3 ms·

I think the naming points to the future. In a couple of years, the changes that seem daring and unforgivable in this version will seem bland and expected and th

I think the naming points to the future. In a couple of years, the changes that seem daring and unforgivable in this version will seem bland and expected and there will be no reason to hold on to the current MBA line with its fans and obsolete connectors. Then it quietly disappears and we are back to two lines, the MB and MBP.

IkmoIkmo 12y ago
Definite possibility but it feels like the 'air' name is like 'Pro'. Something that's building up a lot of brand value, awareness, understanding, culture, a segment is forming around it etc. They've adopted it now for the ipad lineup, too, I think it's here to stay. The air has been a massive success at capturing teenagers and college age adults who also have an iPhone, literally a new generation of Apple users. For them the Air is a big brand. Don't forget Regular vs Pro might not be as powerful as Air vs Pro, as Air doesn't just differentiate it from Apple's Pro, but also from competitors 'normal' laptops. i.e. a consumer might reason: even if I don't get Apple's pro product, I still want to get their Air, as that's better than the competitor's 'regular', as air means lighter, more battery, more portable. That sounds really simplistic and silly, but I think these processes are a genuine part of people's buying decisions in the non-professional sector that the regular/air line caters to. Which is why it surprised me a bit that they didn't go for naming it the 12' Air, especially it being the lighest and most portable and quiet. Of course that would've been a very tricky lineup as some Airs are on the Intel M chip and fanless and expensive and retina, while others are not, and with just 1 inch difference between them it'd have been too busy. But yeah I agree, definite possibility. Had kind of expected the Air not to get a refresh, and for the Air 12' to be the Macbook Air Retina, and that in 2 years the 11 and 13 would be discontinued while the 12 kept getting updated, reduced in price and with 10h battery and decent performance for anything not professional. Would make a very simple lineup. 12' air, 13'/15' Pro, and iMac/Pro/Mini for any bigger form factors. We'll see!

IkmoIkmo 12y ago

Definite possibility but it feels like the 'air' name is like 'Pro'. Something that's building up a lot of brand value, awareness, understanding, culture, a segment is forming around it etc. They've adopted it now for the ipad lineup, too, I think it's here to stay. The air has been a massive success at capturing teenagers and college age adults who also have an iPhone, literally a new generation of Apple users. For them the Air is a big brand. Don't forget Regular vs Pro might not be as powerful as Air vs Pro, as Air doesn't just differentiate it from Apple's Pro, but also from competitors 'normal' laptops. i.e. a consumer might reason: even if I don't get Apple's pro product, I still want to get their Air, as that's better than the competitor's 'regular', as air means lighter, more battery, more portable. That sounds really simplistic and silly, but I think these processes are a genuine part of people's buying decisions in the non-professional sector that the regular/air line caters to. Which is why it surprised me a bit that they didn't go for naming it the 12' Air, especially it being the lighest and most portable and quiet. Of course that would've been a very tricky lineup as some Airs are on the Intel M chip and fanless and expensive and retina, while others are not, and with just 1 inch difference between them it'd have been too busy. But yeah I agree, definite possibility. Had kind of expected the Air not to get a refresh, and for the Air 12' to be the Macbook Air Retina, and that in 2 years the 11 and 13 would be discontinued while the 12 kept getting updated, reduced in price and with 10h battery and decent performance for anything not professional. Would make a very simple lineup. 12' air, 13'/15' Pro, and iMac/Pro/Mini for any bigger form factors. We'll see!