As many await the launch of Apple’s next MacBook Pro update, the real change may be happening elsewhere. Those looking for a new macOS laptop should skip the business MacBook Pro machines and even wonder if the current MacBook Air is too good for their needs, because Apple has something better planned for the average consumer. It’s a third laptop, as LeaksApplePro reports:
“The new 12-inch MacBook will have a scaled-down M3 or M2. It’ll be a great entry-level Mac that will appeal to many students – and if Apple can fix it right, it’ll sell very well. I don’t have much more information on this MacBook, Apple is still working on it, and I should get more details on that as we get closer to launch.”
This could be the final brick in Apple’s macOS laptop strategy as it finalizes the move away from the tired look of Intel chipset laptops and into the world of a new design language and flexibility. offered by Apple Silicon laptops.
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Let’s start with an overview of Apple’s macOS laptop choices.
The advantage of using Apple Silicon is that Apple has raised the bar for the base machine. It’s also a bit of a distraction as it upset the previous balance of the Intel-powered wallet. With the upcoming launch of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, Apple is redefining high-end expectations, which also means a reassessment of the MacBook Air.
Simply put, the MacBook Air is more than enough for everyday use. You’ll be able to run major office applications, a web browser suitable for most online tasks, and there’s enough grunt in the M1 chipset for basic media editing (and another twenty percent more with the m2) .
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Frankly, most people don’t need to go any higher…although those who want the social status of owning a “MacBook Pro” can upgrade to the Frankenstein 13-inch MacBook Pro (which is little more than a MacBook Air with fan cooling). A die-hard Apple fan and his money are easily separated.
That potential wasn’t there with the entry-level Intel chipsets used by previous MacBook Airs, which meant the MacBook Pro was a valid choice for the avid creative hobbyist. With this option no longer needed, the MacBook Pro can push higher in the professional market, knowing that for the general public, there is a much better option than the MacBook Pro.
New information suggests there might be something better than the MacBook Air in the future.
One of the problems with the MacBook Air is that the latest model, which not only sports the M2 chipset but also the new design language that debuted on the larger Pro models, saw a $300 premium over to the traditional $999 sticker for the MacBook Air. To counter this, the MacBook Air M1 remained in the portfolio, albeit with the older design and Apple Silicon’s slower but still more than capable first generation.
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I don’t see Apple keeping this model, or the clunky 13-inch MacBook Pro, around any longer. It just feels fake and reminiscent of the days of Intel. So the news that Apple is working on a laptop that’s slightly smaller than the MacBook Air makes a lot of sense. Sporting a 12-inch screen, the new design, and Apple Silicon chipsets that benefit from higher base performance, this supposedly solo MacBook would be a better option for many than the MacBook Air.
Bring in a 12-inch MacBook for $999, a 13-inch MacBook Air for $1,299, and then the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models starting at $1,999, and you’ve got the classic triplet of “good, better, better” well- loved by Apple management; an easy-to-understand product line and the widest range of features spread across macOS laptops.
As for the vast majority of people, they can forget about the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. This tempting MacBook will suffice.
Now read the latest Mac, iPhone and iPad headlines in Forbes’ weekly look at Cupertino news in Apple Loop…
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