New Macbook design?

[AbhijitShanbhag]

It's weird how, many users seem to defend, the new Apple ethos of being totally crap on design.

The thing is Apple never really was a company, that just cared all about functionality. Rather, they really put a lot of effort on the design, the working, the interaction with device, everything factored in, to make a really perfect device.

If it's all about, functionality, and nothing else factored in, Apple isn't any dfiferent from Dell, or HP, and I think Apple was better off in the past, than it is now, considering their products lineup, the design, the software everything. People may claim Macs got better, with Jony leaving the company, but to be frank, I would rather attribute the better performance of Mac, to the ARM design, and a completely SoC oriented design, than actually credit it to loss of a designer at a company. The engineers at Apple, ain't that crap, to just thin a design just because some high level designer suggested in the company to do so. Every product, is tested, and then remodified iteratively over multiple stages

 

[johnjohnsson]

Have you tried holding the MacBook Airs? They might not be wedge-shaped anymore but in the hands they feel amazingly thin and light - with the lid open they're also still remarkably thin (even if they're more rounded than before). Maybe give it a try for a week and if you aren't happy then return it?

Thanks. Thread starter here. Best reply so far. I bought my first Mac a ”Macintosh 512” 38 years ago and still cant get over that Apple for the first time, in 38 years (in my view) produced a less attractive case design. However I think I might be ready to take the leap! I will give the new M3 Air a shot.

 

[Tyler O'Bannon]

For 25 years I have always felt a desire to upgrade my MacBook Pro/Air when new versions are released. However since two years that feeling is gone.

I honestly hate the fat looking rounded edge design of the MacBooks, feels like a tribute to MacBooks 20 years ago. I guess Ive/Jobs would never ever allowed that design.

So my question is: Does anyone have any info of a design overhaul for the MacBooks?

Thanks
John

I think it’s going to be a while before that happens, this one has only been 2.5 years and I’d be willing to bet it’ll see 5-6 years at the minimum.

 

[Contact_Feanor]

I guess Ive/Jobs would never ever allowed that design.

Lol

 

[Basic75]

The race towards zero bezels has never made sense to me.

For desktops I agree. For laptops it absolutely makes sense to cram the largest possible display in the available space.

 

[johnjohnsson]

Lol

Lol

 

[Contact_Feanor]

Lol

Well, what do you expect? The man is dead for 13 years and still random posters claim to know better what he would or wouldn't have liked than the people that actually worked with him for years...

 

[johnjohnsson]

Well, what do you expect? The man is dead for 13 years and still random posters claim to know better what he would or wouldn't have liked than the people that actually worked with him for years...

Ive is still alive

 

[Contact_Feanor]

Ive is still alive

Great observation

I'm ignoring Ive in that statement, since Ive's greatest work was all before Jobs' death. I've had Mac laptops every couple of years for 21 years now as well, and let's not pretend Ive's last work on that front was very good. The new ones may not look as immediately striking when looked at from a distance, but in daily use they are a delight in several ways that Ive's hadn't been for years.

 

[johnjohnsson]

With all due respect, this thread/discussions is purely about case design.

 

[Alpha Centauri]

Do you want a triangle shape?

It's already been done.

 

[EedyBeedyBeeps]

what else are you expecting?

imagination? art?

they could at least iterate on colors, textures, materials, etc, over and over, giving everyone reasons to lust after every single design they produce for the rest of time.

I want to desire to collect all of them, and I want to be inspired to use them.

 

[Timpetus]

Personally, I'm thrilled with the design of my MBP. Only thing I'd change is make the Apple logo light up again. Best design since my 12" PowerBook G4.

 

[Contact_Feanor]

With all due respect, this thread/discussions is purely about case design.

This generation has, without a doubt, the most beautiful underside of any Mac laptop to date

 

[Lioness~]

I surely miss Joni's design and having him in Apple.
That said, I don't live in the past, but here and now very much.
I liked Steve and Joni, but I don't like Tim, but whatever....I don't have to.

I love my new MBA for what it is, otherwise I wouldn't bought it. So it's not the most beautiful design, ok. It has a more industrial look, but IT'S A GOOD MAC, and I haven't notised any delays whatsoever, and it can do mostly anything I do on my Studio. Not that I have tried absolutely everything though due to the smaller display though., and they have different functions for me.

But I am happy with it, and I really LOVE the midnight color.
As with mostly everything in life, a lot gets better, we miss some things, but LIFE IS NOW - enjoy it even if it's not always perfect. It's not supposed to be, contrasts exist to see and learn new things.

 

[TBoneMac]

For 25 years I have always felt a desire to upgrade my MacBook Pro/Air when new versions are released. However since two years that feeling is gone.

I honestly hate the fat looking rounded edge design of the MacBooks, feels like a tribute to MacBooks 20 years ago. I guess Ive/Jobs would never ever allowed that design.

So my question is: Does anyone have any info of a design overhaul for the MacBooks?

Thanks
John

I’m not going to disagree with your opinion but I will say mine.

The current MacBooks are absolutely gorgeous. Even my MacBook Pro from 2017 is gorgeous still looks nicer than pretty much any of the competition. I have a nice Dell right next to me from 2023 (work related) and it’s great and all but it looks super lame in comparison.

 

[thefourthpope]

On my 16" I have fortunately never quite reached the point of any menu bar content being under the notch.

14” air for me. Tinycal, Sonos, Magnet, 1Password, OneDrive . . . and then work adds in VPN and a couple other “services” and it’d probably go all the way over to the other side of the notch if it were available.

 

[TheWraith]

the new design also has worse sound because it comes from the bottom instead of firing through the sides like regular speakers grills.

That’s not how the sound works on the new design, and tbh they sound great.

 

[Love-hate 🍏 relationship]

That’s not how the sound works on the new design, and tbh they sound great.

You're right mb it's directed towards the screen !

It sounds more muffled in my (short) experience and from reviews I've seen . Not that it sounds bad, but doesn't have as good a soundstage as M1

 

[stocklen]

imagination? art?

they could at least iterate on colors, textures, materials, etc, over and over, giving everyone reasons to lust after every single design they produce for the rest of time.

I want to desire to collect all of them, and I want to be inspired to use them.

...oooookkkkkkkk....

each to their own.

This is a laptop, not a Gucci handbag.

If people's only reason to upgrade is to change colours.... well then they have more money than sense.

 

[Lioness~]

You're right mb it's directed towards the screen !

It sounds more muffled in my (short) experience and from reviews I've seen . Not that it sounds bad, but doesn't have as good a soundstage as M1

Try https://eqmac.app/
I have used that app a long time with my MBA’s when I use the inbuilt speaker.
I bought the pro long time ago, and find it worth it. There’s a free version too.

 

[jlc1978]

Keep the design same! Function over form for MBP. Don’t let Ive near MBP.

Exactly. Whenever I hear someone say "It needs great design," I think of Norman's Design of Everyday Things. Cool design is fine as long as the device works well and the design doesn't interfere with usability.

well, the thing is, design matters from a usability perspective, too.

True. If the design negatively impacts usability it is a poor design. Just because something looks good doesn't mean it is good.

Functional design doesn't have to be ugly, look at some of Loewy's great designs. Here's a gallery of them.

In some ways, the current MBP reminds me of his refrigerator designs; which is quite a complement.

The thing is Apple never really was a company, that just cared all about functionality. Rather, they really put a lot of effort on the design, the working, the interaction with device, everything factored in, to make a really perfect device.

Which was function over form. The design had to complement the functionality, not limit it. For example, the Moka.

When it reverses that you have problems. For example, I worked at a place that had beautiful handles on the door that invited you to pull on them; problem was the were also on the side of the door you pushed to open, so people pulled and then realized you needed to push. I think Norman discussed that in his book, and I'm sure some designer won an award for it.

Edit: Added link to more designs and fix typos

 

[EmanuelF]

I think the problem with the new un-appealing design was created when they created the Air/Pro segments because they centred them around the M silicon capabilities.

In the past the segments were a bit different:
Pro was the flagships but not utilitarian so they gave form more priority over function.
Air was also a flagship but slim and less powered.

This generation is more like:
Pro is the flagship but is also the utilitarian one so it got too chunky.
Air is the midrange one and apple tried to produce it economically but also to better differentiate from Pro line-up


I think the current line-up is missing a MBA 15 with the PRO screen, speakers and active cooling and we got the best of both worlds. But that could canabilize the rest of line-up.

Also the notch was a branding decision disguised as a technical solution. Is the new "glowing" apple logo and it works. When you enter a coffee shop the both is the first thing you see.

 

[jlc1978]

I think the current line-up is missing a MBA 15 with the PRO screen, speakers and active cooling and we got the best of both worlds. But that could canabilize the rest of line-up.

Which is why there isn’t one. It makes no sense to have a product between the two lines that would cannibalize sales of the higher end product.

 

[TechnoMonk]

It's weird how, many users seem to defend, the new Apple ethos of being totally crap on design.

The thing is Apple never really was a company, that just cared all about functionality. Rather, they really put a lot of effort on the design, the working, the interaction with device, everything factored in, to make a really perfect device.

If it's all about, functionality, and nothing else factored in, Apple isn't any dfiferent from Dell, or HP, and I think Apple was better off in the past, than it is now, considering their products lineup, the design, the software everything. People may claim Macs got better, with Jony leaving the company, but to be frank, I would rather attribute the better performance of Mac, to the ARM design, and a completely SoC oriented design, than actually credit it to loss of a designer at a company. The engineers at Apple, ain't that crap, to just thin a design just because some high level designer suggested in the company to do so. Every product, is tested, and then remodified iteratively over multiple stages

No one said nothing else other than functionality. 2015-2019 was a functional disaster for MBP with extreme focus on looks and being thin. 2019 MBP was the worst mac I ever owned, and as ready to switch if not for M1 Max 16 inch. You wnat looks go for MBA. You want high performance laptop, go for MBP. My Linux workstation runs around my MBP when it comes to Running some heavy load.