What upgrades will the new Air have?

[tentales]

It'll be interesting to see if they believe in the MB enough to pull the plug on the MBA. The overall consumer response has seemed to be lukewarm compared to the loved MBA. It didn't seem an evolution as much as a compromise device. It seems like minor chassis modifications to the MBA chassis and the same screen would have breathed new life into the MBA (which was doing just fine) - but instead they created a whole new product that as a whole didn't seem as good. But if they stubbornly stick to the current MacBook design and pull the Air, there is no question I'm snagging a MBA before they are gone and calling it a day. All of their insistence on a single port.

Sort of like I have a bad feeling I'll be grabbing a 6s if the rumors of the headphone jack being removed from the 7 are true. Taking away functionality to make things more complicated is the exact opposite of the simplicity that makes Apple great.

If we thought Apple was "locking people in" in the past, it is only going to get worse.
You might want to grab a 2012 cMBP i7 for later eBay resale. The last upgradeable MBP. Or indeed the MBA you suggested.
The screen on the rMB might be great, but the new keyboard is not, as is the "outboarding" of legacy connectors via a USB-C hub.

The iPhone 7 will probably have a separate dongle for $35 to connect your "legacy" headphone jacks to, else you need to buy their new Beats ones.

 

[navaira]

 

[whittywife]

Hypothetical, if an updated MBA is announced in a couple weeks, typically how long does it take for Apple to make those products available to the consumer?

 

[td2243]

If they get rid of MagSafe on the new Airs, I'll pass. I'm guessing they will.

 

[cincygolfgrrl]

Hypothetical, if an updated MBA is announced in a couple weeks, typically how long does it take for Apple to make those products available to the consumer?

Since there are no rumors about the product coming out of the production pipeline, my totally uneducated guess would be three months at a minimum from announcement to first availability. I don't think there will be a new Mac of any variety announced before WWDC in mid-June.

 

[mountain]

No one knows. Just have to wait and see.

 

[merkinmuffley]

The Air is the perfect size, weight, ports, keyboard and screen size. It's downfall is price when coupled with that abysmal screen. The screen is really horrible, there is no way to wrap it in accolades and call it even decent given it's 2016. The 12 inch retina MB also has great size, weight and a very nice screen but comes up short with no ports, minimal processor and a lousy keyboard. It has not sold well. Apple would be smart to marry the best of both these systems into one. I expect at the March event we'll see a new 12 inch MBr with a slightly better processor and not much else. I hope they surprise me with something better.

 

[mantan]

The Air is the perfect size, weight, ports, keyboard and screen size. It's downfall is price when coupled with that abysmal screen. The screen is really horrible, there is no way to wrap it in accolades and call it even decent given it's 2016. The 12 inch retina MB also has great size, weight and a very nice screen but comes up short with no ports, minimal processor and a lousy keyboard. It has not sold well. Apple would be smart to marry the best of both these systems into one. I expect at the March event we'll see a new 12 inch MBr with a slightly better processor and not much else. I hope they surprise me with something better.

Agree. Sweet spot would be to correct their mistakes and take what's good about the Air (phenomenal chassis/port support/battery life) and marry it with the screen of the MB.

I'd prefer a 13 inch version, but a 12 wouldn't be the end of the world. Other than the screen, I can't think of any way the MB is superior to the MBA.

But given the recent history with the iMac and Mini, I have a sneaking suspicion the solution is going to be tweaking the flawed MB and phasing out the MBA.

 

[navaira]

But given the recent history with the iMac and Mini, I have a sneaking suspicion the solution is going to be tweaking the flawed MB and phasing out the MBA.

Yup, that's what I expect. Those people who post "rMB still has too many ports and I have to carry them around, remove them" and "nobody uses USB in 2016" will probably be delighted.

 

[jmoore5196]

It has not sold well.

Since you are obviously an Apple exec with access to MB sales figures that are denied everyone else, perhaps you could enlighten us.

Saying that the display is the only real issue with the MBA (and I agree ... it is!) is rather like asking Mrs Lincoln how she enjoyed the play. Other than the fact that her husband was shot during the performance, I'm sure she laughed her head off.

 

[62tele]

Do any of you seriously believe they will kill the MacBook Air? It's the affordable Mac with a ridiculously low entry level price point and it's one of their most popular models. It's the next stop after folks are pulled into the Mac world by an iPhone or iPad.
There's a $400 difference between the Macbook or Macbook Pro base models and the 11" MBA and $300 difference for the 13". Also, the Air has a better processor.

 

[CocoaNut]

I've been following the discussion, and I understand most points made on both sides. I have a 2011 11" MBA, and it is one of the best laptops I've ever had, but let's put all that into context...

Please raise your hand if your jaw didn't drop when the original 13" MBA was pulled out of that Manila envelope by Steve almost ten years ago. Thin and light laptops just didn't exist at the time, and it took the "PC industry" years to catch up with designs at least comparable to the MBA. Yes, it had a mechanical HDD that was bone-grinding slow. Yes, it had only 2GB of RAM. Yes, the battery lasted some 20 minutes from a full charge. But! It was an amazing new design!

My MBA has always been perfect for what I needed to do when my 17" MBP from a year earlier was just too big/heavy/etc. It fits perfectly on tray tables on planes & trains. And it has better performance than that same 17" BTO MBP despite being a third the size. Progress it's called, no? Yes, the bezel on the MBA makes my eyes bleed. I can see the pixels with bare eyes and I'm over 23. But it has served me very well so far.

Now we have the 12" rMB since last year. Sub-par performance (for geeks like us), new concept keyboard, just one port, amazing screen, no fan. I'm sure that the new iteration of the rMB will be "fixed" in many respects, and could be a compelling upgrade for my 11". Remember when the original iMac dropped floppy drives...? Huge cries for scandal, yet Apple did have a point, as it has had many times since. As geeks, our greatest blindness is often to be able to see computers as non-geeks do. Thin! Light! I can choose the same color as my iPhone!

So my point is... Apple makes new products in the shape of "bets", see the rMB as the latest example. You don't like it? Oh, but we also have the MBA, which you can buy right now. Rinse and repeat with historic models as you see fit. Yes, in 2016 a MBA is a bad choice, but it was more than a solid choice when it was introduced, and up to about two years ago I'd say. It will most likely be killed off this summer, without too much fanfare as in Apple's tradition, or be left to wilt for some time, buried in the product list, like the 13" cMBP.

That's evolution applied to technology. I don't blame this process. I can't, since I chose to be a part of it!

 

[mantan]

I've been following the discussion, and I understand most points made on both sides. I have a 2011 11" MBA, and it is one of the best laptops I've ever had, but let's put all that into context...

Please raise your hand if your jaw didn't drop when the original 13" MBA was pulled out of that Manila envelope by Steve almost ten years ago. Thin and light laptops just didn't exist at the time, and it took the "PC industry" years to catch up with designs at least comparable to the MBA. Yes, it had a mechanical HDD that was bone-grinding slow. Yes, it had only 2GB of RAM. Yes, the battery lasted some 20 minutes from a full charge. But! It was an amazing new design!

My MBA has always been perfect for what I needed to do when my 17" MBP from a year earlier was just too big/heavy/etc. It fits perfectly on tray tables on planes & trains. And it has better performance than that same 17" BTO MBP despite being a third the size. Progress it's called, no? Yes, the bezel on the MBA makes my eyes bleed. I can see the pixels with bare eyes and I'm over 23. But it has served me very well so far.

Now we have the 12" rMB since last year. Sub-par performance (for geeks like us), new concept keyboard, just one port, amazing screen, no fan. I'm sure that the new iteration of the rMB will be "fixed" in many respects, and could be a compelling upgrade for my 11". Remember when the original iMac dropped floppy drives...? Huge cries for scandal, yet Apple did have a point, as it has had many times since. As geeks, our greatest blindness is often to be able to see computers as non-geeks do. Thin! Light! I can choose the same color as my iPhone!

So my point is... Apple makes new products in the shape of "bets", see the rMB as the latest example. You don't like it? Oh, but we also have the MBA, which you can buy right now. Rinse and repeat with historic models as you see fit. Yes, in 2016 a MBA is a bad choice, but it was more than a solid choice when it was introduced, and up to about two years ago I'd say. It will most likely be killed off this summer, without too much fanfare as in Apple's tradition, or be left to wilt for some time, buried in the product list, like the 13" cMBP.

That's evolution applied to technology. I don't blame this process. I can't, since I chose to be a part of it!

I absolutely agree about the debut of the original MBA.

But at the risk of sounding trite, that was Steve Jobs. There has been a steady stream of listless product debuts under Tim Cook. The Apple Watch. The iMac. The Mac Mini. The MacBook. There hasn't been any 'wow' new products other than a bigger iPhone. And that was more of Apple finally catching up with the competition.

When the MacBook comes up short on simple things like a comfortable keyboard, it makes you wonder if a fix is as simple as beefing up the specs. I just don't trust Apple to hit home runs the way they used to.

 

[jmoore5196]

I just don't trust Apple to hit home runs the way they used to.

I really don't believe in future-proofing, and I believe innovation is the way beyond any current limitation. But I also think there's fewer home runs to hit in 2016 than in, say, 2008 or 2009. Apple no longer has a monopoly on thin and light; what's needed is another area (like the iPad) where they can be first to market with a device everyone wants. I'm not sure those opportunities exist now as they did in 2010.

Steve Jobs and I shared one thing in common: Intense admiration for Edwin Land, who invented instant photography. Land's company, Polaroid, had a significant technological monopoly. Despite that sort of competitive insulation, they kept innovating.

Apple has the monopolies of OS X and iOS. There's a limited number of avenues the current "thin and light" thinking can turn up. We need to get past the fixation with size and thinness and get back to hitting home runs.

At the risk of being labeled a pessimist, I'm just not so sure that the opportunity to hit those pitches will present itself; pitches these days don't seem to be what they were even five years ago.

 

[capathy21]

I tend to think that everyone who's commented has a point here. As someone who recently sold my 13 inch MB Air and "upgraded" to the Retina Macbook, I can tell you that the Air was hands down the best computer I have ever owned. Regardless of the slight difference on paper of thinness and weight, the MB Air is much more comfortable of a computer to use than the rMBP. It runs cooler, it's wedged design is more comfortable on the wrists, and it's battery last at least 3 hours longer than the rMBP. These are the reasons it continues to sell well, and why, as mentioned in this thread, the "average" consumer doesn't know or care about the display quality.

I am a Starbucks addict. Every day I am at one of our 4 local Starbucks. 90 percent of the people (mostly college students) that are using a computer are using a 13 inch Air. Not just a Macbook, but an Air. It is without a doubt, the best college computer ever made, even with the subpar display.

I tried the rMBP. The display was great, but it was too much machine for my needs and after having an Air, it was too think, too warm on my lap, and had mediocre battery life on a good day compared to the Air.

The 13 inch Macbook Air is the best notebook in the history of computers, it just is. Even when you subtract points for the below average display, it is still the best overall notebook ever designed. It having 4gb of ram in the base model is a non issue for 99 percent of those who purchase it. I had a 4gb model and I never experienced a single issue, even when heavily multitasking.

Having said all of that, I had to move on from its display. As others have stated, it is absolutely unacceptable for Apple to put that crappy TN panel in a 1,000 (retail price) notebook in 2016. Is it workable? Sure. Will most people who purchase it even realize it's not good? Probably not. But that doesn't change the fact that it is terrible. Once I got accustomed to retina quality display's in my phone and tablet, the Air just won't cut it for me.

I absolutely agree with those who say that the Retina Macbook is the Air of the future. Yes, the keyboard is an acquired taste. Hated it at first but now I really like it. Apple has always been obsessed with thin devices so there's no doubt that future MacBook's including the Pro line will have this type of low travel keyboard. I figured I mine as well get use to it now.

The base model Retina Macbook has been on sale for $999 from Best Buy for over two weeks now. My opinion ( and I could be wrong) is that they will do away with the Air models, and make the current configuration of the Retina Macbook the new entry level into the Macbook world at a starting price of $999. I believe Apple realized that they priced the Retina Macbook entirely too high to begin with. Just like the first Air, it was super expensive because it was a cutting edge design.

Personally, I would have loved a redesigned MB Air with a 12-14 inch retina display (with smaller bezels) same comfortable wedged design, and kept a couple of USB ports etc. But they did not. They felt it was time to completely redesign the portable notebook. I can't say I disagree as the Retina Macbook is a beautiful machine. I just think it may be a little early to make it Apple's featured consumer laptop.

 

[pedrom]

Do any of you seriously believe they will kill the MacBook Air? It's the affordable Mac with a ridiculously low entry level price point and it's one of their most popular models. It's the next stop after folks are pulled into the Mac world by an iPhone or iPad.
There's a $400 difference between the Macbook or Macbook Pro base models and the 11" MBA and $300 difference for the 13". Also, the Air has a better processor.

No it doesn't. If you don't know what you are talking about, ask.

That's as ignorant as saying that a screen with a higher PPI is better. Or a bigger engine is better.

All things considered, for like 99,9% of consumers, core M is a much better product. (performance, power draw, heat, etc.).

About the Air... It is made to be thin, light, fun, pretty, capable, truly portable. The MB is already better on everything BUT a few instance. If one needs more performance, the rMBP is almost as light as the Air, has more connectivity options, has a fantastic screen (compared with a turd), much smaller footprint, better peak raw performance, better sustained performance, etc.

Obviously the price of the MB has to drop a lot for them to drop the Air.

 

[theluggage]

Personally, I would have loved a redesigned MB Air with a 12-14 inch retina display (with smaller bezels) same comfortable wedged design, and kept a couple of USB ports etc.

My guess is that the next major re-design of the 13" rMBP will have a wedged design (using the layered battery technology in the rMB and taking advantage of the thinner USB C/Thunderbolt ports) and a 13 or 14" display, and be somewhat lighter than the current rMBP. Whether it says "MacBook Pro" or "MacBook Air" on the case is quite arbitrary.

...because when Apple re-design the rMBP they're going to make it fatter, right?

Unfortunately, it will probably have 2 TB3/USB-C ports and that's your lot, so it will be the rMBP fans weeping next. I'd like to believe that they'll keep the MagSafe.

Its clear from the name that the MacBook is destined to be the new entry level, probably after a revision and (relative) price drop.

(Reserving the 'Pro' label for a 15" rMBP replacement with the new mobile Xeon processor sounds like sense, too).

 

[barmann]

No it doesn't. If you don't know what you are talking about, ask.

That's as ignorant as saying that a screen with a higher PPI is better. Or a bigger engine is better.

All things considered, for like 99,9% of consumers, core M is a much better product. (performance, power draw, heat, etc.).

About the Air... It is made to be thin, light, fun, pretty, capable, truly portable. The MB is already better on everything BUT a few instance. If one needs more performance, the rMBP is almost as light as the Air, has more connectivity options, has a fantastic screen (compared with a turd), much smaller footprint, better peak raw performance, better sustained performance, etc.

Obviously the price of the MB has to drop a lot for them to drop the Air.

So, the 12" MB processor is more powerful than the processors of the MBAs ?
I'm genuinely curious .

Apart from that, for all intents and purposes, the 12" MB is part of the MBA family , as far as I'm concerned .
Only seems to be less usable - for me - mainly due to the lack of ports .
The 13" rMBP, now that's in a different weight and size class compared to the 12" or 11" MB(A)s .
I understand your argument, but do you travel ?

I still use an ancient 11" MBA from 2010 (!) for travel ; poor battery life, USB 2.0, etc ..
According to you, the screen is horrible - but I can kind of read stuff on it, look at pictures, it's bright enough, has decent color balance and viewing angles .
The resolution is good enough to run all my programs.
It's very usable, and I know unsusable .

So, what's not to like ?

It's a laptop display, and they all suck compared to a proper display .
They are small, added resolution and vibrancy are no substitute for physical size .
You use a laptop screen when you don't have access to something decent .
If you don't need better and bigger than a laptop screen, why make a fuss ?

To use your analogy, any 'fantastic' laptop screen is still a turd, only polished for those who like shiny things .

 

[mantan]

My guess is that the next major re-design of the 13" rMBP will have a wedged design (using the layered battery technology in the rMB and taking advantage of the thinner USB C/Thunderbolt ports) and a 13 or 14" display, and be somewhat lighter than the current rMBP. Whether it says "MacBook Pro" or "MacBook Air" on the case is quite arbitrary.

...because when Apple re-design the rMBP they're going to make it fatter, right?

Unfortunately, it will probably have 2 TB3/USB-C ports and that's your lot, so it will be the rMBP fans weeping next. I'd like to believe that they'll keep the MagSafe.

Its clear from the name that the MacBook is destined to be the new entry level, probably after a revision and (relative) price drop.

(Reserving the 'Pro' label for a 15" rMBP replacement with the new mobile Xeon processor sounds like sense, too).

Do you think a return to the wedged design will mean a better keyboard? One of the most disappointing things about the MB, in the brief times I've demoed it, was the keyboard. As anyone who's had a poor keyboard knows, the comfort level of the keyboard has a HUGE impact on your overall feelings about a laptop. (I learned this the hardway about a great deal on a highly rated ASUS laptop.)

I've heard people say you get used to it eventually. But as I get ready to get my daughter a laptop for college, I want to be 100% sure it's something that's comfortable to be a daily driver for the next four years.

 

[pedrom]

So, the 12" MB processor is more powerful than the processors of the MBAs ?
I'm genuinely curious .

Apart from that, for all intents and purposes, the 12" MB is part of the MBA family , as far as I'm concerned .
Only seems to be less usable - for me - mainly due to the lack of ports .
The 13" rMBP, now that's in a different weight and size class compared to the 12" or 11" MB(A)s .
I understand your argument, but do you travel ?

I still use an ancient 11" MBA from 2010 (!) for travel ; poor battery life, USB 2.0, etc ..
According to you, the screen is horrible - but I can kind of read stuff on it, look at pictures, it's bright enough, has decent color balance and viewing angles .
The resolution is good enough to run all my programs.
It's very usable, and I know unsusable .

So, what's not to like ?

It's a laptop display, and they all suck compared to a proper display .
They are small, added resolution and vibrancy are no substitute for physical size .
You use a laptop screen when you don't have access to something decent .
If you don't need better and bigger than a laptop screen, why make a fuss ?

To use your analogy, any 'fantastic' laptop screen is still a turd, only polished for those who like shiny things .

Bolded part: No one said that, or even insinuated such BS. The problem is that your reasoning is so limited, so archaic, that Better = More powerful.

The Core M provides almost the same peak (not sustained) performance, while drawing 3x less power, and producing 3x less heat. That's a much better product for the vast majority of the typical user that has a Macbook Air. The engine of an charger Hellcat is huge and provides 700 hp, and the 4x more expensive 911 Turbo S has a much smaller engine that makes less than 600 hp. The fastest car? The most efficient car? The best engine? You guessed it (hopefully). The same logic is applied to screens and other pieces of tech.

The easy to read numbers are the numbers companies want ignorant people to read.

It has nothing to do with that. The m7 chip used on the new Macbook costs more than the Average Selling Price of Windows PCs. For a MBAir-like Machine, what product (no matter the price) is better? A core i7 ULV or the latest 14 core Xeon?

Your analogy with screens is factually incorrect. For starters, I use a 2011 13" MBAir every day and I travel a lot. The 13" rMBP has a smaller footprint and weights almost the same. The screen on the rMBP is extremely capable and amazingly calibrated out of the box, with high PPI and wide color gamut. It doesn't owe anything to "pro" panels. It's also efficient, very efficient, and most people use laptops only.

For almost the same price, you have the TN panel on the Air. PPI was old in 2011, but bad bad efficiency when compared to similar IPS and OLED Panels and poor viewing angles (you just lost your credibility there) make it the worst screen put on a laptop sold above 700$ since 2012. Congrats. Enjoy it.

 

[theluggage]

Do you think a return to the wedged design will mean a better keyboard?

No idea. But my gut feeling is that unless they've been getting huge push-back on the MB and the Magic Keyboard they'll go with the new low-profile design :-(

Trouble is, keyboards and mice are very subjective things. Lots of people seem to like the Magic Mouse (it makes me want to gnaw my hand off at the wrist). I even knew someone who liked the infamous hockey puck. I'm sure plenty of people love the new keyboard.

Personally, I'd give it a chance - my first reaction to the current 'scrabble tile' keyboards was "Ugh" (flashbacks to the IBM PCJr and other cheap Chiclet keyboards of yore) but they rapidly grew on me. The previous 'aluminium' keyboards and the white+plexiglass external keyboards were, however, horrible (yes, I had both & gave them a chance).

 

[mantan]

No idea. But my gut feeling is that unless they've been getting huge push-back on the MB and the Magic Keyboard they'll go with the new low-profile design :-(

Trouble is, keyboards and mice are very subjective things. Lots of people seem to like the Magic Mouse (it makes me want to gnaw my hand off at the wrist). I even knew someone who liked the infamous hockey puck. I'm sure plenty of people love the new keyboard.

Personally, I'd give it a chance - my first reaction to the current 'scrabble tile' keyboards was "Ugh" (flashbacks to the IBM PCJr and other cheap Chiclet keyboards of yore) but they rapidly grew on me. The previous 'aluminium' keyboards and the white+plexiglass external keyboards were, however, horrible (yes, I had both & gave them a chance).

Smiling at the PCJr reference!!! Those were the days. I remember my dad getting me one of those! Also remember having the old Atari 800 and 1200XL....Good times!

Crazy to look at the specs of those computers and realize how far we have come. But I had an absolute blast using those computers. I wish dad was still around to see how far technology has come. He had always been on the cutting edge of everything. I remember him getting the original iPhone when it was released. Then he had to have the 3G when it came out. I thought it was crazy to upgrade just to get '3G' service and he was telling me how much better it was. He passed away shortly thereafter. My mom gave me his old 3G..which was my first Apple product.

He would be absolutely floored by the stuff that's out these days.

 

[navaira]

The problem is that your reasoning is so limited, so archaic, that Better = More powerful.

Exactly! The slower the computer is, the better it is.

Oh wait. I don't think that's what you meant.

Actually I'm not sure what you meant at all, but I'm starting to think you have buyer's remorse and must justify your expensive purchase.

 

[vfr800]

Agree. Sweet spot would be to correct their mistakes and take what's good about the Air (phenomenal chassis/port support/battery life) and marry it with the screen of the MB.

Strangely, most people do agree, the Air is largely still perfect(weight, size & keyboard), the screen should be better, the bezel border reduced, slightly more modern case design, all else is fine - unfortunately Apple don't seem to get this, hence the rMB which doesn't seem to sell well from simple observation..

I detest the lack of ports on the rMB, and I worry that the new generation Macbooks and iPhones will go this way and alienate another group of people who love *their* favorite headphones (and not Apples..) and who don't want some stupid dongle, or the inability to charge at the same time..

 

[pedrom]

Exactly! The slower the computer is, the better it is.

Oh wait. I don't think that's what you meant.

Actually I'm not sure what you meant at all, but I'm starting to think you have buyer's remorse and must justify your expensive purchase.

That's obvious that you have no idea of what you are talking about. Anyway, let me try again to explain to you like you are 5:
After a certain point, CPU RAW performance becomes secondary and almost irrelevant compared with other metrics that measure the worth of a modern mobile CPU, like the power it needs to achieve a particular performance (AKA performance per watt) and the heat it generates.

If you put a modern Xeon on a Macbook Air, that would turn out to be a crappy processor, no matter what the RAW performance is. Why? Your computer would melt, you would need a huge battery to get 5 minutes of battery life, the chip isn't efficient, it would actually throttle and become slow, etc.

Modern Core M CPUs have much higher performance per watt than those ULVs. Since people using the Air don't typical need the higher sustained RAW CPU performance (peak performance is almost the same, BTW), the Core M is a much more suited component to create a much better product than the Air (I use a 2011 Air) could ever be.

Also, since clearly you aren't at ease in this matter, nowadays most users wouldn't feel the difference between using a Core M and 48 Xeon cores. Why? we reached a point where having an SSD is way more important than that. SSDs are what makes your computer boot fast, open apps fast, copy files fast. Not the CPU, after you achieve a certain point of available performance, that almost any modern CPU meets.

For those that need better sustained performance, the rMBP 13" has a much better processor for those tasks, anyway.