Why have Apple ruined the MacBook Air design?

[darngooddesign]

..., it was covered in smudges and fingerprints, and the notch and Touch ID button on the keyboard both stick out like a sore thumb.

FWIW if Apple did the old-style wedge in Midnight, it would have been covered in smudges as well. Silver and Starlight just don't show them. I like both designs but I prefer the slimmer bezels with notch to the old-style top bezel; I prefer the full sized Fn keys to the old style thinner ones.

PS. It's easy to hide the notch if you really don't like it.

 

[darngooddesign]

...Why have a razer thin AIO when it doesn't server a purpose.

Here's the thing... does the 24" iMac need to be thicker than it is? Have there been any reports of it throttling or the fan(s) screaming because the internal space is insufficient for cooling?

 

[timmodugdale]

I looked at the new M2 MacBook Air in an Apple Store recently and came away thinking how thankful I was for going ahead with my purchase of the previous wedge-shaped MacBook Air. I was hoping the new MBA would look better in reality than the photos and videos I'd seen online, but it actually looked worse. The flat design is boring and already looks outdated, it was covered in smudges and fingerprints, and the notch and Touch ID button on the keyboard both stick out like a sore thumb. It just lacks that sleek perfection that the previous MBA design had, which actually looks more futuristic now than the new M2 MBA. I just don't understand why Apple is doing this, taking big backward steps with the look and feel of their products. They've already done this with the new iMac, and MacBook Pro, and now the new MacBook Air. Moreover, the new Apple Watch Ultra is the ugliest device they've created in years. Why are they doing this? The reason I loved Apple products in the first place was the sleek minimalism and beautiful aesthetics of their products but they are slowly eroding that approach to design. Is it because Jony Ive has left?

You have a right to your own opinion on the design. I'll say that my opinion differs. I think the MacBook Air M2 is by far the best Apple laptop I've ever had. Yes, the finish does attract fingerprints (I have the midnight blue), but the performance (which is the criteria upon which I usually judge a laptop) is superb. The screen is crisp and bright. the battery is long-lasting, the keyboard is smooth, the processor is fast, the camera is very sharp, and I love having the MagSafe charging port back again. Align that with iOS 13 Ventura and it makes for a great user experience. As for the flat design, I prefer it to the old MacBook Air design. I was never a fan of the tapered profile. I think the new design is sleek.

 

[rgwebb]

I looked at the new M2 MacBook Air in an Apple Store recently and came away thinking how thankful I was for going ahead with my purchase of the previous wedge-shaped MacBook Air. I was hoping the new MBA would look better in reality than the photos and videos I'd seen online, but it actually looked worse. The flat design is boring and already looks outdated, it was covered in smudges and fingerprints, and the notch and Touch ID button on the keyboard both stick out like a sore thumb. It just lacks that sleek perfection that the previous MBA design had, which actually looks more futuristic now than the new M2 MBA. I just don't understand why Apple is doing this, taking big backward steps with the look and feel of their products. They've already done this with the new iMac, and MacBook Pro, and now the new MacBook Air. Moreover, the new Apple Watch Ultra is the ugliest device they've created in years. Why are they doing this? The reason I loved Apple products in the first place was the sleek minimalism and beautiful aesthetics of their products but they are slowly eroding that approach to design. Is it because Jony Ive has left?

waaaaaaaaaaa why didnant apple make it to my specificirinos

 

[darngooddesign]

I wonder if Apple moved away from the wedge because its limited internal space isn't up to cooling the future M chips without a fan.

 

[code-m]

LOL! 6th grade grammar tests are incredibly simple and most authors in major publications (e.g., The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, etc.) could readily pass such a low bar. Their writing — in vocabulary, grammar, structure, and substance — routinely surpasses that of the average 6th grader!

Now, as to the topic at hand…

A strong case can be made the M1 MBA is *objectively* thinner than the M2 MBA.

Several have rejected that because the M2 MBA's height of .44“ is clearly less than the .63” of M1 MBA.

Well, that data is right, but cherry-picked. It uses the M1's greatest height! Instead, consider the other end, which is only .11”. That means the M1 MBA is only 1/4 the height of the M2! Clearly, by that measure, it's the thinner one. 😎

But that would be cherry-picking, too. Of greater relevance, consider this. The M2's height of .44” is *greater* than the average height of the M1 MBA, which is roughly .395”. (Half way between .16” and .63”.).

See https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/

Objectively, therefore, the M1 MBA is thinner. 👍🏼 💯

Another point. Bizarrely, we've also had this asserted, albeit not in this thread.

“Despite not having a tapered design, the new ‌MacBook Air‌ delivers a 25 percent volume reduction over the previous generation”​

Color me skeptical! How can that be true?

The M2 MBA is slightly *deeper* than the M1 (8.46” vs. 8.36”) and, as noted, has a greater average height across its chassis!

There is no way the M2 MBA could have 25% *less* volume. As they say in math classes:

”Show your work!” 😎​

Finally, there's this whole “modern” vs. “outdated” debate that keeps getting rehashed.

Describing the M2 MBA as “modern” is, at one level, laughable as it is a throwback to the classic, vintage MacBook Pro box shape. It looks generic and dated.

In contrast, for many people, the M1 MBA with its slanting wedge still looks futuristic. Of course, at another level, it's hard to describe the taper as “modern“ given how many years it's been around! 🙈

Still, I’d cast my vote with Ken's original blunt critique of the new design language, at least as to the MBA.

Yes, Jonny Ive made a fetish out of thinness and much was lost along the way because of it, but the tapered MBA was a breakthrough in design language. It combined form and function, was a delight to use, and retains a magic the rectangular box shape lacks.

Well there is a reason why box shaped designed vehicles are not appealing, aircraft’s are not designed like a box due to aerodynamics (granted this is a computer and not a flying vessel), but I believe you summed up the point that curves are always more appeal when done correctly when compared to a box shape.

I suspect the next iPad Pro deigns will be a combination of both flat and curved similar to the MBA/MBP and AW Ultra. The glass surface will be flat while the rear will transition to a rounded edge thus making it easier to pickup from a flat surface and with some sizes easier to hold.

 

[code-m]

I wonder if Apple moved away from the wedge because its limited internal space isn't up to cooling the future M chips without a fan.

Possibly, however the wedge shape even though I prefer it was long in the tooth. There is only so much one can do with a laptop or tablet form factor other than having a rolling or bending display etc but it still remains a rectangle.

 

[code-m]

Here's the thing... does the 24" iMac need to be thicker than it is? Have there been any reports of it throttling or the fan(s) screaming because the internal space is insufficient for cooling?

Well technically when the 3.5mm headphone jack needs to be placed on the side of the iMac and sticks out like a soar thumb, that is a design fail to many. Now if it stuck out from the back or even better the front or down for convenience to access then that is another issue.

 

[anthony13]

I like the current designs much more because they are driven by form follows function. We wanted more ports and battery life on the Mac book pro, so the machines esthetics reflect that.

 

[darngooddesign]

Well technically when the 3.5mm headphone jack needs to be placed on the side of the iMac and sticks out like a soar thumb, that is a design fail to many. Now if it stuck out from the back or even better the front or down for convenience to access then that is another issue.

I would take side instead of down or back for convenience of access.

I would take side over front for making sure the headphone cable doesn't automatically lay on top of my keyboard. And once you need to route the headphone cable to the side so it isn't in the way, you might as well have it plug into the side.

I have spent decades plugging headphones into the side of my Powerbooks/MacBooks and I have never once thought they would look better if the headphone plugged into the front.

 

[code-m]

I would take side instead of down or back for convenience of access.

I would take side over front for making sure the headphone cable doesn't automatically lay on top of my keyboard. And once you need to route the headphone cable to the side so it isn't in the way, you might as well have it plug into the side.

I have spent decades plugging headphones into the side of my Powerbooks/MacBooks and I have never once thought they would look better if the headphone plugged into the front.

The issue with all those implementation either front, side, back or down means the user has to have a long enough wire. Now if there was a headphone jack in the Bluetooth keyboard that would be nice similar to having a headphone jack in a TV remote but at that point one could go wireless and the issue remains if using the jack for other accessory purposes.

 

[code-m]

I like the current designs much more because they are driven by form follows function. We wanted more ports and battery life on the Mac book pro, so the machines esthetics reflect that.

Would have been even better had there been a USB-C on both sides or three of them or two USB-C ports and a SDXC slot. But maybe in the next revision to bring it on par with the 2017 MBA port with the exclusion of USB-A.

Had iPadOS 16 did file management like macOS, I would stick to my iPad Pro for virtually everything. Apple is really behind on the iPadOS front, iPadOS 17 hopefully is a game changer to bring desktop-class file management.

 

[GuruZac]

They haven't ruined it. The wedge shape isn't needed anymore. It's now able to be razor thin without wedging it thanks to Apple Silicon. I love my M1 MBA, but I prefer the M2 MBA design. I think at this point, the naming needs to return to simply MacBook.

 

[ahurst]

I stopped seeing the notch about 5-10 minutes into using the notebook. If it continues to be a problem for you it's because you want it to be and is obsessing ver it. There's no other reason that I can think of someone to have a constant problem other than they want to complain.

I thought the notch was an awful design compromise at first from the press shots, but I got a 14" MBP anyway since everything else about it was perfect for my use case. I was all ready to find software tweaks to bring the menu bar underneath the notch and fill in the above with black, but within 10 minutes of actually using the machine I forgot completely it existed.

I guess it's something that's easy to hyper-focus on when you're looking at a static image, but when you're actually using the computer your attention is captured by the actual screen content and the notch vanishes from consciousness. Personally a big fan of the extra vertical screen real estate, especially coming from a 16:9 laptop.

 

[redpandadev]

I disagree with every single product you called out.

The M2 MBA is in every way an improvement over the previous MBA. It's smaller, thinner and lighter than the previous version while retaining screen size and adding improvements. It is also cohesive with the design of other recent products.

The 14" and 16" MBP are a wildly better design than the previous models that were WAY too bulky. The current design makes them look and feel slimmer while retaining a thermal design that the pros demand.

The Apple Watch Ultra - this is not a product that is intended to be beautiful. This is a product that is rugged, and designed to suit a fairly narrow audience. It does so perfectly. It fits right in in its category and checks every box for the intended audience.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

They look outdated and anachronistic with that bulky, boxy design. The new MBP looks similar to my ancient Macbook Pro from 2006 and the colour options on the boring new iMacs are just silly. Go into any Apple Store or reseller and they just look out of place.

Wait, so… You started using Apple because of their sleek design (assumedly around 2006) and are now mad at their devices… because they Look like they did in 2006?
Odd complaint

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Wrong. There is a reason the new M2 Air is the worst selling Apple product in 25 years. As the OP already suggested, outdated design in comparison to the wedge, cheaper build quality and the M1 Air is as powerful if not more powerful than the M2 in most common circumstances, and over half the price cheaper. There is also a reason why the midnight colour has only sold 26,000 units globally since the M2 air was released in comparison to the M1 Air which has sold in its millions form day one

And where is your source for these statistics?
Because according to Apple, the M2 MacBook Air helped them set Mac sales and financial records in Q3 of 2022.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

A few comments here have mentioned how they like the angle of the keyboard from the old wedge design. And while it's better for keyboard visibility (not needed for touch typing), ergonomic experts agree that a positive keyboard angle (back is higher than the front) is worse for your wrists than a flat or even negative angle.

Using a slightly negative keyboard tilt will help you keep your wrists in the proper (neutral) position. Try to avoid positive keyboard tilt (i.e., where the top row of keys is noticeably higher than the bottom row of keys).

Clearly this is up to personal preference - like what you like and buy what you want. But for those who do a lot of typing, it's a design difference between the two MBAs that should be taken into account. Long term usage of a keyboard at the wrong angle can lead to RSI; or neck, arm and wrist pain at the end of a long day of work, at the very least.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I suspect the next iPad Pro deigns will be a combination of both flat and curved similar to the MBA/MBP and AW Ultra. The glass surface will be flat while the rear will transition to a rounded edge thus making it easier to pickup from a flat surface and with some sizes easier to hold.

you’re describing the iPad 2/3/4 design from the early 2010s.
And the first three generations of iPhone.
I agree a design like that would be easier to hold, but in terms of internals, making something curved or tapered either requires redesigns of all of the internals, or just… Less internals.

 

[darngooddesign]

They look outdated and anachronistic with that bulky, boxy design. The new MBP looks similar to my ancient Macbook Pro from 2006 and the colour options on the boring new iMacs are just silly. Go into any Apple Store or reseller and they just look out of place.

It's hard to claim that the wedge MBA is fresher than the MBP considering its design is 12 years old. If one is stale, so is the other.

 

[polaris20]

They look outdated and anachronistic with that bulky, boxy design. The new MBP looks similar to my ancient Macbook Pro from 2006 and the colour options on the boring new iMacs are just silly. Go into any Apple Store or reseller and they just look out of place.

No, the new MBP doesn't look anything like the one from 2006. Also, are you using the laptop, or taking it out to dinner?

 

[MrCheeto]

LOL! 6th grade grammar tests are incredibly simple and most authors in major publications (e.g., The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, etc.) could readily pass such a low bar. Their writing — in vocabulary, grammar, structure, and substance — routinely surpasses that of the average 6th grader!

This was literally the first thing I read when I opened the WSJ right now.

You can't make this stuff up. They get paid to show off their utterly shameful incompetence! If I handed one of my 1920's National Geographic's to these authors, it would be akin to a cargo culture finding a nuclear reactor.

Here's the thing... does the 24" iMac need to be thicker than it is?

Does it have to be so thin? How many features and how much performance was left behind for the "wow" factor? We will never know.

waaaaaaaaaaa why didnant apple make it to my specificirinos

LEL

ergonomic experts agree that a positive keyboard angle (back is higher than the front) is worse for your wrists than a flat or even negative angle.

For me, it isn't about the angle of my wrists but about the cutting into my wrists. I'll never forget the pain inflicted by my 13" MacBook Pro around 2008 because it is still inflicted by my 16" M1. My Air's of all years are a pleasure for typing.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

You can't make this stuff up. They get paid to show off their utterly shameful incompetence! If I handed one of my 1920's National Geographic's to these authors, it would be akin to a cargo culture finding a nuclear reactor.

Since we're throwing shade at people's writing or typos, correct usage would be:

1920s (indicates the decade, while the apostrophe indicates ownership)

National Geographics (indicates a plural, while the apostrophe indicates ownership)

cargo cult (cargo culture is not a thing)

Okay, I'm not making actual pedantic complaints about what you wrote here. I'm just saying that sometimes it's not incompetence.

Also, what the WSJ wrote seems accurate to me, I don't see the problem. What am I missing?

And last but not least, I completely agree with what you said about some Apple laptops having a sharp, wrist-gouging edge. The Air is much more comfortable when it comes to not slicing up its user.

 

[theluggage]

Here's the thing... does the 24" iMac need to be thicker than it is? Have there been any reports of it throttling or the fan(s) screaming because the internal space is insufficient for cooling?

The power supply, which used to be internal with a mains socket compatible with standard IEC connectors, is now in an external brick connected by a proprietary magnetic connector (on a captive cable).

The ethernet connector has gone and is now on the power brick (great if your ethernet socket is down by the power sockets, stupid if you've already arranged to have ethernet cables routed to your desktop).

...probably because the new thin'n'crispy case doesn't have enough depth for Ethernet or IEC connectors, let alone the power supply.

(NB: the Studio Display does have an internal power supply - using expensive ultra-slim components according to some teardowns - so obviously Apple doesn't think 'bricks are better' - but the much-derided captive mains cable is likely because the case still doesn't have enough depth for a regular IEC socket.)

 

[MrCheeto]

Also, what the WSJ wrote seems accurate to me, I don't see the problem. What am I missing?

"...largest since 1989, as the bank..."
(clause) comma conjunction (clause)

Where I'm from, the conjunction usually supplants a comma when joining clauses.

I agree with two critiques but the NatGeos are of the '20s. They belong to the '20s.