Apple will shake things up in the laptop market with the official debut of its 2016 MacBook Air in October this year carrying a very competitive price point of only $899.
The introductory retail price makes the 2016 MacBook Air as the cheapest in the lines of Apple laptops ever. More importantly, given its superb specifications and features, it will surely keep competition up on their toes as the American tech giant is all but ready to pull the rug from under their products’ feet.
While the laptop will be launched in October this year, it is expected to make it to the retail markets in March next year.
Apple’s latest laptop will be using an Intel Core-M based Skylake processor which shall only be made available in mass quantity in the fourth quarter of this year, which is the reason why the 2016 MacBook Air will hit the markets in the first quarter of next year, notes Venture Capital Post.
The device shall reportedly come out in two size options – a 13-inch model and a 15-inch variant – which ultimately dispels the notion about a 15-inch 2015 MacBook Air coming out this October.
Cheaper than its predecessor
The 2016 MacBook Air will come out cheaper by approximately $100 from its predecessor. The 13-inch 2015 MacBook Air came out with a price point of $1,000 when it was released last year, notes Jobs & Hire.
It is not clear if the $899 price point of the 2016 MacBook Air will be for its 13-inch version or its 15-inch variant, but it is very likely that it is for the 13-inch model.
The timeline for the release of its 2016 MacBook Air is based on the company’s cycle for its other laptop lines including the MacBook Pro with Retina Display and the 2015 MacBook Air.
The very competitive price point will make the device really worth the wait as Apple is not known for offering its products at a low introductory offer.
The device shall also sport a slimmer and lighter design based on the latest Apple MacBook which was released in March this year. It shall also feature a Retina display screen and the USB Type-C port, which were likewise found on the new Apple MacBook.
Tough competition
While the 2016 MacBook Air is not a hybrid laptop tablet, Apple is said to be positioning its latest laptop line to give the upcoming Microsoft laplet, the Surface Pro 4, a run for the consumers’ money.
Both devices offer portability but in terms or price, the Surface Pro 4 is far too expensive when compared to the 2016 MacBook Air. The Surface Pro 4 will also be sporting Skylake processors and will come out with the Windows 10 already onboard.
The Surface Pro 4 will come in 12-inch and 14-inch variants and will have at least 4GB of RAM, an internal storage beginning at 128GB that can go all the way to 1TB. Microsoft is reportedly positioning its Surface Pro 4 against the rumored iPad Pro also from Apple which reportedly would be launched in October this year. If the report is true, then Apple will be putting two bets on the competition against the one of Microsoft.
One would immediately sense that an upcoming device or gadget is going to hit the retail markets soon if its predecessor models are already being offered at discounted prices.
That seems to be the case with the 2015 MacBook Air in major retail stores, thus reinforcing the notion that the 2016 MacBook Air is already forthcoming.
It has been widely rumored that the 2016 MacBook Air along with the latest MacBook Pro would be released by Apple come October 2015, marking the one year cycle of its predecessor variants.
Apple is now selling its 128GB 11-inch 2015 MacBook Air for only $824.99 while the 11-inch with 256GB variant is being retailed for $1,044.99.
Love it. Bring on this Win 10 disruptor, and now everyone can once again afford an OS that promotes productivity / privacy / performance!