MBA sales going well?

[PracticalMac]

No update major update since it was introduced, and no performance update in over a year, I wonder if it is just there, like the iPod Classic.

Then we have the iPad, that looks like it is a better fit then the MBA.

Is Apple selling enough to be worth it?

 

[PowerGamerX]

No update major update since it was introduced, and no performance update in over a year, I wonder if it is just there, like the iPod Classic.

Then we have the iPad, that looks like it is a better fit then the MBA.

Is Apple selling enough to be worth it?

If they weren't they would've removed it. I think the Mac Pro is selling less than the MBA at this point.

 

[iDisk]

No update major update since it was introduced, and no performance update in over a year, I wonder if it is just there, like the iPod Classic.

Then we have the iPad, that looks like it is a better fit then the MBA.

Is Apple selling enough to be worth it?

Apple sells $50,000 MacBook Airs per month.

50,000x12months= 600,000 units per year

600,000x$1,499 price tag = $899,400,000 in revenue!


Don't listen to the pundits or naysayers about the Airs demise, these are just people who the Air to be something it wasn't intended for. Usual the people who hate the Air the most or who constantly complain about it can be found on this site. They don't see how childish they sound about owning a current Air whatever they price they paid for it, not knowing that some kid or people in another country would kill to have $1,499-1,799 to throw on a computer, but they had the money they would probably use it to help out family etc....


Go buy an Air.

 

[stanislas]

Apple sells $50,000 MacBook Airs per month.

50,000x12months= 600,000 units per year

600,000x$1,499 price tag = $899,400,000 in revenue!


Don't listen to the pundits or naysayers about the Airs demise, these are just people who the Air to be something it wasn't intended for. Usual the people who hate the Air the most or who constantly complain about it can be found on this site. They don't see how childish they sound about owning a current Air whatever they price they paid for it, not knowing that some kid or people in another country would kill to have $1,499-1,799 to throw on a computer, but they had the money they would probably use it to help out family etc....


Go buy an Air.

Errr... Sources, plz?

 

[Scottsdale]

I have to believe it the more I think about it. I know at least 30 colleagues with MacBook Airs. With both education and consulting work colleagues, the MBA is hot. I even know a few larger corporate executives that use the MBA. It is more popular than we think. And the vast majority of those people would NOT know the difference of specs or care about anything other than drive space limitations. Only the more "techie" focused types like we find on the forums want more and better. The other thing is that every SSD v 2,1 MBA owner I know is very pleased with it. It definitely has a good reputation among the circles I frequent.

This is why it makes sense to me to give us the Nvidia 320m and a de-throttled C2D CPU. Bump the RAM and drive size, and sell more than ever.

 

[tim100]

just information

I have to believe it the more I think about it. I know at least 30 colleagues with MacBook Airs. With both education and consulting work colleagues, the MBA is hot. I even know a few larger corporate executives that use the MBA. It is more popular than we think. And the vast majority of those people would NOT know the difference of specs or care about anything other than drive space limitations. Only the more "techie" focused types like we find on the forums want more and better. The other thing is that every SSD v 2,1 MBA owner I know is very pleased with it. It definitely has a good reputation among the circles I frequent.

This is why it makes sense to me to give us the Nvidia 320m and a de-throttled C2D CPU. Bump the RAM and drive size, and sell more than ever.

why not bring it in line with the design of the macbook book, where is the glass track pad. buttons/mouse are pc.

 

[PowerGamerX]

why not bring it in line with the design of the macbook book, where is the glass track pad. buttons/mouse are pc.

Because I think there was a space problem involving having a depressing trackpad vs. a raised button.

 

[gwsat]

No update major update since it was introduced, and no performance update in over a year, I wonder if it is just there, like the iPod Classic.

Then we have the iPad, that looks like it is a better fit then the MBA.

Is Apple selling enough to be worth it?

The time may come when Apple decides to discontinue the MBA because it has another product that is "a better fit." As one who has owned an iPad since the week after it was launched, I will say categorically that the iPad is not yet a viable replacement for the MBA. The iPad doesn't multitask, every browser available for it is crippled in one way or another, its mail client is primitive, and that just scratches the surface The iPad is terrific for casual Web browsing and cursory email work when you are moving around but is not ready for prime time when you need to prepare documents or crunch numbers. In short, unlike the MBA, the iPad is not a real computer.

 

[jk1002]

I recommend checking amazon. Under the product details they list a sales rank. The 13" mac pro is No3, the 1800 macbook air number 98 among notebooks.

The 1500$ Air version is not even listed under notebooks, but under computers around place 645 .

I look at these numbers every now and then since a few month and they stay fairly constant.


I think if there wouldn't be an update at some point they would have already killed it off.

 

[gwsat]

I recommend checking amazon. Under the product details they list a sales rank. The 13" mac pro is No3, the 1800 macbook air number 98 among notebooks.

The 1500$ Air version is not even listed under notebooks, but under computers around place 645 .

While Amazon's computer sales figures are not definitive, they are certainly instructive, it seems to me. A whole lot of folks buy Apple computers from Amazon because they can save a few dollars off of Apple's own price and avoid sales tax in the bargain. That adds up to a lot of computers. If extrapolating Amazon's numbers to sales as a whole gives us close to an accurate picture, it appears that the even the SSD version of the MBA isn't a very popular choice for laptop buyers these days.

 

[Scottsdale]

Because I think there was a space problem involving having a depressing trackpad vs. a raised button.

I completely disagree. Just because Apple used a glass trackpad that was fit within the dimensions available for the 13" MB to 17" MBP doesn't mean Apple cannot make a similar solution to the customer that meets the MBA's dimensions and available space. I have to believe Apple can implement a glass trackpad in an MBA. People commonly make the mistake of assuming if something from object a wouldn't fit in object b that it's not possible to fit a similar functioning solution into object b.

The time may come when Apple decides to discontinue the MBA because it has another product that is "a better fit." As one who has owned an iPad since the week after it was launched, I will say categorically that the iPad is not yet a viable replacement for the MBA. The iPad doesn't multitask, every browser available for it is crippled in one way or another, its mail client is primitive, and that just scratches the surface The iPad is terrific for casual Web browsing and cursory email work when you are moving around but is not ready for prime time when you need to prepare documents or crunch numbers. In short, unlike the MBA, the iPad is not a real computer.

I disagree in the idea of killing the ultraportable. When ultraportables in general are no longer relevant, than the MBA might be irrelevant. However, this is not the case presently. MORE PEOPLE want to buy ultraportables not less. Apple is now considering itself a mobility company. Apple has a history of using OS X as a competitive advantage to sell Macs. There is no reason to believe Apple doesn't want to compete in the ultraportable OS X computing marketplace. One day the MB and MBPs will probably look more like today's MBA in size, but even that doesn't mean the MBA will go away. There will always be people wanting a "solution" that today's MBA fulfills. There will always be someone who doesn't need the power, and will pay for the ultraportability of an ultraportable Mac. Until OS X is irrelevant, I believe there will be people wanting to buy ultraportable Mac notebooks. Whether Apple calls it an MBA or something different is beyond my guess. I assume the MBA brand can change, but the role of the MBA will always be fulfilled by another ultraportable Mac notebook.

I think it's ludicrous to think that Apple's most mobile Mac notebook will be EOL'd as so many predict. Right now Apple has had MANY PROBLEMS with MANY MACS. Let's face it, either Apple has ALL of their attention focused on iOS and iOS products, OR Apple has nowhere to go with the Macs as they don't have a solution beyond C2D and Nvidia GPU/chipset in 13" Mac notebooks. It seems obvious to me that Apple truly was not prepared for what happened between Intel and Nvidia. It's going to take them some time to "solve" the problem, and that's why the MBA ultimately isn't getting an update. With other 13" Mac notebooks, at least Apple could bump the CPU but with the MBA there's no "bumping" available as the MBA runs the fastest SL9x00 series C2D CPUs. There were people saying from a marketing perspective Apple has nothing to "upgrade" to in the CPU, and those people seem correct. I was wrong in thinking de-throttling might be a solution to improve CPU performance by 30% in the MBA, but then it would sort of display that Apple was improperly marketing 2.13 GHz MBAs that weren't really running at 2.13 GHz before. It was a bad situation, and there's no way around it until the MBA gets a new CPU available so Apple can save face.

Any way we look at all of this, it doesn't mean the MBA is dead. It doesn't mean that the ultraportable Mac is dead even if the MBA branding is dead. The MBA brand has been a failure from the beginning anyways. Heck, Apple might be better off reinventing what an ultraportable Mac notebook is with the next ultraportable released by Apple. I assume that Apple doesn't want to "reduce" the Mac or Apple experience by introducing smaller displays and non full-sized keyboards with its OS X operating system and Macs. Therefore when Apple has a solution that will work with all five of the MacFive products, I bet we get our new MBA or ultraportable Mac with a 13" display and full-sized keyboard.

This product can be reinvented many ways. Heck, it could even outsell MBs if the price were right. Apple can go so many directions with an ultraportable Mac and it can focus on luxury or portability, but whatever it does it will ensure it makes the most money in the long run. In addition, the MBA has been used to project what's coming with the other Mac notebooks. It seems obvious that thinner and lighter will be in the mix for the MB and MBPs, but then the MBA will just go thinner and lighter weight still.

Apple has a nice product with a bad reputation due to the original's complete failures. The MBA product right now is actually a hell of a computer. Why not capitalize on it for as long as it can at these prices. If Apple is still selling them, maybe there's not a reason to upgrade until they have the MacFive strategy down for the future. I am hopeful that MacFive see AMD and ATI. But they might see Core i7 ULV overclocked and Intel GMAs. We're just going to have to wait and see. Until then, the talk about the MBA being EOL'd will exist. It doesn't matter what the rumors and leaks point to, there are always going to be naysayers who try to prove their theory is correct even when there's no evidence to support it.

Ultraportable Macs will be a big part of Apple's Mac strategy in the future. Ultraportables are becoming more and more popular, and Apple hit the concept perfectly with v 2,1 MBA. Full-sized display and keyboard allowing a full Mac computing experience with a lower weight and thinner Mac that runs OS X will be around for a long time to come. But nobody will believe it until they see it themselves. Until then, we're all going to read EOL rumors especially when the Mac Pro and MBA are the two "oldest" Macs.

 

[Disavowed]

Let's face it, either Apple has ALL of their attention focused on iOS and iOS products, OR Apple has nowhere to go with the Macs as they don't have a solution beyond C2D and Nvidia GPU/chipset in 13" Mac notebooks. It seems obvious to me that Apple truly was not prepared for what happened between Intel and Nvidia. It's going to take them some time to "solve" the problem, and that's why the MBA ultimately isn't getting an update.

This is spot on and no doubt the combination of these two factors are the two biggest reasons we are playing the waiting game and starting threads like this, ad infinitum.

 

[entatlrg]

Apple sells about 20,000 MBA's worldwide weekly.

Store at Frankfurt Airport is the number 1 seller of MBA's.

Source: Jessica B. our corporate account rep at Apple HQ.

 

[Korbin]

20,000 units a week and 50,000 units a month sounds impressive, but compared to the iphone and/or ipad? Was the figure something like 1million iPads being sold a month or there abouts?

Even with the iPads potentially lower profit margin, it still has to be bring in the big bucks for apple.

Unfortunately I am one of these poor saps with a fast approaching "I need a laptop for study in July" deadline who is ready and waiting for an even slightly improved Macbook Air, heck I'm even bidding on some second hand numbers on ebay!

But if I were Steve jobs, I'd be backing IOS4 and the expanding technology and cloud based applications that support it as this is a major revenue stream for apple.

 

[thinkdesign2]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint PPC6850SP)

Where did those sales figures come from? If those numbers are true, then that just adds to the inexplicability of Apple's relatively low effort, in keeping the 'Air' updated.

I still beleive Apple painted itself into a corner with the Air's design, in a way that makes it hard to upgrade, especially now that the Chip Wars of Intel Vs. Nvidia have made it hard to make an untralight ultrathin laptop.

Consumers have been taught to expect things to get lighter over time. Perhaps Apple feels that marketing-wise, the only way to make it a bit heavier and a bit thicker (and thus keep various performance stats inching forward), is to have sufficient enough new features, that the new one isn't so directly easy to compare with the old ones.

If that's the feasible path forward, the more they redefine it, the more it escapes whiny comparison (weightwise and sizewise) to the old Airs. Pack in 3G, another jack or 3, maybe a special screen... and rename it... are examples of where I imagine that possible design path might lead. Perhaps that would even involve continuing production of one or both current Air models, to help clarify that the new post-Air 3-1/2 pounder model is a distinct thing.

 

[iDisk]

Errr... Sources, plz?

I don't need sources man, it's the Internet just believe what we say and move on.

Buy an air bro.

 

[Hellhammer]

I don't need sources man, it's the Internet just believe what we say and move on.

Buy an air bro.

So in your view, you have to believe everything that some random guy in the internet says? If I say MBA will be discontinued, do you believe me?

Link us some sources or your post is totally useless

 

[iDisk]

So in your view, you have to believe everything that some random guy in the internet says? If I say MBA will be discontinued, do you believe me?

Link us some sources or your post is totally useless

FYI I have a friend that works in Apple HQ in there R&D dept, so you making a statement like that wouldn't work on me per se (maybe other forum users) .

Also it's a little obvious where Steve is taking apple now.

The MBA will possible have that implementation of the hybrid OS, Also Snow Leopard will see it's life drag out to 10.6.9, then we'll see 10.7 talk about the hybrid OS.

Anyways not to get off topic..... The MBA will be getting an update and the people who complain about it's downfall on this site will finally be able to shut it for about a week ( until a new complaint arises)

 

[Hellhammer]

FYI I have a friend that works in Apple HQ in there R&D dept, so you making a statement like that wouldn't work on me per se (maybe other forum users) .

Also it's a little obvious where Steve is taking apple now.

The MBA will possible have that implementation of the hybrid OS, Also Snow Leopard will see it's life drag out to 10.6.9, then we'll see 10.7 talk about the hybrid OS.

Anyways not to get off topic..... The MBA will be getting an update and the people who complain about it's downfall on this site will finally be able to shut it for about a week ( until a new complaint arises)

And Steve is my dad The idea is that anyone can say anything in the Internet, thus at least I don't believe anyone unless they can provide proofs. There are too many stories before refreshes when someone comes and says his friend works there and there and he have heard this and this.

I'm not buying your story as you have nothing to prove it. There won't be 10.6.9 unless there is need for it i.e. bugs. You can say whatever you want but I doubt anyone believes your fairy tales unless you provide some evidence

 

[Veinticinco]

I still beleive Apple painted itself into a corner with the Air's design, in a way that makes it hard to upgrade, especially now that the Chip Wars of Intel Vs. Nvidia have made it hard to make an untralight ultrathin laptop.

Bingo. Just as they did with the G4 Cube.

The hardware hurdles to significantly update are just too high at present, chipsets, battery tech (space), and SSD size (capacity and dimensions).

Doesn't excuse the lack of a 4GB chip soldered to the LB though. At the very least, they should have by now released a minor facelift, and a couple of gizmos thrown in to distract away from lack of major upgrade. An SD card slot and/or built-in 3G wouldn't be too difficult to accomplish. Oh and fix those horrible QC issues with the display.

Sadly even that doesn't look like happening, although paradoxically that means it's easier to wait so to speak. Assuming the waiting isn't in vain of course. I've given up myself, and am currently making do with my current setup given the lack of matte option on the 13" MBP, but if and when they release something like an update MBA, I'll be all over it like a rash. I'm just not going to lose any more sleep over it.

 

[iDisk]

And Steve is my dad The idea is that anyone can say anything in the Internet, thus at least I don't believe anyone unless they can provide proofs. There are too many stories before refreshes when someone comes and says his friend works there and there and he have heard this and this.

I'm not buying your story as you have nothing to prove it. There won't be 10.6.9 unless there is need for it i.e. bugs. You can say whatever you want but I doubt anyone believes your fairy tales unless you provide some evidence

Lol, The only information I received from him was the iPad, they had the 3G out before the keynote was announced (only like 1 day or 2 before) nothing major.

Btw I don't want to convince you to believe me. As far as I'm concerned your just a frequent poster in these here parts and I just comment occasionally when I have time to.

Your life shouldn't revolve around the internet and especially Apple

 

[DoFoT9]

Lol, The only information I received from him was the iPad, they had the 3G out before the keynote was announced (only like 1 day or 2 before) nothing major.

hmmm. You say you know about the MBA yet you haven't received any information from your apple insider?? How can you possibly know then?

Btw I don't want to convince you to believe me. As far as I'm concerned your just a frequent poster in these here parts and I just comment occasionally when I have time to.

Your life shouldn't revolve around the internet and especially Apple

Who are you to say that sort of thing to another user? You have no right to judge a user whom you know nothing about just because they have a differning opinion.

As for my view, I think that apple will keep the MBA going for awhile yet. It does need a face lift but that will come when the time is ready. It doesn't really need to be fully up to date with technology as its just for light usage/browsing. The battery could do with a boost though!

 

[thinkdesign2]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 7.11) Sprint PPC6850SP)

Did the "friend in Apple Hq." happen to mention any particular month or year for the Air getting its upgrade?

Without a time frame, it's almost like saying "It will rain, someday."

 

[soph]

In addition, the MBA has been used to project what's coming with the other Mac notebooks.

That's why I think the MBA will not get a minor update or a simple memory boost in the very near future.

Apple does have to switch to new technology once C2D is no longer availabe. However, new technology means risk, and you can optimise a risk's impact on revenue if you start new technology in a smaller segment, thus even huge unit defect percentages mean low total defect numbers.

So I think MBA will be the first to get whatever successor C2D will have, and it will happen within the next 6 months. Had Apple planned to give the MBA a small silent update before they would have done so first, before they updated the MB(P).


But I still hope I'm totally off with that prediction

 

[Veinticinco]

Apple sells about 20,000 MBA's worldwide weekly.

Store at Frankfurt Airport is the number 1 seller of MBA's.

Source: Jessica B. our corporate account rep at Apple HQ.

That's a very interesting post, if her figures are accurate - I've yet to see mention of any figures released or even suggested anywhere.

So 1 million MBAs a year, that isn't chicken feed by anyone's imagination.

And the Frankfurt info also provides a great insight, given the demographics involved (youngish professional 'sky warriors') as THE major global hub after London Heathrow. I'm in and out of LHR and CDG, LIN, MAD a lot and have yet to see more than the odd rare MBA in the lounge. Obviously Frankfurt is awash with the suckers.