It is much better then the first version simply because the first version is crap, and that by no means make the 2nd generation butterfly keyboard great. We still need improvements.
13" Screen. or may be they are brining Retina to Macbook Air? The cost difference is absolutely minimal from BOM perspective.
Otherwise it wouldn't make sense to have next size of Macbook in 13", far too close to 12". It would have to be 14" at least.
I've been hoping for a bigger brother to the current MacBook since it was released. 14" screen and two USB-C/TB3 ports would be nice.
Another thought: maybe a 13" screen will be used in a MacBook that takes the place of the current 12", but in the same size chassis with thinner bezels.
The only MacBook with that type of keyboard Price Ports Magsafe Portability comparable to the Macbook i5 or i7 CPU HD camera Longer battery runtime than Macbook SD card slot
I suspect it is still a good seller in spite of the low res screen. When I visit colleges I notice that it is the most common model used by students. With an educational discount they can probably get their hands on the base model for about $800.
Im not sure Apple cares if a new model has features users want or need. I could see this replacement having exactly one USB-C port and a splash screen that is the middle finger pointing at you.
What a bizarre thing to suggest of a company that makes money from selling Macs. If they make a poor product that nobody wants then they’ll revise or discontinue. The recent results suggest the current MacBook and MacBook Pro lineup are very much in demand.
If there’s anyone in denial, it’s those who feel Apple slights them by not catering for their particular niche amongst the majority of Mac laptop purchasers.
Another thought: maybe a 13" screen will be used in a MacBook that takes the place of the current 12", but in the same size chassis with thinner bezels.
This is what I was thinking, because I've been hoping that the next design bump on the MBP won't be a full case design, but a new display panels in 14" and 16" and reduced bezels in otherwise unchanged form factors. Total speculation on my part.
If there’s anyone in denial, it’s those who feel Apple slights them by not catering for their particular niche amongst the majority of Mac laptop purchasers.
Another thought: maybe a 13" screen will be used in a MacBook that takes the place of the current 12", but in the same size chassis with thinner bezels.
Wouldn't they need a notch for the camera like the iPhoneX?
I hope they don't drop the Air moniker. It's a great name and I hope it evolves into an ARM-based Mac line of various display sizes. Air also fits in with the already ARM-based iPads. Perhaps even make it convertible and touchscreen (and possibly with a convertible OS)… assuming there is an actual market for that.
That, or some variation of that, is inevitable. It's not if, but when... ... Come On Apple! Quit dragging your feet! You've got the technology. Use it!
I hope they don't drop the Air moniker. It's a great name and I hope it evolves into an ARM-based Mac line of various display sizes. Air also fits in with the already ARM-based iPads. Perhaps even make it convertible and touchscreen (and possibly with a convertible OS)… assuming there is an actual market for that.
I know this won't help regular consumers, but maybe Apple would make something like this for education to better compete with Google Crapbooks? I work in education and I see all the time where iPads are always relegated to the PreK-3rd grades and they're just toys and older students need real computers. Apple in some ways are getting their asses kicked buy Google right now with their Crapbook line and Google Classroom suite, which is even eating into Microsoft right now as Office365 is lightyears behind Google Classroom.
Perhaps a MacBook Air for education would work well in this environment. It could be thin, yet very durable, get great battery life, and in the end its still a Mac. Not a 1 pony show Crapbook that is all browser and Chrome Extension based.
so this 13” macbook will be cheaper than the current 12”? that sounds strange.
Why does that sound strange? The MacBook Air was more expensive than the 13" MacBook Pro at one time too. It's not cheap for Apple to design/engineer a laptop that is as light and thin as the 12" MacBook. Other laptop manufacturers can't make a quality cheap thin and light laptop either.
I hope they don't drop the Air moniker. It's a great name and I hope it evolves into an ARM-based Mac line of various display sizes. Air also fits in with the already ARM-based iPads. Perhaps even make it convertible and touchscreen (and possibly with a convertible OS)… assuming there is an actual market for that.
I know this won't help regular consumers, but maybe Apple would make something like this for education to better compete with Google Crapbooks? I work in education and I see all the time where iPads are always relegated to the PreK-3rd grades and they're just toys and older students need real computers. Apple in some ways are getting their asses kicked buy Google right now with their Crapbook line and Google Classroom suite, which is even eating into Microsoft right now as Office365 is lightyears behind Google Classroom.
Perhaps a MacBook Air for education would work well in this environment. It could be thin, yet very durable, get great battery life, and in the end its still a Mac. Not a 1 pony show Crapbook that is all browser and Chrome Extension based.
I suspect that Google is following the McDonald's marketing model (Cheap, fatty, sugary meals with "free" toys) of indoctrinating them while they're young...
so this 13” macbook will be cheaper than the current 12”? that sounds strange.
Why does that sound strange? The MacBook Air was more expensive than the 13" MacBook Pro at one time too. It's not cheap for Apple to design/engineer a laptop that is as light and thin as the 12" MacBook. Other laptop manufacturers can't make a quality cheap thin and light laptop either.
So why should Apple be so focused on thin and light? Especially if it prices them out of the main market? Yes, some people are willing and able to pay for thin, light & powerful. Many/most others aren't.
About damn time! To be honest, they should just drop the MacBook 12" to $999 and call it a day. Then, make the 512GB model $1199 to fall in between the Pro. Problem solved. A laptop with an M3 chip in 2018 is NOT WORTH $1299!
About damn time! To be honest, they should just drop the MacBook 12" to $999 and call it a day. Then, make the 512GB model $1199 to fall in between the Pro. Problem solved. A laptop with an M3 chip in 2018 is NOT WORTH $1299!
What information did you use to determine the equilibrium price for the 12" MacBook, or are you just going with "as a customer I want it cheaper" as your single data source?
About damn time! To be honest, they should just drop the MacBook 12" to $999 and call it a day. Then, make the 512GB model $1199 to fall in between the Pro. Problem solved. A laptop with an M3 chip in 2018 is NOT WORTH $1299!
What information did you use to determine the equilibrium price for the 12" MacBook, or are you just going with "as a customer I want it cheaper" as your single data source?
To meet the $1000 price point with the rMB12, they have to shave $300 off from somewhere. Just look at MS is doing with their Surface products to hit $1000. They are shipping base model machines with 4 GB RAM. Maybe after 3 years, the assembly line for the rMB has been amortized and it is cheaper to manufacture. Other than that, the LCD, CPU, RAM and SSD are the most expensive components in the device. One or two of those big four items likely will have to be reduced to hit $1000 MSRP.
So a $1000 rMB could be something like low end Skylake 5 W CPU, 8 GB RAM and 64 GB SSD. Really hope they don’t go the 4 GB route.
Comments
I've been hoping for a bigger brother to the current MacBook since it was released. 14" screen and two USB-C/TB3 ports would be nice.
If they make a poor product that nobody wants then they’ll revise or discontinue. The recent results suggest the current MacBook and MacBook Pro lineup are very much in demand.
If there’s anyone in denial, it’s those who feel Apple slights them by not catering for their particular niche amongst the majority of Mac laptop purchasers.
Unless they have the camera under screen with holes tech ready to go into it's first product.
https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/10/14225872/apple-patent-oled-display-holes-bezel-free-iphone
along with about a dozen other patents over the years.
Make the Pros 14 & 16 later in the year.
... Come On Apple! Quit dragging your feet! You've got the technology. Use it!
Perhaps a MacBook Air for education would work well in this environment. It could be thin, yet very durable, get great battery life, and in the end its still a Mac. Not a 1 pony show Crapbook that is all browser and Chrome Extension based.
To meet the $1000 price point with the rMB12, they have to shave $300 off from somewhere. Just look at MS is doing with their Surface products to hit $1000. They are shipping base model machines with 4 GB RAM. Maybe after 3 years, the assembly line for the rMB has been amortized and it is cheaper to manufacture. Other than that, the LCD, CPU, RAM and SSD are the most expensive components in the device. One or two of those big four items likely will have to be reduced to hit $1000 MSRP.
So a $1000 rMB could be something like low end Skylake 5 W CPU, 8 GB RAM and 64 GB SSD. Really hope they don’t go the 4 GB route.