Apple could debut a new MacBook Air at a cheaper price point and it might arrive as soon as next month, according to fresh speculation.
This comes from Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at KGI Securities who is often a solid source of Apple tips, and he claims that a new 13-inch MacBook Air could pitch up in the second quarter of this year (April through to June).
According to Kuo, the new spin on Apple’s cheapest laptop will have a “lower price tag” so it’s not only good news for those who wanted to see some action on the MacBook Air front, but also a positive development for those who don’t want to splash too much cash to get themselves a piece of Apple tech.
At the moment, this is still just a rumor, although 9 to 5 Mac (which spotted it) did observe that it kind of matches up with a previous report from DigiTimes claiming a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook would be offered by Apple this year (although that article said the launch wouldn’t occur until the second half of 2018, and talked about it potentially replacing the MacBook Air).
Spec-ulation
There aren’t any details available on what the possible spec of this potential MacBook Air refresh might be, so that’s still up for guessing. Given the importance Apple has placed on the Air in recent times – the entry-level range definitely hasn’t been a priority – it’s likely to be only a minor refresh.
The main point, however, may well be that lower price. As we noted in our report on Apple’s performance in 2017, high pricing has been something of an issue for the firm’s notebook range – particularly the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar – and the fact that Tim Cook’s outfit is raking in massive profits with these machines could stick a little in the average consumer’s throat.
And maybe that thought has driven Apple to take action. Currently, the base MacBook Air costs $999 (around AU$1,290) or £949 (although you can get a slightly cheaper model if you shop around online). However, it wasn’t so long ago that you could pick up a MacBook Air for £749 (the old 11-inch version).
It will definitely be good for those on a budget to be able to eye up an Apple notebook and consider a purchase without having to worry too much about their bank balance.
At any rate, given that this machine is expected to launch at some point from April through to June, if it’s really happening, we should hear more concrete details soon.
- There are multiple MacBooks on our best laptops list
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