(ThyBlackMan.com) If the recent reports are something to go by, a cheaper version of the Apple MacBook Air is coming this year. Apple is reportedly working on a MacBook laptop which the company will roll out for a lower price. There are many reports coming from various sources and most of them suggest Apple’s new MacBook Air will sport a 13-inch display. For many Apple fans, it’s a great news, but do we need a MacBook Air in 2018?
The current MacBook Air is nothing but a laptop with some minor upgrades and a dated processor. Yes, these laptops get the job done pretty well and the Air is a product that made people believe laptops can be lightweight, thin, and at the same time, they can look beautiful. From the hardware viewpoint, the MacBook Air in 2018 is overpriced. You look at the current pricing and check what else you can get for $999 from other brands. Mac is, of course, a reason people wouldn’t want to go for other brands, but is it worth spending this much money on?
Sources suggest Apple will cut down the price, but no concrete information on hardware specifications is available. If it happens, it would be the only laptop from Apple under $999 price range because all the other MacBook laptops including the MacBook and MacBook Pro are above this price range. Let’s say Apple cuts the price on the new MacBook Air and introduces a new 13-inch laptop for around $799. The question here is how will Apple manage such price cut?
When compared with other MacBook laptops, the Air doesn’t stand strong for obvious reasons. Given its current price, it wouldn’t be possible for Apple to introduce a new laptop with high-end specifications at lower than the current price. So what will keep it popular among people? The device’s low price and its design have made it popular among students and professionals. Some tech enthusiasts argue the idea of introducing a laptop without Touch Bars and latest specs would be silly. But who wants the latest hardware from a MacBook Air when there are several other options like MacBook and MacBook Pro? There are people who don’t care about Touch Bars and latest hardware if they get a laptop from Apple for a price around $799 or $899.
And there are people who wouldn’t mind buying a MacBook Air only if the price and configuration are like other notebooks running Windows 10. If Apple launches a notebook and keeps some of its legacy hardware including the additional USB ports and SD slot and makes some changes in design, maybe trimming down the bezels and some tweaks in specs the company can attract new customers. If it happens, the new MacBook Air would be the right entry-level laptop for those who never tried Mac for its high price and dated hardware.
With many Windows 10 laptops available under $1000, Apple loses many potential customers to Microsoft. These consumers care about saving money, but most of them are ready to make a move if they get the right deal. Apple tried to focus on this market with its 11.6-inch MacBook Air, but surprisingly, the company killed that laptop in 2016 and since then, we haven’t seen any significant improvements in the MacBook Air product line.
Meanwhile, there are talks about a retina MacBook. Introducing a new improved laptop in the current price range of the MacBook Air sounds more logical. The MacBook Air doesn’t have a retina ready display, but the other laptops in the MacBook and MacBook Pro product line feature retina displays. Most of the information about the new Apple MacBook Air comes from a source with an excellent record of predicting the future of Apple products. If the information turns out to be true, we will see a new MacBook Air in the second quarter this year.
Staff Writer; Corey Shaw
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