“A recent KGI Securities note said Apple is planning to launch a cheaper 13-inch MacBook Air during the second quarter of this year,” Todd Haselton writes for CNBC. “It makes perfect sense for Apple to make this move, and I’d buy one in a heartbeat.”
“Apple currently only offers a $999 MacBook Air that, despite upgrades to its processor, hasn’t changed drastically in years. It still has the same low-resolution display, for example,” Haselton writes. “Apple’s next most affordable MacBook is the $1,299 model, which has a sharper but smaller 12-inch display, only has a single USB-C port and is a bit more cramped to use.”
“If Apple launches a notebook somewhere in the $799 to $999 range, maybe keeps some of the legacy hardware including the SD slot and additional USB ports that are still found on the current MacBook Air, I’d be all in,” Haselton writes. “Apple used to offer an affordable option with its 11.6-inch MacBook Air, but it killed that off in 2016.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: For us, when it comes to road Macs, size and weight are everything. If Apple brought back the 11-inch MBA with a Retina display, we’d be quite torn between that an the 12-inch MacBook. Alas, we doubt that would happen, so we’re likely to stick the with the MacBook even if a 13-inch MBA with a Retina display arrives. Still, we can’t wait to compare them to see for sure which one would be best-suited for our backpacks!
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s rumored March 2018 event: Analyst expectations – plus who’d like a 13-inch MacBook Air with Retina display for $899? – March 5, 2018
Ming-Chi Kuo: Apple to launch more affordable 13-inch MacBook Air in Q2 – March 5, 2018
Cheaper in Apple terms will be 2GB of ram, 100GB drive and 10″ screen on base model for $849
What you are describing is practically useless: limited storage, limited RAM, limited workspace. I wouldn’t pay a nickel for a machine as crippled as you describe.
“I’d be all in,”
Bullshit.
Haselton’s primary use of a laptop is most probably MS Office. Newer, faster laptops aren’t going to make a discernible difference running Office over a 5 year old Mac.
Apple is growing CPU share while industry unit sales have stalled (sans Macs, industry unit sales have declined). Laptops represent the majority of CPUs Apple sells, ergo MacBook (all varieties) are growing, meaning MacBook desirability remains strong.
Writing for CNBC means a six figure salary, unless he’s a contributor, in which case his opinion is worthless. $200 isn’t going to deter him from buying a new MacBook.
Does anyone seriously believe Apple can get their computer hardware mojo back? Less expensive scares me when it comes to Apple.
True that. It is difficult to call Apple an innovator in personal computing when they fell off the Moore’s Law curve a decade before any other mainstream computer maker. Apple is now a luxury lifestyle brand, not the leader in computing power or efficiency, and most definitely not interested in offering personal devices that the user can control and configure for his specific needs.
I found an old ASUS netbook the other day, it was running XP and had that cheesy 1024 x 600 display. Powered it up and wondered how anyone put up with such a crude interface. If Apple thinks they can release a $750 MBA with today’s equivalent of that crap screen, they are truly delusional.