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What to Expect If Apple Debuts a New MacBook Air at WWDC Next Week
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If Apple is thinking about getting rid of the notch on iPhones and going with a pill-shaped hole in the display that is surrounded by screen, it might be what they do on a white-bezeled Macbook Air. It would be a lot better looking than a white notch, but would still let them have a smaller bezel like they do on the Macbook Pro.
So if a need comes up that you weren't expecting, and your laptop isn't fully charged then, is that because you're lazy, or because you're irresponsible?
Here's what's going to happen. They'll release it. Everyone on here will complain it has white bezels, and is "terrible value".
It will go on to be the best selling apple computer, have some insane battery life, regular folks will love it and the colors. Reviews will say it's good, but not a "pro" machine.
Six months later, a bunch of youtube "pro's" will talk about how great it actually is, and how it actually can do a lot of "pro" like work.
If it has better than the 14 inch battery life I'll probably get it.
I don't love the concept of white bezels, but I also spend 80% of my time in a word processor. I'll get used to it when I am in a coffee shop. As for the keyboard, if it has the same style keyboard as the other modern macs but white, great. I'll bring my smallest MK to work at a coffee shop (and a stand for ergonomics) to work anyway. (Keychron q2, a great keyboard).
It will go on to be the best selling apple computer, have some insane battery life, regular folks will love it and the colors. Reviews will say it's good, but not a "pro" machine.
Six months later, a bunch of youtube "pro's" will talk about how great it actually is, and how it actually can do a lot of "pro" like work.
If it has better than the 14 inch battery life I'll probably get it.
I don't love the concept of white bezels, but I also spend 80% of my time in a word processor. I'll get used to it when I am in a coffee shop. As for the keyboard, if it has the same style keyboard as the other modern macs but white, great. I'll bring my smallest MK to work at a coffee shop (and a stand for ergonomics) to work anyway. (Keychron q2, a great keyboard).
That’s highly likely given it’s lower price point. But we’ll never know how many more MBA’s would have been sold if it had black bezels and no notch.
I’ve always gone with the pro but this will likely be my first MBA. I love the new iMac design, and I don’t think the MBP offers much over the MBA to justify the steep price hike. Hopefully, the M2 or whatever chip they put in there, supports multiple monitors.
I don't need a new Air presently, but I'll be buying one of the current ones anyway as a hedge against getting stuck with a white keyboard and bezels.
Sure, their interest was in the iBook, however, their interest was also in the guy with the interesting taste in laptops. Women love fashion, and they love guys with good fashion. If a man puts care into his appearance, then there is a reasonable assumption that he puts care into other parts of his world. If he is a lazy slob in his appearance, then guess how other parts of his life will be. All this happens at a subconscious level.I've told this story before, and I'll tell it again.
When I first got my 12" G3 iBook way back in 2001, all of a sudden young women came out of the woodwork to ask me about it. I'd be sitting at a bench outside or else in a coffee shop, and these pretty young ladies would randomly strike up conversations with me. As a straight guy who isn't much to look at, I must say I was quite pleased.
Then in 2002 I got a G4 PowerBook Titanium, and all of a sudden all of the interest stopped.
It's obvious that they were just interested in the iBook, but nonetheless I appreciated the attention. Suffice it to say I have very fond memories of my white iBook.
Now imagine if you could get that case from a vintage G3 iBook, and somehow squeeze an M1 MacBook's internals into it, whoa!
Sure it’s from a Twitter account but this one has posted accurate things in the past:
The MagSafe is a blessing for old folks (like me) and for homes with kids around and USB-C is rather fragile. Older folks and kids trip ov er them and they get bent. I buy 2 at a time for my MB Pro. I cannot see buying a new notebook without MagSafe.
I am also happy paying extra to boost memory and RAM - like $100 for each.
As far as WWDC announcing a new MBA goes - as long as they clearly define changes to a new M1 processor I'll probably be happy with it. My first computer course in college had us write small, easy programs - and we were using punch cards to write the programs. DO you really think this old guy will notice the difference between the "old" M1 and what Apple is going to put into any next generation announced at WWDC.
PS, back in those days a 10Mb hard drive costs $100,000.00. Lets you know how lucky you are these days.
I live in a four-story house. (Think rather narrow, deep and tall, Amsterdam style.) If I'm hanging out on the top floor at 11 pm, using my computer, and realize I'm tired and ready to go to bed but decide not to go down two floors and back up again just to retrieve the charger that's in the living room, I think I am responsible (going to sleep when I know it's time, rather than breaking the spell just to fetch a charger), knowing that I can charge it in the morning.
As for lazy, I climb probably an average of 25-30 flights a day on days I work from home, so I dismiss that notion out of hand.
If you don't want MagSafe, you don't have to use it. But that doesn't mean it isn't useful. Similarly, I will probably never again use a 3.5 mm headphone jack on a laptop, but recognize that some find it useful or even essential.
Good point but I like the idea of all the MacBooks offering both options since they've brought it back/set a precedent on the latest MBPs.
If it actually saved $50 off the retail price then yeh, scrap it but Apple love making decisions for us so it'll be there (coz they want to make money on their own proprietary
MagSafe cables!) 😈 *overly enthusiastic evil laugh*
A 12" and a 15" instead of a 13.3" and both just 'MacBook' unless they try to sell the old MBAs as the cheapest option/'MacBook'.
Why not? The Air has shared the same size (13") as the smaller MacBook Pro for many years. So the Air could also be the same size as the new smaller MBP (14") and still carry the 'Air' moniker.
Did you ever see the Air's original introduction? There is a reason why the Air went down in size versus up. It's meant as an ultraportable that fits in an office envelope. Anything bigger than 13" is not ultraportable as it adds size, weight and complexity. In other words, not Air qualities.
As has been pointed out in these forums in the past, both 13.3" and 11.6" models of the MacBook Airs has/had thick bezels.
If it was possible to reduce the size of the bezels without changing the width and length (chassis) of the unreleased MacBook Airs - allowing the screen size to increase to 13.8" - 14.0" but still fit in the "standard" manila envelope - would there be an issue with that?
It may even be possible for them to go back to the 11.6" model and increase the screen size to around 12.5" and downclock/ deactivate CPU/GPU cores if they wanted to really go back into the ultraportable market (sub 1kg). This market would be more sizeable (LOL) among travellers, students and in South & South East Asia (eg. Japan, Singapore - it could even break into the middle class in India).
Obviously, we would need to check if suitable retina panels would be available for Apple to slot this into their line up, along with keeping the same number of ports within the MacBook Air line up.
The proposed 12.5" MB Air could have two tiers.
First Tier - entry "budget" model with lower CPU & GPU specs but better battery life, decent storage options.
Second Tier - Professional model with 2 "extra" GPU cores, up to 16-32GB RAM (one level above entry model), 2-4TB storage and potentially weaker battery life. It would be anticipated that it would have a better "non-fan" cooling system - to address the larger thermal envelope with the "additional" GPU cores. As Apple already has a software solution to change the power/energy modes of their laptops - the user could choose to keep the battery life similar to the "entry" model for basic web browsing and office tasks - or by using the additional GPU/CPU cores in an "Advanced" power mode - the user could carry out more intensive tasks in a timely manner, but should be aware that battery life would be lessened. The "Professional" model could also have the traditional silver/space grey options as well as the vibrant colours others have predicted for upcoming 13-14" MB Air update.
This versatile proposal would give the users more flexibility in how they could use their proposed 12.5" MB Air - in thanks to the relationship Apple can uniquely create with its harmonised hardware and software.
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fr I'm forcer to pass on that one and wait for the next iteration...even tho there may never be a 15"
13.6 ..whoah,what an improvement duh
unlikely to happen this time around though ,perhaps with the next MBA ,we shall see
0.3" isn't an improvement
I'm not holding my breath. Every year someone talks about Apple releasing new hardware during WWDC. Then, when Apple doesn't release new hardware, there's tons of griping/complaining all over the internet because they didn't.
If they do anything hardware-related, it's usually a preview for something to be released in the fall. I'll honestly be surprised because the recent trend is always for a hardware release in the September/October timeframe when the next version of iOS/iPadOS/MacOS/TvOS/WatchOS is released out of public beta.
If they do anything hardware-related, it's usually a preview for something to be released in the fall. I'll honestly be surprised because the recent trend is always for a hardware release in the September/October timeframe when the next version of iOS/iPadOS/MacOS/TvOS/WatchOS is released out of public beta.
Expecting it to come in colours. MagSafe on Air will be very welcome. I think Apple might increase the price of MacBook Air.