Warming-up for the all-new redesigned retina 2014 (2015?) MacBook Air

[mr.bee]

I hope for the following in a Macbook Air redesign:

* getting rid of the bezel
* getting rid of the old screen
* a 14" option

I hope for an option that's between the MBA and the RMBP. a decent screen (not retina per se), not the absurd battery life of the mba, good portability, and decent power.

I also consider the current MBA still as somewhat a niche. Because let's be objective, who, as a customer or professional, is really isolated from charging for 12 hours? For me, this ridiculous batter life, is not the selling point of the MBA (nor is the retina screen of the rmbp, but that's another story)

 

[Dr Charter]

I hope for the following in a Macbook Air redesign:

* getting rid of the bezel
* getting rid of the old screen
* a 14" option

I hope for an option that's between the MBA and the RMBP. a decent screen (not retina per se), not the absurd battery life of the mba, good portability, and decent power.

I also consider the current MBA still as somewhat a niche. Because let's be objective, who, as a customer or professional, is really isolated from charging for 12 hours? For me, this ridiculous batter life, is not the selling point of the MBA (nor is the retina screen of the rmbp, but that's another story)

I think the original MacBook Air was geared towards a niche market. The current models seem geared towards the general consumer. I know when I teach a room full of freshman about half of the Mac users have MacBook Pros and half have Airs. I don't see how you could have too much battery life but I would have preferred a bigger graphics jump in the 2013 model.

 

[iRun26.2]

I think the original MacBook Air was geared towards a niche market. The current models seem geared towards the general consumer. I know when I teach a room full of freshman about half of the Mac users have MacBook Pros and half have Airs. I don't see how you could have too much battery life but I would have preferred a bigger graphics jump in the 2013 model.

What perecentage of the MBA users are using the 11" model?

 

[iRun26.2]

I think the original MacBook Air was geared towards a niche market. The current models seem geared towards the general consumer. I know when I teach a room full of freshman about half of the Mac users have MacBook Pros and half have Airs. I don't see how you could have too much battery life but I would have preferred a bigger graphics jump in the 2013 model.

I was in that original niche market... and I loved it! I wish Apple would return to making it an expensive / leading edge (yet niche) product. Unfortunately Apple can't make much money that way (there aren't enough of people like me).

I'd be quite happy, though, if Apple made a retina display 12" MBA that simply allowed me to spend a pretty penny with built to order options for large SSD and RAM options.

I hope the new model is thinner and lighter than anything out there, but that is unlikely since it must be sold at a price that is only slightly higher than the currently priced MBAs.

I hate the way the MBA became transformed into an entry level machine.

 

[Dr Charter]

What perecentage of the MBA users are using the 11" model?

The 11" model is probably the most common Air I see at my college. The 13" MacBook Pro (non-retina) is probably the most common model overall followed buy the 11" Air and 13" Air.

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I was in that original niche market... and I loved it! I wish Apple would return to making it an expensive / leading edge (yet niche) product. Unfortunately Apple can't make much money that way (there aren't enough of people like me).

I'd be quite happy, though, if Apple made a retina display 12" MBA that simply allowed me to spend a pretty penny with built to order options for large SSD and RAM options.

I'd love to see a 12" MBA as well. It would bring back memories of the 12" Powerbook--one of my all-time favorite Macs.

 

[mr.bee]

I think the original MacBook Air was geared towards a niche market. The current models seem geared towards the general consumer. I know when I teach a room full of freshman about half of the Mac users have MacBook Pros and half have Airs. I don't see how you could have too much battery life but I would have preferred a bigger graphics jump in the 2013 model.

I'm sorry, I think I need to rephrase my opinion.

the current marketing model of Apple is one of Battery life and portability vs retina and power.

But me, as an average consumer, I'm not part of any of these 'extremes'. I don't need that amazing battery life while giving up on a decent screen. And I don't want to have the hassle of the retina screen (even tho I find it very beautiful).

So I find myself stuck in between. I bought a MBA last year and returned because of the screen and the bezel. But I can't justify the price of a rmbp 15' to cover my needs on a laptop!

In my opinion, for an average user, they have a very bad marketing model regarding the MBA and RMBP's. I think most people fall in between. It appears to be either niche or power, that's it. Even though the MBA is being sold to everyone.

 

[Dr Charter]

I'm sorry, I think I need to rephrase my opinion.

the current marketing model of Apple is one of Battery life and portability vs retina and power.

But me, as an average consumer, I'm not part of any of these 'extremes'. I don't need that amazing battery life while giving up on a decent screen. And I don't want to have the hassle of the retina screen (even tho I find it very beautiful).

I see where you are coming from. I used to buy the entry level white MacBook (iBook before that) every few years. It suited my needs perfectly. The Air does that for me now (base model every 2-3 years). However, it doesn't seem like anything ever quite filled the gap when they phased out the white MacBooks.

 

[iRun26.2]

I'm sorry, I think I need to rephrase my opinion.

the current marketing model of Apple is one of Battery life and portability vs retina and power.

But me, as an average consumer, I'm not part of any of these 'extremes'. I don't need that amazing battery life while giving up on a decent screen. And I don't want to have the hassle of the retina screen (even tho I find it very beautiful).

So I find myself stuck in between. I bought a MBA last year and returned because of the screen and the bezel. But I can't justify the price of a rmbp 15' to cover my needs on a laptop!

In my opinion, for an average user, they have a very bad marketing model regarding the MBA and RMBP's. I think most people fall in between. It appears to be either niche or power, that's it. Even though the MBA is being sold to everyone.

Apple's approach with the iPad (mini and Air) and iPhone demonstrate to me that 'retina' will soon no longer be something to differentiate products. Does anyone doubt that there will never be a new iPhone, iPad (mini or Air) model that will have a non-retina display?

I think that soon (no more than 2 years) all of Apple's new computer releases will come standard with a retina display. Like the non-retina MBP, I think non-retina MBAs will simply get minor updates before becoming obsolete.

The technology is there now and other computer manufactures will follow that trend eventually but Apple usually 'gets to the future' before others. Retina will soon be on all Apple displays and competitors will still be using it to differentiate their products lines.

 

[skaertus]

Apple's approach with the iPad (mini and Air) and iPhone demonstrate to me that 'retina' will soon no longer be something to differentiate products. Does anyone doubt that there will never be a new iPhone, iPad (mini or Air) model that will have a non-retina display?

I think that soon (no more than 2 years) all of Apple's new computer releases will come standard with a retina display. Like the non-retina MBP, I think non-retina MBAs will simply get minor updates before becoming obsolete.

The technology is there now and other computer manufactures will follow that trend eventually but Apple usually 'gets to the future' before others. Retina will soon be on all Apple displays and competitors will still be using it to differentiate their products lines.

Apple's products are definitely going the "retina" way.

But that's not Apple's exclusivity. Such high resolution displays were probably designed for the professional market, found their way to TV sets, and are being used by laptops and smartphone manufacturers. Apple came first, but that's probably because Apple can pay the premium to have them.

Premium products are supposed to have retina displays in the future. As Apple sells premium products only (or at least markets itself at doing that), then all its forthcoming laptops, tablets and smartphones will have retina displays. That won't happen to every manufacturer, of course, as all of them will keep their lines of low-end products and a high resolution display would make them more expensive. As Apple is currently not a player on that market, then it is unlikely to keep low-resolution screens on its mobile products.

As for spreading retina displays on all products, I don't know about that. The iMac doesn't have a retina display, and I don't think it will get one so soon. Yes, 2560x1440 is a very high resolution, but on a 27-inch display, it's not retina. A retina display would mean a resolution of 5120x2880, which is unfeasible at this point (just look at the prices of 3840x2160 TV sets, which sport a lower resolution).

 

[indiecraig]

I've been lurking for a while and would like to give my opinion on a few of the subjects discussed.

I'm coming from the position that I am almost certainly going to buy a new Apple laptop in 2014 - I'm too committed to OSX to switch back, my late 2007 Macbook doesn't run Mavericks (and isn't supposed to run ML, but does so quite respectably!), and even though I don't stay on the bleeding edge (6 year old laptop!), when I do hand over my credit card I like it to be for the latest and greatest.

I want an 11-12 inch MacBook Air with a Retina Display. The current 11" body is pretty much my ideal, perhaps make the screen bigger, bezel smaller. I don't need 12 hour battery, but perhaps having it would change my habits for the positive. The following points will steer my final purchase decision:

• If the MacBook Air is replaced with something running iOS, I will not buy it regardless of any other factor. I am a "2 device" person - no desktop, no tablet - and I want to keep it that way.
• If the MacBook Air does not get a Retina Display, I am extremely unlikely to buy it. The emerging pattern is that Retina is the future, and I'm going to be using this device for about half a decade.

In either of the 2 above situations, my "fallback" purchase will be the 2014 13" Retina Macbook Pro. It's slightly larger and more expensive than I would like, but at least it has the Retina display. I've actually been very tempted by the 2013 version, but it turns out I'm quite patient!

 

[skaertus]

I've been lurking for a while and would like to give my opinion on a few of the subjects discussed.

I'm coming from the position that I am almost certainly going to buy a new Apple laptop in 2014 - I'm too committed to OSX to switch back, my late 2007 Macbook doesn't run Mavericks (and isn't supposed to run ML, but does so quite respectably!), and even though I don't stay on the bleeding edge (6 year old laptop!), when I do hand over my credit card I like it to be for the latest and greatest.

I want an 11-12 inch MacBook Air with a Retina Display. The current 11" body is pretty much my ideal, perhaps make the screen bigger, bezel smaller. I don't need 12 hour battery, but perhaps having it would change my habits for the positive. The following points will steer my final purchase decision:

• If the MacBook Air is replaced with something running iOS, I will not buy it regardless of any other factor. I am a "2 device" person - no desktop, no tablet - and I want to keep it that way.
• If the MacBook Air does not get a Retina Display, I am extremely unlikely to buy it. The emerging pattern is that Retina is the future, and I'm going to be using this device for about half a decade.

In either of the 2 above situations, my "fallback" purchase will be the 2014 13" Retina Macbook Pro. It's slightly larger and more expensive than I would like, but at least it has the Retina display. I've actually been very tempted by the 2013 version, but it turns out I'm quite patient!

Considering that you are willing to keep the laptop for at least 5 years, you should think about spending a little more and getting a higher-end laptop. The 13-inch retina MacBook Pro looks like something you should be looking at (and not the cheapest version). I would wait to buy a laptop at the moment it is refreshed so you can benefit from having the most up-to-date machine at the time you buy it.

 

[iRun26.2]

...
As for spreading retina displays on all products, I don't know about that. The iMac doesn't have a retina display, and I don't think it will get one so soon. Yes, 2560x1440 is a very high resolution, but on a 27-inch display, it's not retina. A retina display would mean a resolution of 5120x2880, which is unfeasible at this point (just look at the prices of 3840x2160 TV sets, which sport a lower resolution).

You are right,I forgot about the iMacs. It will probably be a little longer than two years before they go completely 'retina'. I will therefore refine my prediction to state that in two years there will not be single new PORTABLE computer product from Apple that will not come with a retina type display.

iMacs may not go pure retina until five years (or possibly slightly longer).

 

[iPhysicist]

Considering that you are willing to keep the laptop for at least 5 years, you should think about spending a little more and getting a higher-end laptop. The 13-inch retina MacBook Pro looks like something you should be looking at (and not the cheapest version). I would wait to buy a laptop at the moment it is refreshed so you can benefit from having the most up-to-date machine at the time you buy it.

Absolutely not. Maybe the RAM upgrade is worth it (if its not user upgradeable) but the Processor upgrade is a nonissue if you plan to keep the Mac for five or more years. If you plan to do so (up to date-) performance is unimportant to you.
I have the high end 2009 MBP 13" and performance wise its equal to the low end from todays point of view.

 

[skaertus]

You are right,I forgot about the iMacs. It will probably be a little longer than two years before they go completely 'retina'. I will therefore refine my prediction to state that in two years there will not be single new PORTABLE computer product from Apple that will not come with a retina type display.

iMacs may not go pure retina until five years (or possibly slightly longer).

I wouldn't say in the next five years. I wouldn't be surprised if the next redesign of the iMac brings some sort of retina display. We don't know yet when the next redesign will be, but probably between 2015 and 2016. Prices of ultra-high resolution TVs are very high right now, but they are dropping steeply and they may reach reasonable levels within a couple of years (the World Cup is just around the corner, and manufacturers want to sell a lot of TVs by then). Such price drop in high-resolution TVs will make it feasible to put such a screen in an iMac in the future.

Perhaps the resolution is not 5120x2880. If Apple releases a 2304x1440 MacBook Air in 2014, as predicted, it will break the pattern of quadrupling resolutions of previous devices. If that happens with the Air, Apple could well do it with the iMac. So, Apple could release a 3840x2160 iMac and call it "retina".

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Absolutely not. Maybe the RAM upgrade is worth it (if its not user upgradeable) but the Processor upgrade is a nonissue if you plan to keep the Mac for five or more years. If you plan to do so (up to date-) performance is unimportant to you.
I have the high end 2009 MBP 13" and performance wise its equal to the low end from todays point of view.

Just take a look at the specs of the 13" rMBP:

low-end: 2.4 GHz Core i5, 4 GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, for US$ 1,299.00
medium-range: 2.4 GHz Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, for US$ 1,499.00
high-end: 2.6 GHz Core i5, 8 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD, for US$ 1,799.00

The difference between the two first Macs is the RAM and the storage space (they both have the very same processor). That would make some difference. The RAM upgrade is definitely worth it, considering the timeframe, and the SSD space is always welcome. If you keep the laptop for so long, you're likely to accumulate a lot of files and may need this space.

As for the high-end, it may not be necessary. But, as Apple does not offer the possibility to upgrade the lower-end models to get 512 GB SSD, then you should opt for it in case you need more storage. It's US$ 300 for a slightly better processor (which may not even make a big difference, but it's marginally faster, which is not a bad thing) and 256 GB more SSD space.

You may, of course, opt for a custom Mac with 16 GB instead of 8 GB.

In any case, if you are on a budget, as it is apparently the case, I would go with the mid-range model, with a 2.4 GHz processor, 8 GB RAM and a 256 GB SSD. It's US$ 1,499, but it's more worth it than the low-end model for US$ 1,299.

If you are not, then consider the mid or the higher-end version with 16 GB, and, in this case, you would fork US$ 1,699 to US$ 1,999.

But if you really, really, like to spend some money to get the best overall in order to keep it for 5 years, then you could go with a maxed-out rMBP, and pay US$ 2,699 for it. Not worth it, though. I would prefer to buy a more modest machine now, and buy another one in a couple of years instead of keeping it for 5 years.

 

[Robyr]

But if you really, really, like to spend some money to get the best overall in order to keep it for 5 years, then you could go with a maxed-out rMBP, and pay US$ 2,699 for it. Not worth it, though. I would prefer to buy a more modest machine now, and buy another one in a couple of years instead of keeping it for 5 years.

Spending that kind of money on a high end computing device is almost never warranted, and on top of that, it won't make the operational lifetime length longer. As someone who has worked in the tech sector for going on 10 years, middle of the road models are almost always the best bet for a 4-5 year refresh timeline.

 

[skaertus]

Spending that kind of money on a high end computing device is almost never warranted, and on top of that, it won't make the operational lifetime length longer. As someone who has worked in the tech sector for going on 10 years, middle of the road models are almost always the best bet for a 4-5 year refresh timeline.

What I do is the following: I buy a high-end laptop with mid-range specs and I expect it to last for about 3 years. Last year, I bought a low-end 15-inch retina MacBook Pro and I expect it to last for a couple of years. I did not buy the higher-end model because, as future-proof as it may be, I know I'll want to buy something else in a couple of years. The processor, memory and storage may still be fine in five years, but Apple, or somebody else, will have invented something else that will make my wishlist. If I had bought an ultra-high end MacBook Pro back in 2010, I would be drooling on the retina display and on the thinness of the new redesigned model. I would buy another one, regardless of how well my machine could serve me. I know myself. I don't want to be locked up with my current laptop forever, so I buy one that will fit me for some time, until it is worth to buy another one.

 

[radiologyman]

Analyst Kuo made a bold prediction for 2014 about a 12 inch apple retina laptop in a ''completely redesigned clamshell form factor that will be even thinner than current MBA''. This laptop supposedly will redefine mobile computing once again similar to original MBA.

Given specifics, I think this prediction is based on facts rather then analysis. Hopefully it means that recently revealed Apple patent for a notebook with detachable tablet screen is coming to fruition.

EDIT: He also said that processor will not be ARM meaning no IOS.

 

[Ramius]

Analyst Kuo made a bold prediction for 2014 about a 12 inch apple retina laptop in a ''completely redesigned clamshell form factor that will be even thinner than current MBA''. This laptop supposedly will redefine mobile computing once again similar to original MBA.

Given specifics, I think this prediction is based on facts rather then analysis. Hopefully it means that recently revealed Apple patent for a notebook with detachable tablet screen is coming to fruition. Personally, I would not mind if it runs IOS since I have not made transition to OSX yet. 64 bit IOS processors that can run ''desktop class applications''point to future convergence with OSX and 2014 may be the year it happens.

The screen is one thing. But I have always wondered if they can make the keyboard thinner, and still keep it great to write on.

Also, I want touch screen. No matter what Steve Jobs said. There needs to be a way to just use it as touch, and wrap it up somehow.

 

[iRun26.2]

The screen is one thing. But I have always wondered if they can make the keyboard thinner, and still keep it great to write on.

Also, I want touch screen. No matter what Steve Jobs said. There needs to be a way to just use it as touch, and wrap it up somehow.

How many current OSX users really want touchscreen on a laptop? (I don't care about Windows' users opinions).

----------

Analyst Kuo made a bold prediction for 2014 about a 12 inch apple retina laptop in a ''completely redesigned clamshell form factor that will be even thinner than current MBA''. This laptop supposedly will redefine mobile computing once again similar to original MBA.
...

His prediction was not bold at all. He just embellished an observation made by DigiTimes that Apple had new 12" IGZO screens (and others) set for 2014. For all we know, they could be for a larger iPad with a built in keyboard (that I would never buy).

 

[theSeb]

How many current OSX users really want touchscreen on a laptop? (I don't care about Windows' users opinions).

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His prediction was not bold at all. He just embellished an observation made by DigiTimes that Apple had new 12" IGZO screens (and others) set for 2014. For all we know, they could be for a larger iPad with a built in keyboard (that I would never buy).

Isn't it the other way round? Digitimes' predictions have a hit rate of about 10%. Kuo has been right about 90%

 

[iRun26.2]

Isn't it the other way round? Digitimes' predictions have a hit rate of about 10%. Kuo has been right about 90%

His guess didn't come out of thin air.

I think the average Apple follower could make just as good of predictions as an analyst.

 

[skaertus]

Isn't it the other way round? Digitimes' predictions have a hit rate of about 10%. Kuo has been right about 90%

I think the media (and mainly Apple enthusiasts) are too biased towards Digitimes and rely too often in Kuo. Kuo from KGI Securities is reliable and Digitimes is not. Simple as that.

I am very skeptical about this. Kuo made some correct predictions, but he also made some mistakes. In 2013, he changed his predictions a lot of times.

I don't know if Ming-Chi Kuo has all this privileged access to Apple leaks. Sometimes, I just think he looks at all the rumors that are circulating and connects the dots, making some predictions that anyone else could have made.

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His guess didn't come out of thin air.

I think the average Apple follower could make just as good of predictions as an analyst.

I agree with you.

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How many current OSX users really want touchscreen on a laptop? (I don't care about Windows' users opinions).

I am an OSX user and I want a touchscreen on the laptop.

I like the way the touchpad works on OSX, but I also think I could benefit from a touchscreen. It could be useful in some apps, such as to manipulate images and so on. In addition, it would also be great for using BootCamp.

 

[skaertus]

Analyst Kuo made a bold prediction for 2014 about a 12 inch apple retina laptop in a ''completely redesigned clamshell form factor that will be even thinner than current MBA''. This laptop supposedly will redefine mobile computing once again similar to original MBA.

Given specifics, I think this prediction is based on facts rather then analysis. Hopefully it means that recently revealed Apple patent for a notebook with detachable tablet screen is coming to fruition.

EDIT: He also said that processor will not be ARM meaning no IOS.

This is not a bold prediction at all. Anyone could have made this prediction. I made this prediction myself without Kuo's help.

A supply research found that Apple ordered 12-inch displays with 2304x1440 resolutions. Now, try to guess: which Apple product would receive such a display? You did not even have to guess, as the research itself brought the answer: a redesigned MacBook Air.

Look at it here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-5...ch-apple-readying-phablet-retina-macbook-air/

So, Kuo is apparently just compiling data that other people develops.

 

[iRun26.2]

Spending that kind of money on a high end computing device is almost never warranted, and on top of that, it won't make the operational lifetime length longer. As someone who has worked in the tech sector for going on 10 years, middle of the road models are almost always the best bet for a 4-5 year refresh timeline.

It sure is fun, though, to have an outrageously expensive, yet top of the line, new notebook computer. It's not a wise business decision but, for me, at least, it is where I splurge. I like the bleeding edge.

The funny thing is how much more laptops used to be a long time ago. In the early 90's you would have to spend $2K+ just for a model with a black and white screen.

I spent $6300 on my first (color TFT) laptop in 1996 (and that would be too much money for me now, not even accounting for inflation...I almost can't believe I spent that much money on my first PC). I wish Apple would make an ultra-thin retina MBA that was in the $3K range.(just for me).

$2K 15 years ago would easily be $3K/$4K now but nobody is willing to spend that much money on a laptop any more.

 

[radiologyman]

I wish Apple would make an ultra-thin retina MBA that was in the $3K range.(just for me).

$2K 15 years ago would easily be $3K/$4K now but nobody is willing to spend that much money on a laptop any more.

Like you said people have different price expectations now and retina MBA will have to be in line or slightly more expensive than 2013 MBAs. I will wait to get at least 10-15% off MSRP after seeing that Apple is now more willing to discount its products.