If the rumor mill can be believed, then we may be seeing a new Apple Macbook Air on the market soon. After all, the MacBook Air has not had a refresh since mid 2009, and the regular Macbooks had a refresh earlier this year.
So, what is likely to change with a new MacBook Air? Let’s take a look at what we know so far. But remember, the new model has not shipped yet. So while I try to present you with the latest news, it is subject to change. With that stated, on with the update.
A New Screen Size
The next MacBook Air will probably ship with a new screen size, featuring a 11.6 inch display. This will be smaller than the current 13.3 inch display, and puts it closer in line with the newer netbook screen size. In fact, the smaller display changes the overall form factor of the machine, making it easier to carry and stow.
I would welcome this change, since as it is today, the MacBook Air is often just a little too big to be convenient as it could be. While I am not advocating that Apple build a high end notebook and slap an Air sticker on it, there is a lot to be said about the the convenience of form factor with the netbook offerings on the market today. Users of the older 12 inch Powerbooks that upgraded to a larger MacBook will no doubt understand what I mean. And the new MacBook Air will not be far off from that size.
Of course, I am referring to length and width, since there is no notebook in existence that can touch the MacBook Air when it comes to being thin. And I look for this product defining characteristic to continue with the update, with an even thinner product when it launches later this year. It won’t be a great deal thinner, naturally – you can only do so much with a battery – but I would expect an ever so slightly thinner machine.
More Memory
All the signs point to a MacBook Air with 4 gig of memory instead of 2. This is important since the memory on a MacBook Air is soldered into place and cannot be changed. But again this is a welcome change since I feel 2 gig is simply too limiting on a modern full size operating system. You may get away with it on iOS, but Snow Leopard likes a little room to prowl.
New Processor
Given the changes seen to date with the rest of the MacBook family, we should expect to see the MacBook Air to get a new processor. While the rumor mill had suggested that Apple may create its own chip for the device a la the A4, this simply will not happen due to the relatively low (400k) volume expected for the new Macbook Air.
Instead we should expect to see an Intel Core i-series ultra-low voltage processor snuggled in between the thin layers. This change will give the MacBook Air a little more power under the hood while helping to improve battery run time. And again, if the changes are in line with what we saw for the rest of the MacBook family, we should definitely see a longer running MacBook Air.
The MacBook Air should also see a GPU upgrade as well to work with the new processor. This would also be in line with the rest of the MacBook Family when they went to the new processor family.
Bigger SSDs
Another area expected to get an upgrade is in the solid state drive (SSD). While not confirmed, drive prices have fallen since the last iteration, and we should expect to see a bigger drive for the same money.
What is Not New
There are several items that I would like to see on a MacBook Air, but in all likelihood will not be present ( surprises are always welcome, Apple!). I would love to see a high resolution camera, at least 3 megapixel. And a built-in GPS with compass. Given the high portability of the MacBook Air, these would seem to be a natural fit.
If I had my wish, the MacBook Air would suddenly incorporate a touch screen that swivels and locks in place. This would make the Air a very versatile and capable machine for a lot of applications. However, this is not going to happen. Apple is not going to muddy the waters of its iOS by giving OS X a touch screen.
With the rumored changes, the MacBook Air should be more portable than its predecessor, with more power under the hood and a longer run time. Three out of three sounds pretty good to me.
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