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The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

9to5mac.com

81–90 of 109 posts

Re: The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

#81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>and I couldn’t be happier. Even with the keyboard? May I ask how fast you type (roughly) and whether you use it much for text input (such as emails) or programming?

It's funny how "the keyboard" actually identifies a number of issues, of which only one has been fixed: 1. The Memebar ("TouchBar") is thankfully gone. 2. If a single molecule of dust gets under a key, the key has a non-zero chance of no longer working. 3. The travel distance is basically non-existent, like typing on a squishier iPad. Seeing them deal with 1 in at least some capacity gives me hope that they will deal…

4. If you're working in an office and someone has headphones on the lack of travel causes them to type angrily and loudly as if they were pretending to work in a sarcastic manner.

Can always tell when users of this laptop have headphones on just from the typing noise.

Re: The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

#82
I just browsed Apple's site to compare the models and it confused the heck out of me. https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/

The MacBook, new Air, and 13 inch Pro are roughly priced the same with very few discernible differences. An average buyer would be very confused.

Re: The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

#84
post #50

To be honest I think this article is making a lot off nothing. TL;DR: New models, higher prices. Keep the old models just in case someone is super price sensitive. It's not rocket science is it.

The worst part is that for many of us, we'd be happier to pay the higher price but Apples giving us LESS. A worse keyboard, no magsafe, no USB-A, worse thermal management, less reliable, more expensive and difficult to maintain.. the list goes on. If the new machines weren't a big step backwards in some areas it would be a much easier pill to swallow.

Re: The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

#85
post #82

I just browsed Apple's site to compare the models and it confused the heck out of me. https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/ The MacBook, new Air, and 13 inch Pro are roughly priced the same with very few discernible differences. An average buyer would be very confused.

The choice now seems to be weight XOR battery life XOR performance, whereas one used to be able to get 2 out of 3 IMO.

Re: The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

#86
post #82

I just browsed Apple's site to compare the models and it confused the heck out of me. https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/ The MacBook, new Air, and 13 inch Pro are roughly priced the same with very few discernible differences. An average buyer would be very confused.

It looks like the new Air has a 7 W chip, more like an active-cooled MacBook, while the non-TB Pro has a 15 W chip like the old Air. Only the TB MacBook Pro 13-inch has a 28 W chip.

But I know how to and what to look up. For most people: super confusing.

Re: The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

#87
post #26

Interesting theory about the iPhone X being "obviously different" than the lower end iPhones last year, and how it would immediately signal if you had the 'latest' device or not. I suppose that's somewhat inarguable in terms of the iPhone ecosystem, particularly when powered on, but my favorite thing about my X last year (and especially now) is how anonymous it is. With a generic black quad lock case on a black phone…

imho that is some serious rationalization. you likely don’t see yourself as a flashy person so you have to construct a reality where the phone is the extreme of that — anonymous. i have news for you. for anyone that does care, you can tell an iphone X all the way across the bar.

Why are you criticizing someone's personal aesthetic preferences? So you think that the iPhone X isn't understated. Doesn't mean that someone who disagrees is doing "serious rationalization" or "constructing a reality".

Re: The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

#89
post #70

still not sure why we have both a "macbook" and "macbook air". they seem to occupy the same market segment. i thought apple was all about minimizing choices.

I have a feeling that in the next year, the macbook may disappear again. I know others have mentioned the size and weight being a huge draw for the macbook, but I can't imagine at it's current price, many people will pick it. I could see Apple just dropping it again and focusing on the Air/Pro lineup.

Working with kids, I actually see parents purchasing middle schoolers MacBooks over MacBook Airs. As the kids enter high school, they often opt for the MacBook Air over the pros. I suspect as they get into college, they'll end up with the MacBook Pro.

Re: The 2018 MacBook Air is the iPhone X’s ASP strategy all over again

#90
post #73

The Macbook and iPhone lines are really mature. They've both been around for a decade now, Apple is doing a good job of continuing to squeeze the juice out of these fruits and these sort of strategies are textbook when it comes to executing on a mature product line. I think Apple's biggest question is what's next? The Apple Watch is really starting to hit's its groove and I think within the next few years will become…

All of their hardware are mature, what’s next need to be the software.

iOS is way too limited for what the hardware can do.

macOS is way too slow compared to what Windows feels like on the same Mac hardware.

They need to focus on the software right now.

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