Adam Kos Here we have the MacBook Air, i.e. the entry model into the world of portable computers from Apple, and three variants of the MacBook Pro. But isn't that a bit much? Wouldn't it be nice to expand this portfolio with a more affordable model that would fully suit ordinary undemanding users and have an appropriately aggressive price tag? We know from history that it would be possible.
If you want a company laptop, but you're not a heavy user and therefore don't require the Pro models, you have only two options. The first is a MacBook Air with an M1 chip with an 8-core CPU and a 7-core GPU and 256GB of storage at a price of CZK 29, or a MacBook Air with an M990 chip, an 1-core CPU, an 8-core GPU and 8GB of storage at a price of CZK 512. And that's all. And it's a little bit. In addition, many may not see a real benefit in the higher configuration, at least considering its purchase price, which is only CZK 37 lower than that of the 990" MacBook Pro with an M1 chip.
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Path one – keeping the M1 MacBook Air in the portfolio
This year, we expect Apple to come with the M2 chip, and that at least the 13" MacBook Pro will take the form of its larger siblings, namely the 14 and 16" models. However, the Air model should also receive the M2 chip, but the question is whether it will retain its light and thin design, or at least approach the Pro series in some way. But considering where Apple is taking it, it might not make a whole lot of sense.
Possible forms of the new MacBook Air
It would make more sense if Apple took the path of greater differentiation of its portfolio. The MacBook Pros would have a unified design with all the next-gen ports and capabilities, while the Air would pretty much stay as is. That is, still a suitably powerful machine, but with its design language, which Apple established in 2015 with its first 12" MacBook.
The arrival of a new chip could mean we have two MacBook Airs here. The new one would replace the existing one, while retaining its design, only there would be a new performance generation. The original model would then remain in the portfolio. Apple would still offer it without any changes, just lower the price tag. It could fall below CZK 25. This would be the same model that is practiced with iPhones. Even now, with the 13 models, you can buy the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 in the Apple Online Store.
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Vratislav Holub The second way - the new 12" MacBook Air
The second option would be to present a new MacBook Air, which would actually be based on the said 12" MacBook. In practice, he could also keep the existing chassis, which is, after all, very similar to the one known from Air. He could easily provide it with just an M1 chip, which would be fully sufficient for the needs of undemanding users. This second step could also be interesting from the point of view that the company would cover a wider dispersion of diagonals - provided that it would maintain the chassis sizes and not enlarge the display similarly to the case of the new Pro series.
14 and 16" MacBook Pro 2021
Earlier, Apple offered the 11" MacBook Air, which essentially replaced the 12" MacBook. Therefore, the company is not completely alien to the small diagonals of laptops. The base model would start at 12 inches, the next MacBook Air would be 13 inches, just like the base MacBook Pro. The top 14 and 16" MacBook Pro models would follow. Even with this, the company would do a pretty good job of distinguishing the basic Air line from the professional line. An ideal pricing policy could then ensure further growth of the Mac computer segment, which for the last quarter, i.e. for the months of October, November and December 2021, has been an extreme success. It improved by 25% year-on-year.
The 15-16″ Air is still missing. Someone needs a bigger display and doesn't need the performance of Pro, Max.
I mean they have it figured out and nothing else makes sense to them.
As an entry-level mac, it's mini.
And with a cheaper air, they would already be very close to each other.