Apple computer users have long begged the company to update its MacBook Air line with a hi-res display, and those wishes may finally come true. This is according to a new report that will surely raise expectations for Apple's fall announcements.
In a Bloomberg story, the ever-reliable Mark Gurman (reporting with Debby Wu) reports that Apple "will release a new low-cost laptop" and pegs the release for "later this year." This adds more smoke to an ever-growing fire, as an Aug. 17 report tipped Apple's hand on a "13-inch inexpensive MacBook" that was "originally set to be released in the fourth quarter of 2017."
MORE: Which MacBook Should You Buy? MacBook vs. Air vs. Pro
The source's report suggests that the new MacBook may be a continuation of the Air line, as the laptop "will look similar to the current MacBook Air, but will include thinner bezels around the screen." Specifically, the display, "will remain about 13-inches, will be a higher-resolution 'Retina' version that Apple uses on other products."
While we wish every laptop were ultra-affordable, it's unclear what a 'low-cost' laptop is when Apple is selling the notebook. The cheapest MacBook Air currently costs $999, and the line has started as low as $899 in recent history.
If this is indeed a new MacBook Air, that leaves one remaining question mark in Apple's laptop portfolio: the MacBook, which offers just one USB Type-C port and was last updated in June of last year. That laptop starts at an even-higher $1,299, but its Retina display and extremely lightweight design (2.03 pounds, 0.52 inches thin) made a case for its price tag.
