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Updated 11-Inch and 13-Inch MacBook Airs Reportedly Coming Next Week

If this rumor holds true, it looks like it will be a 'silent' minor spec-bump update.
No reason to sell your old Airs.

What I look forward to is the next truly new and redesigned MacBook Air.
 
At least this proves one thing. The "classic" 11" and 13" MacBook Airs are going nowhere as of yet, with the arrival of the 12" rMBA.
 
Little fanfare...Updated mini alongside?

I'm hoping for a mini update at the same time. If they can give out a rumor like this I don't see why it couldn't include the mini as an alongside update if it's true. I mean seriously how hard can it be to spec it up. There are so many people who would snap up an updated model in an instant.
 
bax2003 said:
The same story was with a Mac Pro. There is no logic behind this, Mac mini sells like crazy, every model.
Refresh will arrive 100%.
Click to expand...

Like crazy ? I love mine (2009) and am waiting for a refresh but from what I see there is 1 mini for every 5 iMacs or every 15 MBPs. The fact is a new Air, Apple TV, iPhone, iPad ... is much more important to Apple than a Mini refresh
 
Alternatively, Apple could do this:

1. Keep the current non-Retina 11.6 inch MacBook Air as the price leader, as today, but with a normal CPU refresh. Price probably still starts at $999.

2. Discontinue the non-Retina 13.3 inch MacBook Pro. (Bye bye, built-in DVD drive.)

3. Merge the 13.3 inch MacBook Air and 13.3 inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display into a single model. The 227 ppi 2560x1600 13.3 inch Retina display carries forward, but the case and form factor are slimmed down to something very close to the current 13.3 MacBook Air. Possibly starts at $1199 (right between the current 13.3 Air and Pro).

4. Introduce a new 11.43 inch iPad Pro with 2560x1600 (264 ppi, same as the iPad Air) Retina display. With a radical, insanely great new feature: a preloaded icon labeled "Macintosh." Attach Apple's svelte, Bluetooth-equipped keyboard/touchpad cover and that icon automatically opens to full screen by default (but that behavior is configurable). And then you're inside the new Mac OS XI for Apple A8, featuring Intel Rosetta. All of Apple's applications are shipped as ARM64/Intel fat binaries from Day 1, and Apple makes very clear that they will support both architectures indefinitely. The iPad Pro starts at $1299 with a 128GB flash drive and 4GB of RAM (2GB on board the A8 supplemented with 2GB offboard), optionally with 256GB and 10GB (2+8). That 128GB drive ships by default in a 32GB/96GB iOS and Mac OS XI split, but you can choose 8, 16, 32, or 64GB iPad iOS sizes with the remainder available to Mac OS XI. Or an iOS-only 128GB configuration (with the Macintosh icon then taking you straight into the Mac OS XI recovery partition if invoked). Boot Camp and Thunderbolt are not supported on the iPad Pro.

That'd work!
 
Hmm...fanless 12" model? If so, I wonder if this could actually turn out to be an iOS-based iPad w/keyboard?
 
Jambalaya said:
Does it really make sense to have 11" and 13" MBA plus a 12" rMBA ? 2 of those yes, so either 11" or 13" non retina plus the 12" rMBA or perhaps just the 12" retina ? Personally I'm waiting to see the retina MBA (hopefully) and MBA retina refresh to make a purchase choice at the end of the year.
Click to expand...

The rumoured specs of this 12" MBA (thinner, retina display to match iPad Air, etc) really make the suspect that this is going to be the first iOS based Apple laptop, or ARM based Apple laptop running a new ARM version of Mac OS X.
 
Icaras said:
Fanless sounds awesome. I wonder if this would mark the first fanless mac ever, or at least in recent history?
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The Power Mac G4 Cube was fanless. I think that's been the only one though. Speaking of which, does the new Mac Pro remind anyone of the Power Mac G4 Cube? I think of it everytime I see the new Mac Pro.
 
another 'silent' update ? First the iMac's, and now this..

Apple churning butter at a rate of knots..

If intel had the 4350U last year, why did they not use it ? air's already released ?

the reason we buy this stuff is only 'yes, it's now available and its a good size." when before no one could have ever thought a 12-inch Air would ever make sense...... Lets hope this doesn't come out.... We need a choice, not a middle man.
 
Eddy Munn said:
I just got a 2013 MacBook Air.
For once I'm not too upset about new updates, because it is so awesome.

Also, the 2013 MBA already has 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
Click to expand...

Agree. I needed to order my i7 13 inch two months ago to get some work done. I knew that a update was coming but i could not wait.

----------
hwojtek said:
Good I didn't order my MBPr yet, but WHERE THE HELL is the new Mini?!
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If they will release a mini with Nvidia/Ati graphics i will probably get one.
 
This will most likely be the last update for the current "classic" model of the MacBook Airs. They will live on for probably 2 more years unchanged alongside the newly designed 12" model that will arrive in the Fall. Much like the 13" non-retina MBP.

Bit odd if they do update it next week instead of waiting a month and doing a blurb on it at WWDC during the keynote, I think that would make more sense, unless it truly is a very minor update that will be done totally silently. If it is done totally silently we might also see a silent Mac mini as well.

In any case, this will help keep sales going until the new 12" model gets released. It will most likely just be a minor processor bump or similar.

I think about 80% of my comments on this forum the past few months have been related to this new 12" laptop - can you sense I am excited for it!? :D I already want it and I don't even know anything about it yet!
 
Hattig said:
The rumoured specs of this 12" MBA (thinner, retina display to match iPad Air, etc) really make the suspect that this is going to be the first iOS based Apple laptop, or ARM based Apple laptop running a new ARM version of Mac OS X.
Click to expand...

I don't think iOS at all but ARM based, yes. It works out perfectly for release date as well... If Apple waits until the end of the year to release the 12" ARM based MBA then they can release it in conjunction with the new version of OSX 10.10 that supports ARM.

If this is Apple's plan, I think they are making a wise decision. They can mass produce even MORE chips (A8 later this year), resulting in a lower cost per chip. They can also use this decrease in cost to lower the end user price of the MBA because they now have a cheaper chip, no fan, a smaller battery, etc. (all things that are cost savings).

This then allows for Apple to offer some sort of an integrated solution between iOS and OS X. Imagine if Mac OS was installed on all iOS devices so when I AirPlay to an AppleTV using my iPad, hookup my iPhone to an external monitor, etc. I have full access of OS X! And then when I start up my MBA or iMac at home the files have all been transferred/modified from the iOS device to my OS X computer using iCloud. This would be SMOOTH! :D
 
dol4n said:
I do not have a good feeling about this one, it has been a long time since Apple released something good. Tim is sinking the ship!

Steve would never have allowed such a small "spec bump".
Click to expand...

Many LOLs to this.... sinking with that $150bn in the bank....

Steve WOULD and often DID allow many small spec bumps... early iPhones maybe? Mac Minis?

Even if Apple's year absolutely tanked, they would still more than likely have more cash than most companies will ever see in their lifetime... if it makes it easier to comprehend, I've put US dollars into Vietnamese dong to make it an even bigger number so you get the picture...

150,000,000,000.00 USD = 3,163,889,474,794,347.00 VND

Have you also missed the 64-bit processor in the iPad Air/iPhone 5S? I'd say thats something pretty good they released recently...

Luda
 
Jambalaya said:
Does it really make sense to have 11" and 13" MBA plus a 12" rMBA ? 2 of those yes, so either 11" or 13" non retina plus the 12" rMBA or perhaps just the 12" retina ? Personally I'm waiting to see the retina MBA (hopefully) and MBA retina refresh to make a purchase choice at the end of the year.
Click to expand...

It would be... surprising if Apple kept 11, 12 and 13" Airs long-term. That doesn't mean there won't be a 6 months-1 year overlap period.

Look at the rMBPs: Introduced alongside the 'classic' 13 & 15 MBPs for a while (ISTR the Classics even got a spec bump), then first the 15" cMBP was dropped and, odds are, the 13" cMBP will die soon.

Anyway, if you want to know what 'product line bloat' looks like then look at the website for any other large consumer electronics maker and try and decide whether you want a 'Z120-13 Pro HS611B', a 'Z120-13 Pro HX612A' or a 'K120-13 Pro KZ6100e'. Apple have an awful long way to fall.

MacRazySwe said:
At least this proves one thing.
Click to expand...

actually, its a rumour - it proves nothing.

Even if the 12" rumour is true, it is probably waiting for Broadwell, so Apple will need reasonably up-to-date 11 and 13" models for the 'Back to School' season.
 
WillFisher said:
But agreed, my 2011 Mac Mini doesn't like anything I throw at it anymore, give me an updated Mini!
Click to expand...

I have ever only used Macbook and iMac and I was wondering why is mini such a desirable update? I'm curious because I have seen many comments about it around here.
 
dol4n said:
I do not have a good feeling about this one, it has been a long time since Apple released something good. Tim is sinking the ship!

Steve would never have allowed such a small "spec bump".
Click to expand...

Did you know Steve? Did he tell you about his plans for the MacBook Air in 2014?
I'm sick of people using Steve Jobs in this context, it adds nothing to a thread by saying 'oh well Steve wouldn't have done it.'
 
Tech198 said:
the reason we buy this stuff is only 'yes, it's now available and its a good size." when before no one could have ever thought a 12-inch Air would ever make sense...... Lets hope this doesn't come out.... We need a choice, not a middle man.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, I don't follow. Yes, 12" is between 11" and 13", but I really don't think this is the long term plan. the 11" and the 13" will most likely be dying off.

Most likely the roadmap is 12" Air up to 13" Pro up to 15" Pro and actually reduce the SKU count. Heck, that is only 3 laptops! with the current Air continuing alongside the new 12" model and the soon to be discontinued non-retina 13" Pro, that is 6 models, which is probably 2 too many.

Alternatively, this new 12" laptop could be released under the old simple "MacBook" moniker, and then you would have 2 sizes of MacBook Air, the MacBook, and 2 sizes of MacBook Pro. Only 3 models, 2 of them that come in 2 different screen sizes.

Another thought that came to me would be to convert the current MBA line to the simple "Macbook" moniker instead, and making them the entry level laptops. This new 12" model that is meant to bring portable to a new level takes on the Air moniker.

Just some random thoughts on how this could all develop. Keeping the current MBA unchanged as the entry level MacBook makes a whole lot of sense if they don't go retina. The new 12" model would have to beat it in every category though for this to happen - portability, performance, premium.
 
...

So if true and the 12" Retina Air comes later this year, is this the first time the Airs would see two updates in a year?

Whatever the case, it would be nice to see Macs being released on more spread out timeline again.
 
Icaras said:
Fanless sounds awesome. I wonder if this would mark the first fanless mac ever, or at least in recent history?
Click to expand...

Just curious, but what's so awesome about fanless? If it's about noise, you hardly ever hear the fan on a modern Macbook/pro anyway. Definitely not unless it's being stressed. When you do hear the fan, it's reassuring to know the fan is doing its job. With fanless we might encounter throttling or greater heat issues, especially in earlier revisions.
 
dol4n said:
I do not have a good feeling about this one, it has been a long time since Apple released something good. Tim is sinking the ship!

Steve would never have allowed such a small "spec bump".
Click to expand...

You weren't around the last few years of the PPC… the powerbooks / MacBooks were equally refreshed with minor speed bumps.
 
WillFisher said:
I still love my 2013 MBA and I won't be upgrading for a long while, especially when incremental speed bumps are the update.

But boy am I excited to see these retina airs.
But agreed, my 2011 Mac Mini doesn't like anything I throw at it anymore, give me an updated Mini!
Click to expand...

More ram for your mini brah.
 
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