2018 MacBook Air Concept

[Dave245]

The benefit of keeping the same chassis is more space for more batteries, compared to the 2018 MacBook Pro. 512GB SSD and 16 GB Ram definitely viable, but it could potentially cost more than 2k.



I'm not so sure if there will be any major redesign introduced for the MacBook. The Air could be getting some design elements that already exist on other new MacBook models, and that isn't really worth an event. Usually, events aren't held for the unveiling of processor/ incremental updates either. I think the Air will not be significantly reworked because it's suppose to be a "budget" laptop, and the MacBook's design hasn't reached the end of the cycle. My guess is that the non-touch bar Pro will be ditched in favour of the Air, and to further differentiate the Pro from other MacBook models.

Unless another Mac-related product is receiving a substantial refresh (e.g. Mac Mini) or some surprise product is coming, I think an October Event will likely not happen. But I wouldn't rule anything out...time will tell.

i certainly think that there will be a build to order configuration, they do this on every Mac from the MacBook Air (still) up to the iMac and iMac Pro. If they want to bring higher specs (not as high as the MacBook Pro tho) then 16GB Ram could be an option along with 512GB os SSD storage.

I don't think they will redesign the MacBook, it's been 3 years since it was introduced and Apple typically wait longer for design refresh's, they will probably give it a spec bump tho. I can see them talking more about this updated Air, don't forget the Air is 10 years old this year and Apple like to talk anniversary's when they have a product ready. I don't think this new Air will be massively redesigned, people love the current design i think there will be tweak tho with the bezels getting reduced (as Mark Gurman reports will happen).

I think at this point it will be a MacBook Air, Mark Gurman called it the Air by name in the latest report which is something he didn't do before. I agree tho i think the none touch bar will be removed in favour of this new Air, i think it was Phil Schiller or Craig who said initially that the none touch bar was great for the Air users, now that they have this new Air in the works it's pointless, i think that's why they didn't update it when the touch bar models got updated last month.

I think the following will be the lineup:

Macbook Air - starting at £999 (with a build to order config that will go higher in price)
Macbook 12" - spec updated with latest Core M processors, maybe given True Tone display and 3rd gen butterfly
Macbook Pro - was updated earlier this year with much faster specs, True Tone display and 3rd gen butterfly

The removal of the none touch bar MacBook Pro leaving only touch bar MacBook Pro for both 13" and 15" versions.

I went back and rewatched the old 2008 introduction of the MacBook Air and Steve jobs put up a slide that showed the same lineup (MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air) i think it makes perfect sense to go back to that, lets not forget that they removed the white MacBook at one point and then brought it back in 2015 with a redesign which brought it more up to date, could that be what they are doing with the Air? the only difference being that they have kept the old one around because it still sells well.

 

[antonis]

Well, leaving professionals with the only option of using laptops with touchbar contradicts their own statements. I recall that when they apologised for the current mac pro design and announced the upcoming modular mac pro, while addressing to the professional crowd, they also stated that they understand that not every professional wants a laptop with a touchbar as their needs may vary.

Hence, I'd expect that the entire remaining laptop line will see a restructuring (which does not mean an external redesign necessarily). Products will merge, or make space for new ones etc. They ought to offer some option for a stronger laptop that will not carry a touchbar, at least as a BTO.

 

[Dave245]

Well, leaving professionals with the only option of using laptops with touchbar contradicts their own statements. I recall that when they apologised for the current mac pro design and announced the upcoming modular mac pro, while addressing to the professional crowd, they also stated that they understand that not every professional wants a laptop with a touchbar as their needs may vary.

Hence, I'd expect that the entire remaining laptop line will see a restructuring (which does not mean an external redesign necessarily). Products will merge, or make space for new ones etc. They ought to offer some option for a stronger laptop that will not carry a touchbar, at least as a BTO.

I don't remember them saying that, can you link it please? i may of missed it! if Apple see it as the way forward they usually go all in.

Either way i do think this new Air will replace the existing one and bring it more up to date which will be great, the only reason i wouldn't buy one myself is because it doesn't have a retina display and simply wouldn't be much of an upgrade from my current 2011 MacBook Pro, BUT if they do what it rumoured and put in a retina display, reduce the bezels and make it a little more powerful than the MacBook but not as powerful as the Pro ie somewhere in between then i would order one as soon as they become available, even if it's the same thickness and design. Most people have been asking for a retina display in the Air for a long while now, this would open the Air up to a LOT more people.

 

[RegularGuy09]

I dont know why everybody is suddenly excited for this new Air. How will it be any different from the non TB 13" Pro? Similar size and weight, similar specs, same screen, same battery life,same ports...Cant see it any cheaper than 1199 anyway which seems like the latest rumor.

So what's the difference?

 

[Dave245]

I dont know why everybody is suddenly excited for this new Air. How will it be any different from the non TB 13" Pro? Similar size and weight, similar specs, same screen, same battery life,same ports...Cant see it any cheaper than 1199 anyway which seems like the latest rumor.

So what's the difference?

Because it’s the Air, people love the design of the Air and a lot of people have been put off due to the lack of a retina screen.

 

[RegularGuy09]

Because it’s the Air, people love the design of the Air and a lot of people have been put off due to the lack of a retina screen.

Okay the wedged design. Apart from that whats different though? Its probably gonna be around the same weight and thickness. How does the moniker( "Air") matter if its nearly the same computer?

Now if they put a retina display and new processors on the current Air? Okay . But thats so unlikely. Whats being proposed here is a MacBook Pro 13" with a wedge design...

And I dont know why that is suddenly such a new thing.

 

[interessiert]

A heavy lot of dreams around here.

Since 2015 (MB) / 2016 (MBP) Apple left a successful way of consumer orientated laptops with failed keyboard (including the 3rd generation), advertising gag (Touch Bar) and short battery time, and without MagSafe and useful sockets (USB 3, SD-slot, Thunderbolt) and forced clients into adapter-war.

This was in a line with Mac Pro disaster.

Why should they be so quick to correct this wrong track? (Did they pension Jony Ive? – NO)

All what they would improve in MB Air they would cut off the MB and 13" MBP without TB.

 

[Dave245]

Okay the wedged design. Apart from that whats different though? Its probably gonna be around the same weight and thickness. How does the moniker( "Air") matter if its nearly the same computer?

Now if they put a retina display and new processors on the current Air? Okay . But thats so unlikely. Whats being proposed here is a MacBook Pro 13" with a wedge design...

And I dont know why that is suddenly such a new thing.

Because it won’t be a MacBook Pro 13” Mark Gurman has said it will be MacBook Air, it will be getting a retina screen and thinner bezels according to Gurman. As I said people love the Air, it still sells well even today which is why Apple keep it around, updating it would be a very popular decision.

There is room in the line up for the MacBook, MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro.
[doublepost=1535030382][/doublepost]

A heavy lot of dreams around here.

Since 2015 (MB) / 2016 (MBP) Apple left a successful way of consumer orientated laptops with failed keyboard (including the 3rd generation), advertising gag (Touch Bar) and short battery time, and without MagSafe and useful sockets (USB 3, SD-slot, Thunderbolt) and forced clients into adapter-war.

This was in a line with Mac Pro disaster.

Why should they be so quick to correct this wrong track? (Did they pension Jony Ive? – NO)

All what they would improve in MB Air they would cut off the MB and 13" MBP without TB.

Not dreams of you believe what Mark Gurman is saying and he’s very reliable when it comes to these things so I’m inclined to believe him and his sources.

Nobody knows 100% what Apple will announce but updating the Air makes sense to a lot of people who love the Air and want to see it continue.

 

[antonis]

I don't remember them saying that, can you link it please? i may of missed it! if Apple see it as the way forward they usually go all in.

Either way i do think this new Air will replace the existing one and bring it more up to date which will be great, the only reason i wouldn't buy one myself is because it doesn't have a retina display and simply wouldn't be much of an upgrade from my current 2011 MacBook Pro, BUT if they do what it rumoured and put in a retina display, reduce the bezels and make it a little more powerful than the MacBook but not as powerful as the Pro ie somewhere in between then i would order one as soon as they become available, even if it's the same thickness and design. Most people have been asking for a retina display in the Air for a long while now, this would open the Air up to a LOT more people.

Hard to find it now, as it could be on a different occasion than the one I remembered. It was about upcoming upgraded MacBooks where along the lines he assured everyone that non-TB MBPs were always in their plans. It made sense, since not everyone is a video editor or using specific TB-enabled s/w (I know I don't) and it was a relief to read it.

On the other hand, I also remember comparing the 13" MBP with no-TB to the MBA and concluding that the MBP is lighter and smaller anyway (implying that there is already a replacement for any users waiting for an MBA upgrade).

Anyway, September and even October are not very far away. I know I'm very interested for a 13" non-TB laptop at the moment, that it won't be too underpowered (I consider that 16gb RAM should be available for the entire line even as a BTO, nowdays, even for the lower-end laptops). Keeping the 16gb option and quad core cpu for TB-only macs doesn't seem too decent of a choice.

 

[Dave245]

Hard to find it now, as it could be on a different occasion than the one I remembered. It was about upcoming upgraded MacBooks where along the lines he assured everyone that non-TB MBPs were always in their plans. It made sense, since not everyone is a video editor or using specific TB-enabled s/w (I know I don't) and it was a relief to read it.

On the other hand, I also remember comparing the 13" MBP with no-TB to the MBA and concluding that the MBP is lighter and smaller anyway (implying that there is already a replacement for any users waiting for an MBA upgrade).

Anyway, September and even October are not very far away. I know I'm very interested for a 13" non-TB laptop at the moment, that it won't be too underpowered (I consider that 16gb RAM should be available for the entire line even as a BTO, nowdays, even for the lower-end laptops). Keeping the 16gb option and quad core cpu for TB-only macs doesn't seem too decent of a choice.

Yea I’ve just been looking for it, what I did find was the event video for the 2016 MacBook Pro announcement and interestingly Phil Schiller said

“We are going to continue to offer MacBook Air 13” in our line but we challenged our team to take this new design, this 13” MacBook Pro and could they make a model that would be exciting for customers who would traditionally pick a MacBook Air”

That to me says two things, they had the intention of keeping the Air in the line up knowing a lot of people like the Air, BUT they wanted people to transition away from it so they could later discontinue it and then say “well since we introduced the 13” none Touch Bar model no one is buying the Air so we are discounting the Air”

OR and I think this is a more likely

They were surprised that people were still buying the Air instead if the new 13” MacBook Pro none Touch Bar, they started work on a “new Air” and is the reason why the 13” MacBook Pro none Touch Bar wasn’t updated at the same time as the other MacBook Pro’s last month.

I’m only guessing here, I do remember reading an article a while back that said Apple were surprised that people were still buying the Air, it took them by surprise.

We are only a few weeks away from September so I guess we will see, I really hope they announce it at the September event but if not October isn’t too long a way either if they decide to hold a separate Mac event. Either way it’s been fun to speculate the future of the Air.

 

[RegularGuy09]

Because it won’t be a MacBook Pro 13” Mark Gurman has said it will be MacBook Air, it will be getting a retina screen and thinner bezels according to Gurman. As I said people love the Air, it still sells well even today which is why Apple keep it around, updating it would be a very popular decision.

There is room in the line up for the MacBook, MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro.

Alright so answer me this...what is the difference between the model that OP described, and the base 13" MBP apart from the wedge design?

And no the answer is not "One is air, another is pro". You seem fixated on the name, but it doesnt matter if its the same damn computer.

 

[Dave245]

Alright so answer me this...what is the difference between the model that OP described, and the base 13" MBP apart from the wedge design?

And no the answer is not "One is air, another is pro". You seem fixated on the name, but it doesnt matter if its the same damn computer.

You already said one for a start the wedge design, the price is another and probably specs. The general consumer doesn’t need a MacBook Pro. You say the name Air doesn’t matter, but tell that to the people who still buy the Air over the 13” none Touch Bar MacBook Pro or the 12” MacBook. Why do students still buy it? Why do general consumers still buy it? As I’ve said a couple of times now people love the Air design, how long have people been asking for an Air with Retina display and less bezel.....a long time.

 

[frou]

Alright so answer me this...what is the difference between the model that OP described, and the base 13" MBP apart from the wedge design?

13" nTB MBP has a known-defective keyboard

 

[unagimiyagi]

yes pretty much look like this based on all the rumors as of today.

still the question of if this does happen, who will buy the MB12.

instead, I guess they are more likely to make a MB14" just everything same from MB12, tho more ports are welcome.

if they made a macbook air 14 and kept it 3 pounds, that thing would sell hotter than the macbook pro I bet. It won't happen, alas.

 

[RegularGuy09]

13" nTB MBP has a known-defective keyboard

True. OP posits the new MBA would have the butterfly keyboards as well.

the price is another and probably specs.

First we dont know what the price is going to be. And the specs ARE going to be similar, that's the point. The current MBP 13 base model doesnt really use a pro processor, its using a 15TDP one, just like the air uses. 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD is standard.

You say the name Air doesn’t matter, but tell that to the people who still buy the Air over the 13” none Touch Bar MacBook Pro or the 12” MacBook. Why do students still buy it? Why do general consumers still buy it?

Because its a fundamentally different machine to the current MBP 13" and waaaay cheaper?

I'll simplify it further. Current MBA and MBP different. If the above redesign and upgrades are made its basically the same product. That's why OP suggested that this new 13" MBA would REPLACE the current 13" MBP. Having both is redundant.

And this new MBA would offer very few of the current Air's selling points like : low price, legacy ports, magsafe, old keyboard etc.

 

[Dave245]

First we dont know what the price is going to be. And the specs ARE going to be similar, that's the point. The current MBP 13 base model doesnt really use a pro processor, its using a 15TDP one, just like the air uses. 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD is standard.



Because its a fundamentally different machine to the current MBP 13" and waaaay cheaper?

I'll simplify it further. Current MBA and MBP different. If the above redesign and upgrades are made its basically the same product. That's why OP suggested that this new 13" MBA would REPLACE the current 13" MBP. Having both is redundant.

And this new MBA would offer very few of the current Air's selling points like : low price, legacy ports, old keyboard etc.

Price point is said to be $999 check out the Mark Gurman report that this is all based on (and Ming Chi Kuo reports).

I don’t think they will keep the 13” none Touch Bar model around, they didn’t update it when the MacBook Pro’s were updated last month. I think this new Air will replace both the current 13” MacBook Pro none Touch bar which will probably be removed and the now old MacBook Air.

If you go onto Mark Gurmans Twitter you will see that he’s pinned the report he shared and in his Tweet he even writes:

“Get ready for a retina MacBook Air with thinner bezels” he then goes on to talk about the mini but thought I would highlight the Air comment.

 

[RegularGuy09]

Yeah that's my exact point. It would be a slightly redesigned MBP 13"...not a new MBA(i.e having things like legacy ports, magsafe, old keyboard). So not much to get excited about. Unless they slash the prices to $999. Which I dont see them doing, the latest rumors say 1199. Which is $100 off the MBP. Which again, makes sense.

Apple wasnt lying when they said the non TB MBP is the new air. That's their vision for the future.

It would be so perfect if they could just update the internals and put a retina screen on the current Air. That would be perfect. Not this...redesign.

 

[Dave245]

Yeah that's my exact point. It would be a slightly redesigned MBP 13"...not a new MBA(i.e having things like legacy ports, magsafe, old keyboard). So not much to get excited about. Unless they slash the prices to $999. Which I dont see them doing, the latest rumors say 1199. Which is $100 off the MBP. Which again, makes sense.

Apple wasnt lying when they said the non TB MBP is the new air. That's their vision for the future.

It would be so perfect if they could just update the internals and put a retina screen on the current Air. That would be perfect. Not this...redesign.

But that’s not exactly what was said, in 2016 Phil Schiller said (at the MacBook Pro event)

“We have other customers who choose other products in our line like MacBook Air, and they choose them for how thin and light they are and we are going to continue to offer MacBook Air 13” in our line, but we challenged our team to take this new design and could they make a model that would be really exciting for customers who would traditionally pick a MacBook Air, we think a lot of potential MacBook Air customers are going to be really excited about this product too”

We will have to wait and see what happens in September or October (I don’t think there will be an October event but we will see) personally I believe Mark Gurman’s report, he’s very reliable.
Nothing is 100% tho until Apple stand on stage and announce it so we will see.

IF the do announce a new MacBook Air with Retina display and reduced bezels I think it will be really popular, I would buy one. That’s not to say that I don’t like the 12” MacBook because I do in fact before all of these rumours started about a retina disaply in the Air I was waiting until the 12” was updated later this year before buying one, but I’m one of those general consumers that would benefit from a MacBook Air I think. Not only that but the design of the Air still looks great to this very day (obviously they need to reduce those bezels).

 

[interessiert]

...they didn’t update it when the MacBook Pro’s were updated last month...

Easier:
Because of keyboard crisis they've been in such a hurry and took at first the MBP with TB in that redesign and same time they focused customers to the more expensive MBP with TB – the simple reason is hurry and money

We don't like to hear, but exactly this is Apple selling strategy...

The real challenge to Apple is to make a complete redesign of MB and MBP – but this needs time...

 

[lllfyc]

if they made a macbook air 14 and kept it 3 pounds, that thing would sell hotter than the macbook pro I bet. It won't happen, alas.

agree.

so if they make the MBA 13" retina, people will buy it rather than MB12" too.
so i tend to agree with the idea that MBA 13" retina will be the new entry level of macbook. It probably comes with the lowest spec and USB-C only.

in this way,

MBA 13" retina - lowest spec and replacement of MBP without TB

MB12" - premium and with slightly better spec than MBA 13" retina

MBP 13" and 15" - only model with touch bar and higher spec

 

[Dave245]

Mark Gurman is saying that it's an updated Air rather than a MacBook (see my screenshot) only time will tell, personally i wouldn't mind an Air with retina display OR a 13"/14" version of the MacBook i think both would be great. I do think that an Air with retina display and reduced bezels would be the best seller tho.

 

[c0LdFire]

The non-touchbar MBP is my favorite in the lineup. I'd love a 15", but the touchbar is a pointless waste to me.

So, if the new airs have a better display and an 8th gen chip and can be configured to at least 16GB of RAM, I'm in. If Apple makes the stupid decision of sticking with the year and a half old and significantly inferior 7th gen chips I'll shed a tear, grabbing a Thinkpad X1 Carbon, and pop a linux distro on it.

Either way I want to put my 2013 13" MBP to rest before the end of the year.

 

[frou]

MBA 13" retina will be the new entry level of macbook. It probably comes with the lowest spec and USB-C only.

in this way,

MBA 13" retina - lowest spec and replacement of MBP without TB

MB12" - premium and with slightly better spec than MBA 13" retina

It would need to have a shocking spec to be worse than the 5 watt chip in the MB12.

 

[lllfyc]

o

It would need to have a shocking spec to be worse than the 5 watt chip in the MB12.

or last year CPU will be used in MBA retina...

 

[antonis]

It would be impossible for the MBA to have worse CPU than the MB12. The MB12 is a fanless laptop, equipped with a lowest consumption Y-class CPUs (aka Intel’s Core-M series even if they are falsely renamed to i5 and i7). You can’t go lower than that.