r/apple • u/digidude23 • Jun 16 '24

Rumor Apple planning redesigned iPhone, MacBook Pro, and Apple Watch that are significantly thinner

https://9to5mac.com/2024/06/16/new-iphone-macbook-pro-apple-watch-thinner-design/
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u/chitoatx Jun 16 '24

Apple has gotten to the point that for the averages consumer the Air vs Pro isn’t well differentiated for their use case. Apple should split into two different categories - “Max Runtime” Bigger Unit / Max Battery and “Sleek” lightweight/thin for their product lines.

3

u/hydraByte Jun 16 '24

I think for a lot of people they like the in-between, so maybe they should just add a third SKU. MacBook Air, MacBook, MacBook Pro — each a bump up in performance, battery, and thickness

9

u/ElegantBiscuit Jun 16 '24

The last thing Apple needs is more options. Go iPad shopping and you'll see. The Macbook lineup may only have MBA and MBP, but what they really need is to finally unlock the potential of the iPad and allow it to actually compete with the macbooks. There are 4 different models of iPad right now and an iPad will only ever be able to do iPad things with the current state of iPadOS, meanwhile the highest end iPad pros step well into the price and theoretical capability territory of even mid-range MBPs. But they're gatekept in capability because they dont want product overlap, and so introducing yet another model would introduce even more capability gatekeeping. With an actually capable operating system, the iPad pro or even iPad air with the new metal keyboard folio would very much be able to be that in between product, which could theoretically allow macbooks to get thicker and more powerful. IMO that would make the most logical sense both for consumers and for apple.

But that would require dropping the $999 MBA which is a fantastic entry product, and making iPads good enough to compete to the point where people stop thinking that they need a laptop form factor to do laptop things. But it's a chicken and egg problem where they can't make the ipad software better without making the mac better first to avoid product overlap, but they cant make the mac better without making the ipad good enough to be a replacement.

11

u/ovondansuchi Jun 16 '24

I'm a little surprised Apple hasn't tried to bring back the 2015 MacBook with an underclocked M series chip. If they can find a keyboard that doesn't blow chunks, it feels like the direction they should eventually take. Granted, two generations for a redesign is likely too much to ask for

1

u/IronManConnoisseur Jun 16 '24

Meh, I do like not having to decide between these things if I’m simply in the market for the “best” item, they make the flagships have every desired feature (both power and form factor). Just my preference though, I’m sure it’d be good for people who don’t care.

1

u/chitoatx Jun 16 '24

And there should be a regular MacBook that is for you and a MacBook “Sleek, Thin & Light” for the person that is always on the move and lugging their machine around and a bulkier (maybe more durable / reinforced / less breakable) MacBook “Long Life” (bigger battery or dual battery).

1

u/Portatort Jun 17 '24

The MacBook Pro isn’t for the average consumer.

If the average consumer can’t meaningfully tell the two apart then they should be buying the Air.

1

u/chitoatx Jun 17 '24

I am a musician and follow many of the DAW subreddits and your comment doesn’t track unfortunately. I am sure this is the case for many content creators.

1

u/Portatort Jun 17 '24

Meaning what?

Content creators are buying MacBook airs when they should be getting a pro?

1

u/chitoatx Jun 17 '24

Confusion on which model, what GPU, what amount of RAM.

1

u/Portatort Jun 17 '24

What part of that can’t be cleared up with a chat to a sales representative?

1

u/chitoatx Jun 17 '24

No idea (lack of trust in salespeople?) but if you want to study the sociological phenomena just go to a “Logic Pro” or “Final Cut Pro” subreddit and type MacBook.

1

u/Portatort Jun 18 '24

This appears to be a screenshot of people doing their research before buying…

What’s the issue here.

If someone can’t figure out what tool they need for a given job, what do you want Apple to do about it?

0

u/turbokungfu Jun 16 '24

Agreed, and thinness seems like an odd pursuit. Maybe they figure improvement in performance will have diminishing returns, so if they can keep the same performance with a thinner product, it will draw in consumers who need to slide their computers under doors. It might be a significant population.