commentzilla

This people hoping for a cheap MacMini with a Pro chips are going to be disappointed.

Havetenthousandthings said:

Someone in one of the other threads pointed out that Apple uses Max in their iPhone marketing. Thus,

iPhone : iPhone Pro : iPhone Pro Max

iMac : iMac Pro : iMac Pro Max

iPad : iPad Air : iPad Pro (2)
MacBook : MacBook Air : MacBook Pro (2)

Mac Mini : Mac Mini Pro : Mac Pro

Having a MacBook and a MacBook Air doesn't make sense anymore, since they are almost the exact size and weight. The difference is so small it's basically an illusion as this point. The curved shell of the Air is not very efficient for the components or the battery. The only important selling point of the Air is really its name.

tenthousandthings said:

Pretty much everything about this rumor is unexpected. That somehow makes it feel like it has to be accurate. It’s not hard to imagine how pandemic issues could cause them to extend production of this model and do a simple refresh.

The most interesting thing about this rumor is the M2 refresh, so soon. If true, then combined with the recent EEC filings, this means the new laptop model number is an M2 Air, and at least one of the desktop model numbers is an M2 Mini. 

I really don't see the point of the Air. The 13" Air and 13" MBP are almost the exact same size and weight but the Air has the illusion of thinness.  They could probably attain the same size and weight by using a slightly thinner squared design which is more efficient space wise for the battery, which can probably be a hair smaller with the M2's increased efficiency. Proof! No more MBP Air other maybe in name only.

I'm really hoping the M2 (with media accelerator that's in the pro/max) with up to 32GB RAM, Magsafe and 2 TB ports (one on each side of the case) and no Touch Bar. Perfection would be a 14" screen. I don't need a Pro or Max chip or even more ports, just more RAM, since I already have a TB dock.

tenthousandthings said:

Makes sense for the much-rumored Mini Pro and iMac Pro.

As for an M1 portable next month, not much makes sense with the M2 on the horizon. I'll go out on a limb and guess it has to be a MacBook, with colors. A lower-end option that wouldn't get the M2 right away. The M2 launch will be reserved for the new Air, an entry-level Mini, and maybe an entry-level 14-inch MBP. So it would still be a year before this MacBook and the current iMac get the M2. I think that probably works from a marketing perspective.

I'm sure this is wrong, but it's the only thing that makes sense to me...

There is barely any different between a 13" MBA and a 13" MBP in size or weight, it's almost insignificant. If anything, the 13" MBP form factor is more efficient than the MBA  (illusion of thinness) and could be thinned to shed the weight different without losing any battery life, while matching it in mass. The problem is that the 14" is also almost the exact size once we minus the feet but a half pound heavier, mostly battery and screen weight.

I see them consolidating around the squared design on the MBP using the new M2 processor, which I expect to be slightly more powerful and battery efficient. The real question is the screen bezel. Will they shrink the case to match the 13" screen, leave it the same or up it to 14"? I think the best choice is to shrink the low end to the 13" screen and the expand the upper model to 14", while not exceeding the mass or weight of the current models. The low-end 13" could have the M1 and M2, while the new lower end 14" would have the low-end M2, not to be confused with the current 14" which is larger, heavier and uses the M1 Pro, later to be updated to the M2 Pro. Overall this would keep them at 2-form factors, as they have now with the 13" MBA and MBP.

It will be interesting to see if they keep the MBA name, which is really the only value that it carries: MBA 13" M1/M2, MB 14" M2, MBP 14" M1Pro and MBPM 16" M1ProMax.

Oh well, don't let the door hit you on the way out!