With the introduction of the new 5K Retina HD iMac last October, Apple has incorporated its “Retina” display technology into almost every one of its flagship products (MacBook Pro, iMac, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) with one exception: the MacBook Air.
The 11” and 13” MacBook Air received a small update and spec bump in April 2014, but all in all - it really hasn’t changed too much since its initial debut in 2008. While nobody knows surefire details about Apple’s upcoming products until they’re announced, there is a lot of speculation regarding a new Retina MacBook Air that will hopefully launch later this year.
What to Expect
Experts suggest Apple will opt for a 12” screen rather than the current 11” and 13” sizes. Here are a few things we expect to see on the new model:
- A thinner-design than the existing MacBook Air
- Fanless design to reduce noise
- Revamped trackpad with no physical button
- 2304 x 1440 Retina Display
- Latest Intel Core M Processors
- Silver, Gold, and Space Gray color options (much like current iPhone/iPads)
- Possible TouchID integration
Some have speculated Apple will make the new MacBook Air a touch screen, “iPad Pro” type device, to compete with Microsoft’s Surface. This rumor doesn’t seem quite as credible, considering Steve Job’s 2010 comments about how “ergonomically terrible” a vertical touch screen interface is.
9to5Mac has provided a few mockups of potential design prototypes, featuring a full size keyboard stretching the entire width of the device.
For a more detailed overview of speculation surrounding the 12” MacBook Air, check out this summary page from MacRumors.
What other features would you like to see from the new Retina MacBook Air? Will you consider purchasing one? Let us know in the comments below!