that could be possibly useful.

 

[smulji]

Odds are very good the Retina MBA will skip Broadwell and go Skylake..

Intel was pushing very hard at CES the fact that Skylake will eliminate most cables to a computer. Including Wireless Charging, Wireless 4k Displays, and Wireless Device connectivity.

Think about that.. if the original leak is real, then they've likely already decided on Skylake and their goal is to kill the cable to the Ultraportable computer.

I also don't think it's a coincidence that Skylake is purposed a mid-2015 release and that the new Retina Macbook Air is also after min-2015..

Wont be the first time Apple got first dibs on a very large batch of Intel chips for a big release...

Depends on which rumors you believe. Some rumors peg the 12" MBA being released late March / early April and others have it being released mid-2015, around WWDC. Personally, I rather they skip Broadwell and go straight to Skylake. Other than power efficiency, Broadwell hasn't been proven to be that much better than Haswell

EDIT: The other option is MAYBE Apple might use their own custom-designed A-series SoC on this device.

 

[LostMyiPhone]

Still think apple should release a backlit surface pro keyboard for the ipad - have wanted this ever since i copped my 1st ipad (gen 1). Yes the ipad is functional, however the virtual keybaord severely hinders productivity for my needs, and most professionals i know.

Yes!

In fact, the surface itself is looking more and more appealing to me from a hardware perspective. I know, people on here don't like windows -- I don't mind it though and the surface appears to bring everything to the table that the iPad is lacking in the hardware department.... AND a full-blown OS.

 

[Mainsail]

Well, I don't mind if Apple creates an ultra-ultra portable laptop with only 1 port for those folks that want such a thing.

However, in addition to an ultra-ultra portable, I hope Apple continue to make a versatile entry-level everyday laptop for less than $1,000. I am talking about an evolutionary upgrade to the MBA or a less expensive version of the rMBP. Something with a couple of auxiliary ports and a 13.3 inch screen. The home and student laptop workhorse.

 

[Jamiet361]

When will the fascination with thinness over functionality finally end?

This honestly looks like a chromebook; who ever complained that the MacBook air wasn't thin enough anyway? If anything, they should shrink the bezels, make it fanless and add a retina display. Combined with the current features of the MacBook air (USB 3, MagSafe, thunderbolt and all day battery), it would be one KILLER laptop.

Johnny Ive is talented and all, but sometimes i think his ideas should stick to the drawing board.

 

[sracer]

Still think apple should release a backlit surface pro keyboard for the ipad - have wanted this ever since i copped my 1st ipad (gen 1). Yes the ipad is functional, however the virtual keybaord severely hinders productivity for my needs, and most professionals i know.

I agree if... it includes support for a trackpad. I briefly tried a BT keyboard and mouse on an older jailbroken iPad and it was a pleasure to use. Recently I've been using the Motorola BT keyboard w/trackpoint on my Galaxy Pro 8.4 and Insignia Flex Windows tab... works great with those.

I have the Logitech Ultrathin keyboard cover for my iPad 4 and it's a great combination but lacks pointer support.

When will the fascination with thinness over functionality finally end?

This honestly looks like a chromebook; who ever complained that the MacBook air wasn't thin enough anyway? If anything, they should shrink the bezels, make it fanless and add a retina display. Combined with the current features of the MacBook air (USB 3, MagSafe, thunderbolt and all day battery), it would be one KILLER laptop.

Johnny Ive is talented and all, but sometimes i think his ideas should stick to the drawing board.

Apple will keep doing what they want to do (in spite of the general sentiments expressed here) until... a significant portion of customers don't buy those devices. They're banking on the probability that the impact will be negligible or maybe increase but appeal to a different segment.

 

[apophazz]

Yes, of course place it next to the first Air from 2008. Very comparable.

 

[iWaldo]

This is great for people who really can't decide if they want a Macbook Air or an iPad...

 

[WardC]

Tired of Apple's reign of sharp, metal-edged laptops!! Ready for more ergonomic, sleeker carbon-fiber designs that are smoother and easier on the wrists and hands.

 

[sracer]

This is great for people who really can't decide if they want a Macbook Air or an iPad...

How so?
No touchscreen
No iOS
No removable keyboard

 

[Dustman]

So how the hell are you supposed to charge it?

You're not. At $899 they're what Apple considers "disposible", and you simply just purchase another MBA once the battery is depleted.

 

[Freyqq]

This is great for people who really can't decide if they want a Macbook Air or an iPad...

Nah, it's basically a netbook. Read the reviews on the Core M processor from Intel. It's pretty slow.

 

[GalileoSeven]

How so?
No touchscreen
No iOS
No removable keyboard

Aside from the obvious (keyboard, OS), what would truly differentiate this from an 'iPad Pro' ??

 

[AdonisSMU]

I hope it's like the iPhone where I like it way more than the mocks would lead one to believe.

 

[inhalexhale1]

When did MacRumors get into the rendering business? And if you are going to shoot wildly at what it might look like why not make it something interesting.

Careful. We might get another crookedly cut print out with masking tape, prototype again.

 

[tresmith]

personally I hate the look of the keyboard going all the way to the edge of the laptop.

if apple can have a nice size keyboard with room on the side, why wouldn't they be able to do the same with a larger screened laptop.

I think who ever did these renders got it all wrong.

 

[sracer]

Aside from the obvious (keyboard, OS), what would truly differentiate this from an 'iPad Pro' ??

Except for the things that differentiate this from an iPad Pro... nothing.

 

[HenryDJP]

I want to like it but I have some reservations.

Reservations about what? It's nothing but a mockup and a rumor.

 

[dgdosen]

Only one USB-C port?

Shouldn't there be at least two so you can use a wireless mouse?

the heck?

FWIW, I chuckled.

 

[newteker]

Taperless

The axe head taper (wedge shape) will be no more because those ports are mostly gone. The headphone jack is not needed either as they will be going to the same MIFI connector as on iPhone, iPads etc. Flat and thin as a pancake!!

 

[macbook123]

No external monitor would be a deal breaker. There's no way this could be my daily machine with that most important feature lacking. I really hope that rumors is wrong.

 

[HenryDJP]

The ONE thing that needs to shrink that that bezel!



At this point I think they hate almost anything and or everything that could be possibly useful.

Well then why do Apple's competitors end up following suit and doing the same with their products? Maybe some things just aren't being used much based on a study.