Macbook Air News: Apple Working On 13-inch Model As New Entry-level Option
After years of being Apple's entry-level laptop, fans may not see a MacBook Air 2018 on store shelves this year. The Cupertino tech giant is reportedly planning to release a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook in the second half of 2018 which is expected to be the company's new entry-level Macbook.
Ever since Apple discontinued the MacBook in 2011, the MacBook Air became the lowest priced Apple laptop on the market starting at $999. Over the years, the company has kept the laptop relevant by upgrading its specs such as bumping the base model's processor from 1.6 GHz to 1.8 in June 2017.
However, the laptop has been neglected upgrade-wise in recent years, having received minor tweaks since its last major revamp in 2015. The 11-inch MacBook Air was also discontinued entirely causing many fans to believe that the model is nearing obsolescence.
This belief was compounded by the news that Apple will be releasing a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook. A report by DigiTimes revealed that General Interface Solution (GIS) land more LCM (LCD module) orders from Apple most of which will be used on said Macbooks.
It's currently unclear what form the new 13-inch MacBook model will take although Apple will probably make efforts to differentiate it from their flagship MacBook Pro. It will also likely retain LCD display technology with OLED technology being reserved for its Pro line-up.
As for the MacBook Air 2018 itself, Apple has yet to announce that it will be phasing out its longtime entry-level Macbook. However, if rumors prove to be true, it shouldn't be that surprising.
Fans can probably look to June 2018 to know the ultimate fate of the MacBook Air, likely directly following a WWDC 2018 announcement. If Apple manages to miss the date, fans can still look to October or November before finally giving up hope.