11.6-inch Macbook Air on the way?

Sad Professor

In a brief tidbit posted today, DigiTimes claims that Apple manufacturing partner Quanta is scheduled to ship 400,000-500,000 "MacBooks" carrying an 11.6-inch screen size before the end of this year, suggesting that a release may be near.
Meanwhile, Quanta has reportedly landed orders for 11.6-inch MacBooks from Apple. Shipments of 11.6-inch MacBooks are expected to top 400,000-500,000 units in 2010.

It is unclear, however, whether the story is referring to the actual MacBook product, as the site had previously claimed that Apple was preparing to launch an 11.6-inch MacBook Air. Apple's MacBook is not necessarily considered due for an update, having just received a spec bump in May. A MacBook Air refresh, however, is long overdue, having last seen a change in June 2009.

Apple has established a pattern of updating its notebook models in the October-November timeframe, with the MacBook specifically seeing refreshed models debut in November 2006, November 2007, October 2008, and October 2009. Consequently, it seems reasonable that we may see at least some new notebook models make an appearance before the end of the year, and while we have claims that there will be at least one model in a smaller 11.6-inch size, uncertainty remains over which product line will gain the new form

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/09/24/11-6-inch-macbook-headed-to-manufacturing/

If the price is right, I'd definitely get one of these.

Sad Professor

Supplies of the current Air are dwindling. Looks like a refresh is imminent.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/10/06/apples_macbook_air_supply_dries_up_as_rumors_of_new_11_6_inch_model_persist.html

Anyone else excited about the prospect of a smaller, more compact Air?

Talisman

All depends on the price. I have talked myself into getting a MacBook Air in the last 12 months simply because my 17" MBP is a dead weight to carry almost every day. The only thing that held me back is the price and the battery - I couldn't justify it for what is on offer and that was before the arrival of the iPad and Android tablets.

A friend had a 2.13GHz model and got rid of it because the battery was lasting less than 4 hours. The 15" MBP he replaced it with is cheaper, more powerful and has a much better battery.

banquo

The lightness and size is actually a godsend, but it's still way too dear and slow. Make it as fast as the MBP and the same price (maybe slightly dearer) and I'd snap one up.

Sad Professor

Realistically though, how much can they shave off the price without crippling the performance or losing the quality of design that everyone expects from Apple?

I think we can all agree that they aren't interested in competing with the netbook market, but they probably don't want to be taking away iPad sales either. So €900-1000 is probably the absolute lowest they are likely to go. It definitely needs to be the same or less than the current low end MBP ($1200) or else it will run into the same problems the current Air did.

banquo

Agreed.

Ham'nd'egger

Sad Professor wrote: »

Realistically though, how much can they shave off the price without crippling the performance or losing the quality of design that everyone expects from Apple?

I think we can all agree that they aren't interested in competing with the netbook market, but they probably don't want to be taking away iPad sales either. So €900-1000 is probably the absolute lowest they are likely to go. It definitely needs to be the same or less than the current low end MBP ($1200) or else it will run into the same problems the current Air did.

Macbook Air hasn't been the runaway success that it's bigger brothers and iPad have been. It has to keep away from iPad and yet retain it's petite frame with decent performance. There isn't a lot they can do with it aside from improve it's performance and power so that and size are the only way they can go.