“You might have missed it over the long weekend, but yesterday (Jan. 15) marked the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the MacBook Air by Steve Jobs on stage at Macworld,” Andrew E. Freedman writes for LAPTOP Magazine. “When he removed its sleek chassis from a manilla envelope, it changed laptops forever; competitors raced to make their own machines that thin and light. However, with Apple barely updating this laptop for several years, it’s time for the MacBook Air to take a one-way trip to the gadget closet in the sky.”
“The Air became one of our favorite notebooks of all, and we gave it high ratings and numerous editors’ choice awards. But today, in 2018, the MacBook Air has lost its relevance. It didn’t have to be this way,” Freedman writes. “Apple could have continued to upgrade the Air with top-notch features like a Retina display, Thunderbolt 3, Touch ID and even longer battery life. But Apple has instead focused on the 12-inch MacBook as its flagship thin notebook (one might call it the ‘Air apparent’), and the MacBook Air has languished.”
“Apple’s last update of the MacBook Air was a small processor bump to a fifth-generation Intel Broadwell CPU in 2017. (Most new notebooks have 8th or 7th Gen CPUs. The fifth-gen option was old even then.) The laptop still uses the same basic chassis design that it had in 2010,” Freedman writes. “If Apple isn’t going to give the Air a full, true refresh, then it’s time for it to go.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Yes, the MacBook Air’s usefulness, beyond offering a low entry-level price, as been supplanted by the rather fabulous 12-inch MacBook.
SEE ALSO:
10 years ago, Steve Jobs pulled the MacBook Air from a manilla envelope – January 16, 2018
CNET reviews Apple MacBook Air (2017): An old friend shows its age, but… – August 17, 2017
Apple updates iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook, and MacBook Pro – June 5, 2017
Analyst: MacBook Air 2017 could be the last in series as Apple plans to kill off ‘Air’ line– July 15, 2016
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AirMail manilla folder notebook sleeve for Apple MacBook Air now available for pre-order – January 18, 2008
PC Magazine reviews Apple’s MacBook Air: ‘Will captivate millions’ – January 16, 2008
Apple’s new MacBook Air tempts Windows user to make the switch – January 16, 2008
Mossberg’s early impression of Apple’s new MacBook Air: ‘Very attractive product’ – January 16, 2008
Apple posts Steve Jobs’ Macworld Expo 2008 keynote address QuickTime video – January 15, 2008
Apple’s new MacBook Air TV commercial and guided tour (with video) – January 15, 2008
Jupiter Research analyst: Apple’s MacBook Air a new star, Apple TV no longer a hobby – January 15, 2008
Apple CEO Steve Jobs talks stock price, iPhone in China, MacBook Air, iPhone sales – January 15, 2008
Apple introduces MacBook Air; world’s thinnest notebook features multi-touch gesture support – January 15, 2008
