“9to5 Mac has an article presenting a new 12″ MacBook Air, with photos and detailed information about what this new laptop will be like,” Kirk McElhearn writes for Kirksville. “According to the website: ‘Sources within Apple, who have used internal prototype versions of the upcoming computer, have provided in-depth details about the machine, and our exclusive artist renditions of the revamped MacBook Air provide the first close look…'”
“Well, I’m going to be a bit skeptical. First, all of the renditions of the MacBook Air in the article are, as they say, ‘exclusive artist renditions.’ And this information is based on sources ‘who have used internal prototypes,'” McElhearn writes. “The most striking information in the article is not so much the size or shape – thinner, with a narrower keyboard – but the number of ports on the side of the computer.”
“I can’t accept that Apple would have a single USB port,” McElhearn writes. “Apple famously ditched floppy drives, back with the first iMac, and optical drives more recently, but a single port on a computer is too regressive. So I’ll call it BS for now.”
Read more in the full article here.
John gruber writes for Daring Fireball, “I have numerous questions regarding Mark Gurman’s report that the upcoming next-generation MacBook Air does away with all ports other than two: a USB Type-C and a headphone jack. But one that I keep thinking about is MagSafe. I can definitely see getting rid of classic USB — it’s old and thick. Thunderbolt, sort of. But MagSafe?”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: MagSafe offers too much utility to ditch. Losing a power cable that detaches when yanked would be a big step backwards. However, on the other hand, the extremely light weight of the latest MacBook Airs sort of negates MagSafe. We’ve had 11-inch MacBook Air (Early 2014) units pulled nearly halfway across a desk before MagSafe detached, saving them from a nasty fall. Plus, if Apple could do away with all ports, you just know they would.
Related articles:
Why Apple’s new 12-inch MacBook Air can abandon almost all ports – January 6, 2015
Apple’s next major Mac revealed: Meet the radically new 12-inch MacBook Air – January 6, 2015
Mac Book Airs could start to play more in the tablet playground without as much need for direct connectivity. Add in innovative stylus control (which I could give a rats ass about personally) and suddenly there’s even less oxygen for the Surface Pro (already gasping for air).
BTW I am still absolutely loving my 15″ MBP – what a beautifully designed and blazing fast superior piece of computing kit. Bought one for the teen grandson too for Christmas and he’s over the moon, his friends very envious. (Hopefully portable Mac acquisition is infectious.) The granddaughter will get the new Mac Book Air – whenever it actually comes.
This is a controlled leak. It’s done while CES is happening. There’s likely some truth to it as apple shows off this “next gen” computer via media leaks. I can totally believe Apple going portless. They’ll offer a dongle where multiple things can be plugged into it. If u want something more robust, get a MB Pro. This is excellent differentiation.
Yep, which is why I have an MBP. I’m more excited about the better display. I’ve now been permanently spoiled with RD displays.
To me the 9to5 article makes sense as something Apple is actually considering.
In striving for thinness and simplicity, why not use a single do it all connector, and connect that to an adapter or dock if you need more ports.
If it is true, I wonder if Apple will have the power brick serve as a dock. I can envision tacking an array of ports onto the brick, so that they are there if you need them.
The problem with the power brick as a dock is that it could be really inconvenient to plug into. Many of us have multiple power adapters plugged in behind desks/furniture that are hard to get to.
Likewise having a pass-through adapter for the port poses problems. The other idea people are coming up with is that the power cable plug would have a port on the back of it that another USB-C cable can plug into. The problem there is that if you want to unplug your power cable and walk your MBA into another room, you’d have to first properly eject whatever devices were attached.
Even a splitter cable/dock has its own issues, as you’d either always have to use it (which would be inconvenient) or you’d again have to properly eject stuff just to plug in.
Really having just one more USB-C port makes things much better if there’s not going to be a separate power port.
“Really having just one more USB-C port makes things much better if there’s not going to be a separate power port.”
This is very true.
It strikes me that Apple would more likely engineer a MagSafe connector that would be safer to use with the MacBook Air than drop the potential of its safety which is a big advertising plus. . . and differentiator for their notebook line. . . instead of going with a charging system that connects through a USB-C connector which has the potential to pull the notebook onto the floor, damaging the notebook.
Who needs a headphone jack with Bluetooth headphones available?
DJs. Anyone doing audio work in the field. In short, any time when maximum audio quality and reliability are needed.
I’ve been thinking about this magsafe connector. What if Apple is doing away with a power connector all together. What is Apple plans to power it and charge it with an induction connector like the upcoming Apple Watch. The power source is a mat that rolls up for transport but is where you rest you new computer to charge and power it.
That would be so Mac-like.
Don’t know why so many down votes on this. Not sure about the mat idea, but Apple already has inductive charging. Why not use it on more than just the iWatch? It’s already magnetically connected, so it could be made to detach with a similar amount of force as MagSafe. Basically the exact same thing, just without a port.
I am puzzled by the USB-C connector; why wouldn’t Apple follow the “lightning connector for everything” philosophy of iOS? They already have a ton of adapters for that interface.
I’m more puzzled by the use of the Lightning connector. The whole world is going to be USB-C, except for iPhones and iPads. It was one thing when Lightning offered clear advantages to the consumer over Micro and Mini USB, but now it’s just going to be different from everything else.
Because Lightning is not just a USB connector. It can carry other signals as well.
John, you should review the USB-C spec before typing.
@Mike, this is absolutely true. There’s really nothing Lightning can do (in terms of signals) that USB-C can’t. The only thing Lightning has over USB-C is chipped authentication, and that has been nothing but a nightmare.
Traditionally, Apple hasn’t been terribly concerned with what “the whole world” is going to do. It is possible that USB-C is superior (difficult to tell because I can only find a lot of hype without too many actual specs), but I would suspect Apple would tend to prefer its own way rather than adapting to someone else’s standard.
That’s great, except Apple does appear to be adopting USB-C, and pretty much will need to do so if it wants to maintain connection compatibility.
It was one thing when Apple had to have a 30-pin to maintain legacy compatibility via USB and FireWire that began at a time when nobody was doing high-speed on PMP/mobile devices and along those lines when they transitioned when most of the rest of the industry was on Mini or Micro USB which both sucked and even some implementations were semi-custom, but now it’s just different and has far more disadvantages over USB-C.
Came across this Apple patent for a univeral connector / port system. I wonder if there’s a chance that this makes its way into the new 12″ and possibly future MBP devices.
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2015/01/is-apples-radical-universal-connector-ready-for-prime-time.html
It’s actually very slick.
I think that’s a great point, Mulji
With all day battery life (12+ hours) would magsafe even matter anymore? You charge it over night and use it all day without plugging it into a wall.
It’s the size that makes absolutely no sense to me. The 11″ and 13″ MBA’s are already the perfect size in their respective categories. Apple needs a 12″ MBA like they need another hole in their head.
Unless they replace the 11″ and 13″ with a single model.
Given the design convergence between the 13″ MBP and the 13″ MBA, that might be Apple’s plan.
Assuming that the 12″ MBA rumor is true, then Apple will likely try to squeeze the 12″ display into the current 11″ MBA form factor (or smaller) by reducing the bezel thickness and using integrated, laminated display technology.
This doesn’t ring true. I think Apple would go with a MagSafe adapter, a Thunderbolt port and a headphone port. Thunderbolt is smaller and provides more functionality. Apple already sells converters from this to USB, Ethernet, VGA, etc. You could attach this to a Thunderbolt monitor port and let that function as a dock.
1 port is not enough. You need to have something to charge the laptop with but also be able to use it while thats happening. Which means you need more ports period.
We are talking about a functional item not something you place on the table and admire from a distance.
The real world is full of SLR cameras that use SD cards, full size keyboards, specialist gaming mice, wacom tablets, external drives etc that all use one flavour or another of USB. And it is this world that students and office workers inhabit – why then break all the interconnectivity just to slice 0.5mm off the thickness or reduce the port count. Great design is about form and FUNCTION and I dont need another box of adapters or widgets from Griffin – just to get back to where I am today. Whats more, most owners then stick a bloody great protective case weighing 8oz and doubling the thickness just to keep it from getting scratched.
There’s no need for a MagSafe port if the new Air charges wirelessly.
It could still totally work.
– USB Type C can handle 100W, while the current Macbook Air uses only a 45W adapter. So it could charge over USB (just like all your iOS devices) and still have 65 watts to spare to connect other devices.
– The new Air’s power adapter could also be a USB hub (similar to Apple’s wired keyboards). So while charging the laptop would take up 1 USB port, it would provide 2 or more new USB ports, which is a net gain in ports.
– Making the charger also a USB hub also make it more portable: most of the time, you will only need to carry the one accessory with the Air, instead of a separate charging cable and USB hub.
– USB Type C is faster than Thunderbolt 1, so using it with a Thunderbolt adapter would still work and be very fast. Not as fast as Thunderbolt 2 – but most people don’t need that speed, and it leaves one (small) advantage to getting a Pro over the Air for those who want that extra speed.
– If it has all day battery life, like the current Macbook Air, there won’t be any chord plugged in to trip over, as long as you charge it the night before. It’s possible they might also design a sort of quick release function around the charger too.
All day battery life is a year 1 event. By year 3 its a different story.