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Friday, January 16, 2009, 11:40 am
Apple working on 15-inch MacBook Air, says blog
A Chinese-language blog with a debatable track record claims Apple is working on a 15-inch MacBook Air with more information to come in the "second half" of this year.Translated from Chinese by Google Translate, the recent entry on Apple.pro said, "It is understood that Apple is producing more than the current MBA size MacBook Air (15-inch?)." (Apple's current MacBook Air, of course, ships with a 13.3-inch display.)
"Core architecture will use Intel processors, the latest...from the current ultra-low voltage processor 'Core 2'," the report claims. "[This will] make a stunning ultra-portable suitable for the older poor eyesight."
Apple.pro's track record in Apple rumors is mixed. Photos it posted in August billed as the new MacBook turned out to be false, while its July photos of the new MacBook Pro turned out to be quite revealing of the actual product.
Also turning out to be fake was a video it claimed in October to be of the new aluminum MacBook. On the other hand, despite the video, still images it posted of the same product that same month did turn out to be accurate (last item).
The site claims more information will be published in the future.
While there is a subset of Apple's customer base that would welcome a larger-screened MacBook Air, it is unclear if there would be enough overall demand to sustain such a product.
Apple does not provide breakdowns of notebook sales by model, but a quick glance at the Apple Store's Mac Top Sellers column lists the MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac ahead of the fourth-place MacBook Air.
It is unknown whether the average customer, for whom travel and portability are not major factors, would forgo the added performance of the 15-inch MacBook Pro in favor of a 15-inch MacBook Air.
While such a product is possible, Apple's product line-up tends to very well-defined with a clear hierarchical difference between each model. Thus, it is difficult to judge where a 15-inch MacBook Air would fit in with the other portables, since the current 13.3-inch version trails behind as it is.
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Previous Comments View All
I have to question this report as it would have the potential to disrupt the portable lineup.
Their reliability is questionable because it's not clear which pieces of information they publish come from their reliable sources and which do not. They've been just as wrong as they've been right.
Best,
K
Their reliability is questionable because it's not clear which pieces of information they publish come from their reliable sources and which do not. They've been just as wrong as they've been right.
Best,
K
They post anything and everything that comes their way so they're bound to be right once in a while. I doubt this is one of those times.
A Chinese-language blog with a debatable track record
I burst out laughing at this line - I love the Apple rumour lifecycle.
I have to question this report as it would have the potential to disrupt the portable lineup.
- If one needs a very portable laptop, opt for the MacBook Air.
- If one needs a consumer level laptop, opt for the MacBook.
- If one needs a larger screen than what's available in either the MB or MBA, opt for the MacBook Pro.
The addition of a 15-inch MBA would simply disrupt the advantage of both the larger screen and features of the MBP and could undermine the 13-inch MBA. I think the MBA as it exists today is a strategic product that is able to meet the ultra portable requirement. A 15-inch simply wouldn't make sense in my view.
I'm a bit unsure whether this is true also, but since my partner is a MacBook Air user I know that many people's assumptions about who buys the MacBook Air and for what reason are often wrong.
A lot of people buy the MacBook Air because it's a cool laptop that simply meets their needs. As was pointed out by it's defenders when it arrived on the scene, the majority of people using a computer just use it to surf the web and write a few documents. The MacBook Air might be chosen by users for it's "portability" in the same way that any laptop is portable, but the same laptop with a 15" screen would be just as "portable" in that sense.
I don't get the feeling that the Air is chosen over other laptops because it is *more* portable (by reason of being a touch lighter and thinner). I think people in the market for a laptop simply look at the array of laptops before them and pick which one is "the coolest" and which suits their needs.
IMO the MacBook Air is not some freakish thing that only people with a strong need for portability would choose, it's just a laptop like any other with a set of features.
I have an Air, new Macbook, and older Macbook Pros. If anything I wanted an Air because it was the smallest/lightest. They need to make a smaller Air. Smaller screen, maybe make the keyboard go all the way to the edge like they did to the 12" powerbook. Remove the screen bezel. My Air is practically the same size as my Macbook, just thinner.
I'm really thinking of getting a MSI Wind and making a hackintosh.
The new 13" MBA is a lot faster than the original because of the new GPGPU nvda chip integration.
A new 15" MBA would be plenty fast and they'll hopefully use the extra volume to ship another 8 hr battery.
With an 8hr battery,
extra vivid (and HD proportioned) LG LED screen,
it would sell like hotcakes.
Game, Set, Match, Apple and Jobs.
Enjoy your rest and strong recovery, Mr Jobs.
I'm a bit unsure whether this is true also, but since my partner is a MacBook Air user I know that many people's assumptions about who buys the MacBook Air and for what reason are often wrong.
A lot of people buy the MacBook Air because it's a cool laptop that simply meets their needs. As was pointed out by it's defenders when it arrived on the scene, the majority of people using a computer just use it to surf the web and write a few documents. The MacBook Air might be chosen by users for it's "portability" in the same way that any laptop is portable, but the same laptop with a 15" screen would be just as "portable" in that sense.
I don't get the feeling that the Air is chosen over other laptops because it is *more* portable (by reason of being a touch lighter and thinner). I think people in the market for a laptop simply look at the array of laptops before them and pick which one is "the coolest" and which suits their needs.
IMO the MacBook Air is not some freakish thing that only people with a strong need for portability would choose, it's just a laptop like any other with a set of features.
All of which supports the idea is that this is a bogus rumour. If you want a 15" get the still very thin, light and lovely MBP. I am sure there is a market for an even thinner and sexier 15" MBA but that MUST be a small market indeed. Specially at the premium price the MBA commands. Unless we are all wrong and the Air is in fact Apple's best selling laptop! I am much more inclined to believe in a 10" MBA (read netbook - no idea about specs). Only a few weeks ago I thought the idea totally unlikely but given the recent obsession with the netbooks, and Amazon's sales figures it now seems like it may happen.
I call false. There are many ideas that would be much more worthwhile of Apple's time then trying to sell a 15" Air. I mean, what's the point? Who is crying out for a 15" Air? As @amac4me points out, it doesn't fill any gaps in their product line, and as @Virgil-TB2 points out, many people choose the Air because it just works for them, not because it has a particular size screen.
Things I would like to see in 2009:
The rumoured 28" iMac - with a high enough resolution, it may even rid the need for the second monitor I use with my 24". Actually, that made me just think of something cool - they should release a super wide screen 28" (or higher) iMac - keep vertical size same as 24" and extend out the side only. Would make cinema aspect movies look awesome and allow Apps side by side. I would sooo buy that.
Mac nano (new Mac mini, but smaller with low power components)
Snow Leopard - I hope it doesn't get delayed like Leopard, but in saying that I'd rather it wasn't rushed.
New mouse - I HATE the mighty mouse and my Microsoft mouse is starting to double-click-when-single-clicking
Product (RED) iPhone - how cool would it be to have a red phone (and my 1st gen iPhone has been dropped too many times and it coming apart at the seams (though working fine still!))
Pro apps updates
Apple TV version 3.0 - with offical support for third party content providers and all the annoying little things fixed (i.e. widespread lack of subtitles, having to exit movie and go to settings just to change something trivial that should be possible via remote or quick pop up interface, a real standby mode, larger HDD, more screensavers, etc, etc, etc)
Apple Home Server - painless centralisation of common mac data across all macs in house, i.e. Contacts, Calendars, Music, Photos, Videos, Documents, Data backup, Software updates, etc. API for devs to offer their own sharing features in their apps...
Anything else innovative they wish to share
Sounds like more speculation. I'd be more inclined to believe in an upscale Kindle-killer from Apple than this story.
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I have to question this report as it would have the potential to disrupt the portable lineup.
- If one needs a very portable laptop, opt for the MacBook Air.
- If one needs a consumer level laptop, opt for the MacBook.
- If one needs a larger screen than what's available in either the MB or MBA, opt for the MacBook Pro.
The addition of a 15-inch MBA would simply disrupt the advantage of both the larger screen and features of the MBP and could undermine the 13-inch MBA. I think the MBA as it exists today is a strategic product that is able to meet the ultra portable requirement. A 15-inch simply wouldn't make sense in my view.