Apple rumor: 15-inch MacBook Air due in Q1 of 2012

By Andrew Couts November 28, 2011

macbook-air-13-3-display-angle-screen — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple is purportedly preparing to release a 15-inch version of its increasingly popular line of ultra-thin and light MacBook Air laptops in the first quarter of 2012, reports DigiTimes. New 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch models are also expected to debut.

According to the report, a number of “related upstream players” have already begun “pilot production” of the new models of MacBook Airs.

This should come as no surprise, however; earlier this month, we heard rumors that manufacturers had begun receiving components for the larger MacBook Air model, and that Apple would release the newest iterations of their market-leading ultrabook by March of next year, which is the start of the second quarter. If accurate, this newest report simply moves the release date up one to three months.

A new, larger MacBook Air makes sense for Apple, as competitors are expected to debut as many as 50 new ultrabook models at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, which takes place in January. Until now, Apple has had fairly light competition in this market segment.

We’ve seen this type of movement before. Following the release of the iPad, many Apple challengers released their own tablets, only to be trounced by Apple again and again. Seeing as Apple’s MacBook Airs have a starting price of $999 (for the 11.6-inch model), it seems likely that there is a huge market for PC ultrabooks that won’t make such a dent on the wallet.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…

Computing

How to connect a MacBook to a TV

MacBook on a chair with the TV app on the screen.

Apple’s MacBooks are excellent content-consumption machines, but even the roomiest 16-inch MacBook Pro can’t compare to viewing your favorite shows on a large TV. Whether you’re watching a movie or playing one of the best Mac games, it’s much better to enjoy it on a spacious TV than on a constrained MacBook display.

Computing

If you buy one MacBook Air alternative, make it this one

The MacBook Air on a white table.

I see you. You're considering a flashy new MacBook Air -- perhaps one of the new M3 models or even the cheaper M2 configurations. I'm not going to sit here and pretend like that isn't a wise option to consider for your next laptop. These are excellent laptops, and that M2 model in particular is a solid value at a starting price of $999.

But let me make an appeal to you about a laptop that upends the value proposition of the MacBook Air in a number of ways. The laptop I'm talking about is the Asus Zenbook 14 OLED (Q425MA). This is a laptop we reviewed earlier this year, but it continues to be the king of value. No other laptop you can buy right now offers this much bang for your buck -- the MacBook Air included.

Computing

The biggest threat to the MacBook this year might come from Apple itself

The MacBook Air on a white table.

MacBooks have held a dominant position in the laptop world for the past few years. Though there have been meaningful rivals from the Windows side of the aisle, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro still feel like they hold an unshakeable lead at the moment.

But according to the latest reports, the most serious challenger to the MacBook's reign won't come from Windows -- it'll come from within Apple in the form of some very advanced new iPads.
What's a computer?