I want a 15-inch Macbook Air!!!

[Andras5soul]

I use Safari, iTunes, iPhoto, Mail, torrent clients, Microsoft Office, iChat, and VLC. Period. I have a 15 inch Macbook Pro for this. HA!

This is how Apple forces people into buying a more expensive machine. Come on Steve, give us a 15-inch consumer notebook!

As of recent, Apple decided to erase the line between consumer and professional products, and it doesn't benefit either party.

Consumers overpay for a product they don't use, and professionals end up with underpowered machines that continue to have necessary features ripped away from them.

Apple makes luxury products right?

11, 13, 15 inch Macbook Air. $1000, $1200, $1500
13, 15, 17 inch Macbook Pro. $1300, $1600-$2200, $2400

High prices, high quality, and a clearly drawn line between product lines. Also, on average they would be making higher margins this way than currently.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I think that is called the next MB Pro.

 

[reebzor]

You realize with your pricing scheme there that you'd only be saving $100?

 

[henry72]

Maybe next year... I believe Apple will release a Air like MacBook Pro.

 

[Andras5soul]

You realize with your pricing scheme there that you'd only be saving $100?

Yes I do realize. Everything you buy from Apple is priced at a premium. They have a certain business model that I have no problem with. A 15-inch MBA is a luxury product no matter how you look at it, and you will pay a premium for it. Consumers will realize that for a simple $100 more, you can get a Pro model, but they won't buy it. People looking at the 15-inch Air would be looking for a consumer product that has a long battery life, reliable operating system, and beautiful thin design. Consumers would not jump to the Pro model because they don't need it, but Apple's margins on the 15-inch underpowered Air would be better than the margins on the 15-inch Pro anyway. Win-win.

 

[dacapo]

Just a hunch, but at that size, it may be hard to keep the MBA thin AND rigid enough. I don't see this one happening anytime soon.

 

[netdog]

As Steve pointed out at the event, all Apple laptops will be Air-like soon enough. The Air represents Apple's vision of the future of computing.

 

[jeznav]

As Steve pointed out at the event, all Apple laptops will be Air-like soon enough. The Air represents Apple's vision of the future of computing.

In that case Apple could ditch optical drives, promote digital downloads like MacApp Store and perhaps OSX Lion will be the first USB based installer across the Mac platform.

In return we get a thinner laptops, better battery life and fast booting SSD drives. And the rest of the PC laptops will be still using chunky plastic parts.

 

[itommyboy]

People looking at the 15-inch Air would be looking for a consumer product that has a long battery life, reliable operating system, and beautiful thin design. Consumers would not jump to the Pro model because they don't need it, Win-win.

You just described, for many, the current offering that is the max'd out 13" MBA. As already mentioned, they will come in time, as we have now seen the future.

 

[miata]

Yeah. Count me in. I would take the 13" MBA and...

- upgrade to 15" 1680-by-1050 display
- add FW800
- add Ethernet
- increase battery life to 10 hours

This would probably add half a pound to the weight.

 

[jfyrfytr25]

Just a hunch, but at that size, it may be hard to keep the MBA thin AND rigid enough. I don't see this one happening anytime soon.

I agree. Even though my 13" MBA feels solid. It also feels like that it the limit. that if it was any larger and weighed any more that the aluminium would just bend if you picked it up with one hand. When it comes to thin, the larger the surface area, the weaker that surface is.

 

[WardC]

I think for the next MacBook Pro, Apple will go to NAND Flash for the internal storage, and take away the optical drive, slim the machine down, and keep the same 15" and 17" size options. Apple will do away with the 13" MacBook Pro as it is no longer needed because the MacBook Air will take its place, higher resolution, better battery life, NAND Flash storage, etc. and the MacBook Air weighs about half of what the 13" current MacBook Pro weighs.

 

[akm3]

I just hope Apple keeps a standard hard drive in the larger Macbook Pros IN ADDITION to the flash SSD drive.

One drive for speed, one for storage capacity, without taking much additional chassis space.

That's my dream, I'll bet it will be dashed.

Keep in mind too if they go all flash there will be no more hard drive (capacity) upgrades, ever.

 

[WardC]

Remember that desktops will still use hard drives for RAID arrays and massive storage needs. As far as Apple's portables go, everything is moving to Flash, we will have 512GB Flash in an ultracompact size and affordable within 2 years, far faster than Hard Drive, with instant-on access. Right now those 512GB Flash drives start at about $1500.

 

[M87]

I'd definitely like to see MBPs with flash storage and no optical drive.

 

[alust2013]

You'll be waiting a while on that. Plus if you look at it, the current base 13" air is $100 more than the base 13" pro, with less power. I really wouldn't look at the air as a consumer machine, but rather a luxury machine at this point.

 

[InsanelyApple]

In that case Apple could ditch optical drives, promote digital downloads like MacApp Store and perhaps OSX Lion will be the first USB based installer across the Mac platform.

In return we get a thinner laptops, better battery life and fast booting SSD drives. And the rest of the PC laptops will be still using chunky plastic parts.

Oh, I wouldn't mind if Apple did that to their laptops. I wouldn't mind if they did that with the iMac too.

 

[Sound Evolution]

I think that is called the next MB Pro.

You are so right. I am sure about that too. Remember when Steve said "the future of the macbooks" 2011 going to be an exciting year!

With kind regards,
Bas