New MacBook Air coming by end of quarter, research firm claims

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited August 2018
Apple is planning to release an updated MacBook Air towards the end of the current quarter, which ends in September, according to one research firm.

MacBook Air


"The second quarter was the transition period when Apple was preparing for the releases of the upcoming new MacBook devices for the year," TrendForce said on Wednesday. The firm expects MacBook shipments "to again post a large QoQ increase in 3Q18, as Apple will be releasing a new MacBook Pro at the start of the quarter and a new MacBook Air at the end of the quarter."

TrendForce didn't identify the source for its Air predictions, and has repeated some claims without verification in the past.

Still, separate rumors have pointed to an Air refresh around the same time period. Apple is expected to revamp the laptop, which now holds the dubious distinction of being the only MacBook without a Retina display. It could make the jump to that technology with a 2,560-by-1,600-pixel screen by LG.

Earlier this week one of Apple's main suppliers, Quanta, was claimed to be preparing new, "inexpensive" MacBooks. That could also be referring to Apple's 12-inch MacBook, which is also due for a refresh.

If Apple times its product launches right, both the Air and the 12-inch MacBook could come preloaded with macOS Mojave instead of High Sierra.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    IMHO now MacBook Pros and MacBooks are so light the only position for the Air would be if it were by far the least expensive, suitable for education and similar.  
    techprod1gyMisterKitmcdaveigohmmm
  • Reply 2 of 32
    Agree with above comment. The MacBook is plenty light so the only real reason from my view would be lower price point. Any additional thoughts?
  • Reply 3 of 32
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    MacPro said:
    IMHO now MacBook Pros and MacBooks are so light the only position for the Air would be if it were by far the least expensive, suitable for education and similar.  
    Agree with above comment. The MacBook is plenty light so the only real reason from my view would be lower price point. Any additional thoughts?
    I disagree.  I've owned several MBA's over the years.  I own a 2017 15" MBP as I needed more RAM and CPU, and I wanted a Retina display.  The current MacBook is not remotely useable for me as a "real" laptop.  I am highly mobile and lightness is crucial.  The MBA was perfect.  It had a more powerful CPU compared to the anemic MacBook.  I loved it, but the 8GB RAM limit was just too confining.

    Give me an MBA, with 16GB+ RAM and a Retina display, and at least an i7 and I may very well consider selling my MBP for one of these.  I truly miss the lightness.  It made traveling with it quite enjoyable.

    urashid
  • Reply 4 of 32
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,858administrator
    sflocal said:
    MacPro said:
    IMHO now MacBook Pros and MacBooks are so light the only position for the Air would be if it were by far the least expensive, suitable for education and similar.  
    Agree with above comment. The MacBook is plenty light so the only real reason from my view would be lower price point. Any additional thoughts?
    I disagree.  I've owned several MBA's over the years.  I own a 2017 15" MBP as I needed more RAM and CPU, and I wanted a Retina display.  The current MacBook is not remotely useable for me as a "real" laptop.  I am highly mobile and lightness is crucial.  The MBA was perfect.  It had a more powerful CPU compared to the anemic MacBook.  I loved it, but the 8GB RAM limit was just too confining.

    Give me an MBA, with 16GB+ RAM and a Retina display, and at least an i7 and I may very well consider selling my MBP for one of these.  I truly miss the lightness.  It made traveling with it quite enjoyable.

    The MacBook Air is 2.97 pounds. The 13-inch 2018 Retina MacBook Pro is 3.02 pounds, and you can now get quad-core and 16GB of RAM.
    roundaboutnowchiarandominternetpersonwilliamlondonchasmigohmmmkingofsomewherehot
  • Reply 5 of 32
    BrianJBrianJ Posts: 7unconfirmed, member
    Comparing the MacBook Air to the current MacBook Pro 13 and you're dealing with pretty much the same size machine.  The MBA is way less powerful, and has a lower quality display.  However, it does maintain the legacy ports and a magsafe charger, both of which will likely be gone in the next revision.

    Keeping the machine in the lineup just to have a lower cost entry level machine makes sense.  However, MacBook Air name doesn't make sense, as the regular MacBook is much smaller.  If they can reduce the cost of the MacBook, then it would even out their lineup a little better.
    randominternetperson
  • Reply 6 of 32
    thttht Posts: 5,421member
    Hopefully the consumer lineup will be:

    $1000 12” 5W Kaby Lake fanless, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, 2 TB3 ports
    $1200 13” 15W Coffee Lake single fan, 8 GB RAM, 256 SSD, 2 TB3 ports

    With 16 GB RAM, 512/1024 GB storage options. It’s basically a $300 price reduction from the existing models, hopefully with a unified and distinct “consumer” form factor. I think one of the issues with the MBP13 FN is that its name is intimidating to lower end consumers, and it makes it harder to upsell them. Apple really just needs to take the guts of the MBP13 FN and put in a newer, friendly form factor and name, and really hit a $1200 price point with a 4C Coffee Lake, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB storage model, 2 TB3 ports. Maybe $1300.

    I would strongly recommend a 13” laptop with these features for $1300.

  • Reply 7 of 32
    urashidurashid Posts: 127member
    Maybe they'll make it with slightly better screen (1920x1200), keep the legacy ports, with option for 16GB RAM and keep it around the current MBA starting prices.  This will be a perfect machine for students/education market.  And there will be enough differentiation between the MacBook, Air and Pro lines to justify their price points.
    frankeedbaconstang
  • Reply 8 of 32
    mavemufcmavemufc Posts: 326member
    Might be priced out of the new Pros so a new MacBook Air could be a good option 
  • Reply 9 of 32
    Just keep the Air keyboard and form factor, put on a Retina display, two TB 3 ports, 8 GB standard / 16 GB option and all will be good and it will sell like hotcakes.
    entropysMisterKitfrankeedhenrybay
  • Reply 10 of 32
    Just bring back that 11-12 inch MacBook Air back. I need to refresh old hardware and I am not squeezing bigger portable computer into spoecialized clunky messenger bag. iPad will not do either. There are apps that need more screens and more complex navigations and tasks on apps than mobile can offer. Example? Modelling solution (no modelling is not diagramming - it has strict rules) so far no apps like UML, BPM on mobile that would really cut for this task while travelling or at home with large hid-def screen.
    baconstang
  • Reply 11 of 32
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    BrianJ said:
    Comparing the MacBook Air to the current MacBook Pro 13 and you're dealing with pretty much the same size machine.  The MBA is way less powerful, and has a lower quality display.  However, it does maintain the legacy ports and a magsafe charger, both of which will likely be gone in the next revision.

    Keeping the machine in the lineup just to have a lower cost entry level machine makes sense.  However, MacBook Air name doesn't make sense, as the regular MacBook is much smaller.  If they can reduce the cost of the MacBook, then it would even out their lineup a little better.
    Agree with above comment. The MacBook is plenty light so the only real reason from my view would be lower price point. Any additional thoughts?

    The MacBook is a failure. I think I have only ever seen one outside a shop, and that was years ago. Too expensive, gutless, and only one port! No good. Reducing the price doesn’t overcome its limited usefulness. It is too limited.urashid said:
    Maybe they'll make it with slightly better screen (1920x1200), keep the legacy ports, with option for 16GB RAM and keep it around the current MBA starting prices.  This will be a perfect machine for students/education market.  And there will be enough differentiation between the MacBook, Air and Pro lines to justify their price points.
    BittySon said:
    Just keep the Air keyboard and form factor, put on a Retina display, two TB 3 ports, 8 GB standard / 16 GB option and all will be good and it will sell like hotcakes.
    Yes. Two for the two miss entropys for Christmas.

    williamlondon
  • Reply 12 of 32
    boboliciousbobolicious Posts: 1,139member
    I like the ports myself...
    I hope any new fall hardware is released prior to Mojave with the option of High Sierra, as it is presumably more resolved and less buggy.
    Is the best time to buy new mac hardware now just before the next release of the annual 'still in beta' macOS release,
    with Applecare available for support on a hopefully more debugged ...?
    edited August 2018 frankeed
  • Reply 13 of 32
    lmaclmac Posts: 206member
    If Apple times its product launches right, the new Air will be ready for Back to School.
  • Reply 14 of 32
    backstabbackstab Posts: 138member
    MacBook Air has been one of the most revolutionary laptops ever built. But it's now long in the tooth, and really resides in the netherworld between the MacBook, and the Pro.
    I personally think it's time to retire it and let an expanded MacBook line fill that space.
    (just give me one more USB-C on the other side of the computer please, Apple)
    randominternetpersonmcdavechia
  • Reply 15 of 32
    Apple is planning to release an updated MacBook Air towards the end of the current quarter, which ends in September, according to one research firm.

    "The second quarter was the transition period when Apple was preparing for the releases of the upcoming new MacBook devices for the year," TrendForce said on Wednesday. The firm expects MacBook shipments "to again post a large QoQ increase in 3Q18, as Apple will be releasing a new MacBook Pro at the start of the quarter and a new MacBook Air at the end of the quarter."

    Ok, that's weird.  We're halfway through Q3 and they are "predicting" today things that happened weeks ago?
    SpamSandwich
  • Reply 16 of 32
    wizard69wizard69 Posts: 13,377member
    MacPro said:
    IMHO now MacBook Pros and MacBooks are so light the only position for the Air would be if it were by far the least expensive, suitable for education and similar.  
    You forget performance.    MBA offers great mid range performance.   It is something the low wattage CPU in the Mac Book can never offer.   More importantly because of Apple feet dragging the MBA can get a very nice boos over the older models due to the march of technology.   Then you have the ports!!!    While we can't count on Apple to do the right thing with respect to ports, right now the MBA's ports sets it apart from all other Apple laptops for versatility.
    entropysbaconstang
  • Reply 17 of 32
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I'd trust Rene Ritchie's timeline if he ever presents one for specific product releases and dates. AFAIK, he has no timeline for this.
  • Reply 18 of 32
    nunzynunzy Posts: 662member
    Agree with above comment. The MacBook is plenty light so the only real reason from my view would be lower price point. Any additional thoughts?
    They could make it cheaper if they eliminated all the ports except one. And there is no reason to make the case able to be taken apart. Think glue, not screws.

    No built-in speakers would allow them to make it thinner. All storage in the cloud.


    edited August 2018
  • Reply 19 of 32
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    I think you are onto something there, Nunzy. I also think they could drop the cost even further by eliminating the keyboard too.
    baconstangnunzychia
  • Reply 20 of 32
    I just hope that the new MacBook airs have sufficient keyboard travel. The old ones were perfect - offering a great typing experience. 
    baconstangbobolicious
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