Apple may call all its products revolutionary, but the MacBook Air truly was. After its initial announcement in 2008, the notebook hasn’t seen many iterations, nevertheless, it is still one of the top-selling MacBooks. The MacBook Air recently completed a decade of its existence along with the rumours of it being replaced soon.
Being inexpensive, the Air was a great entry point for the people looking to get into the Apple ecosystem. With lack of regular and essential hardware upgrades from Apple, the notebook lost its worth over time and it’s about time for it to be discontinued. Apple must replace it with a MacBook worthy enough to take the legacy forward.
Revolutionary, indeed
Ten years back when the laptop thickness was measured in inches, Apple came out with the MacBook Air, and it did live up to its name. It was lighter and thinner than most of the notebooks available back then, including the ones from Apple. It eventually got a great battery life as well. All these aspects of the Air had set benchmarks for the industry, and the competition did follow.
What went wrong?
MacBook Air got stuck in the past and couldn’t really keep up with the changing time. The last upgrade the laptop got was in 2017 where it got a fifth-gen Intel Broadwell processor that is now already three years old. Like it happens with most of the Apple products, the prices of the MacBook Air maintained a downward slope and that’s the only reason it is still in the market. Hardware wise, the MacBook Air is way past the point where it was relevant.
The notebook hasn’t changed its designed almost ever since it was announced. Apple didn’t bother to bring a newer Retina display to the MacBook Air and it still stuck with its meagre resolution. Another reason for the Air’s downfall was the introduction of the 12-inch MacBook, which apparently was the new “Air”. It weighs less than a kilogram and still offers basic performance like the MacBook Air did, though, after losing almost all the ports you can think of.
The MacBook Air successor we deserve
MacBook Air was long overdue for an update and now it is overdue for discontinuation. Certain reports have surfaced recently to suggest that Apple might launch a 13-inch MacBook this year, which should replace the ageing and obsolete MacBook Air. It is still not confirmed if the new MacBook would get the entry-level spot or not. From what it seems, this new machine from Apple would sit between the MacBook and MacBook Pro lineup.
For the starters, we want Apple to include more ports, as it turns out, a single USB Type-C port is not enough. At this point of time, it would be silly to ask USB Type-A ports and SD card slot from Apple, the least we can ask for is more Type-C ports. The ideal number would be four in line with the newer MacBook Pro computers. Other than the ports, Apple should definitely include a Retina display, no compromises there; Touch Bar and Touch ID would be a bonus.
Pricing of the upcoming notebook from Apple can be a tricky subject. Before that, you must realise that the MacBook Air was as cheap when it was launched. In fact, it was announced for a staggering $1,799 for being the thinnest one in the market and its prices slowly came down to $999, at what it currently retails. And expecting Apple to maintain the $999 price point with the MacBook Air replacement would be just like hearing a funny story.
Also Read: Using a MacBook Air To Produce Music in 2017!
Nevertheless, the 13-inch MacBook coming out later this year would be a great addition to Apple’s Mac portfolio, especially if priced aptly. Reportedly, Apple has already started sourcing LCD panels for the new MacBook, so the launch should happen soon. This upcoming notebook might also include a custom co-processor that was detailed in a leak a while ago.
