Posts

Apple’s MacBook Conundrum

Since the October 30th Apple event, I’ve been dwelling on the new MacBook Air. I’ve already written about this, but I wanted to take a couple days to construct a better thesis on why the introduction of this notebook is confounding me.

Let me be clear, I think the new MacBook Air is a great notebook. I have never had an issue with the new low profile keyboards, and the new third generation butterfly keys are fantastic. I also never hated on the USB-C ports. I have had to use dongles from time to time, but not enough that it was a burden. The new MacBook Air is a sleek, lightweight laptop with some really great technology built-in. I don’t have an issue with the new MacBook Air at all, but I have thoughts and questions about three other notebooks in Apple’s lineup; the 12-inch MacBook, the previous generation MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar.

The 12-inch MacBook

I’ve done some thinking since the event and I’ve come to the conclusion that there is still a place for a 12-inch MacBook. There are customers who want the smallest and most compact notebook. Having said that, the pill I’m having a hard time swallowing is two fold. First is the price. Still set at $1299 USD, the 12-inch MacBook is $100 more than the new MacBook Air. I know Apple’s response to this is that the technology put into the 12-inch to make it so small and compact is more costly, but I think this would be a bit easier to accept if we at least saw a refresh. Faster processors, Touch ID, a 720p FaceTime camera. Instead, Apple just changed the shade of the gold option. Now, I’m sure Apple will refresh the 12-inch MacBook at some point and is following it’s own refresh cycle, but as it stands now, the 12-inch MacBook is not a good buy.

The Previous Generation Air

A slight disappointment many had, with the new MacBook Air, was the $1199 USD price point. The previous generation Air was $999, and it still is. Apple decided to keep the previous generation Air in the lineup and this is likely for two reasons. First, I’m sure Apple couldn’t bare the idea of not having a $999 notebook in the lineup and because they couldn’t hit that price point with the new model, they keep the older model around. The other reason Apple is keeping this aging model around; it is now the last MacBook to have the older I/O ports. Apple won’t admit this, but I believe Apple is still easing customers into the USB-C only era. Bottom line, don’t expect to see this MacBook Air around for much longer.

The MacBook Pro without Touch Bar

Originally marketed as a lower cost option for people wanting a MacBook Pro, the 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar fell somewhere in-between the MacBook Air and Touch Bar models. It sported a slower processor and fewer USB-C ports, so pros who wanted the top of the line had to go with the Touch Bar versions. However, this past summer, when the Touch Bar MacBook Pros got refreshed, the non-Touch Bar model got no love. It was widely assumed that it was going to be phased out, likely by the end of the year, but with the release of the new MacBook Air, this model still remains in the lineup.

I suppose there is a place in the lineup for this computer. The new MacBook Air is still not as powerful as this MacBook Pro, especially when you consider the MacBook Air doesn’t have an i7 option and some people just don’t need the higher specs of the Touch Bar versions. But, just like the 12-inch MacBook, it’s puzzling why we didn’t see Apple refresh this model in light of the new MacBook Air.

A MacBook for Everyone

The point is moot, but I believe Apple has some of the best MacBook models they’ve ever release, on the market today. The new MacBook Air is going to be a great computer for pretty much everybody. The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is such a solid and powerful machine from the entry level 13-inch to the highest end 15-inch. But, the lineup as a whole is a bit convoluted. My best guess is Apple going for “a MacBook for everyone” approach. You want the cheapest? The $999 last generation MacBook Air is for you. You want the smallest possible notebook? The 12-inch MacBook might be for you, but it’s older tech and costs more than the new Air. You want a more powerful computer, but don’t want to pay the premium? There’s the MacBook Pro without Touch Bar. I get what Apple’s trying to do, but it’s not elegant and it’s confusing. We’ll see if Apple is bold enough to next year to drop some of the dead weight.

The new MacBook Air, Attempted Course Correction

Today, Apple announced a new MacBook Air, which is more of an attempted realignment and a renaming, than it is a whole new design of the popular notebook.

Apple was in full spin mode on this “new” MacBook Air announcement. The focus was on how this new Air was such a vast improvement over the old MacBook Air. Smaller footprint, lighter, thinner, retina display, butterfly keyboard, better trackpad, small bezels, etc. Sound familiar? These specs are nothing new, when you consider this is just a newer 12-inch MacBook. Apple has just finally decided to name the MacBook, the MacBook Air, but with a few notable upgrades. 13-inch display, 2 USB-C ports and Touch ID to name a few. It’s essentially, the all new MacBook, but rebranded MacBook Air. The odd thing is, Apple is still selling the 12-inch MacBook for $1299 with no refresh. Apple, why?! It doesn’t make any sense to sell the smaller, lower spec MacBook for $100 more. The 12-inch MacBook shouldn’t even exist, or at the very least, drop the price to $1099. And, that’s the other thing I am a little disappointed with. The new Air’s price point not being $999 and Apple’s decision to keep the older MacBook Air model around to fill that price point. I’m guessing the retina display demanded the higher price tag, but this decision just muddies the waters.

Despite the $200 premium over the older MacBook Air, I think the new MacBook Air is a great notebook and is the full realization of the 12-inch MacBook. However, Apple has just made their MacBook line-up even more convoluted. After all this time, we had hoped Apple would simplify and tidy up the MacBook family. Instead, it’s as confusing as ever.

Last minute thoughts on Oct 30th Apple Event

A few last minute thoughts on tomorrow’s October Apple Event.

The Time

First, I think it would have been a better idea to hold the event at 1pm EST so that it would be at 10am PST which is the usual event time. I know it’s in New York and I get they want to keep the event time the same locally, but 7am is not a great time for people to watch. They getting themselves and their kids ready for the day, in traffic commuting. 10am has always been a perfect time for Apple events, even for East coasters has it would have been after lunch.

I’m likely going to have to watch the event after it’s posted to Apple.com and not live.

New iPad models

I suddenly got very excited about the rumoured new iPad models. After the more detailed icon of the potential new model surfaced out of the newest iOS 12 beta, I’m very excited for a edge to edge, rounded corner, no home button iPad. The extra screen space will be very immersive. I might have to find a way to pay for and justify the upgrade.

We’ll see soon enough what Apple has in store going into the holiday season.

Apple October Event

What a great time to be an Apple fan. Two events in the span of two months! Seems every other year Apple holds a second event in October, after the major iPhone September event and this year all the speculation was correct and Apple will be holding an event on October 30th in Brooklyn, NYC.

What will we see? Let’s delve into all the rumours and speculation.

New iPad Pro

The invitations to the event focused on creativity, so likely, the main event will be new iPad Pro models. These iPad Pros will have edge to edge displays and no home button. It is also expected to have Face ID but it is unclear if it will be housed in a notch like the iPhone Xs. This will be a welcomed design change to the iPad as it hasn’t gone through a major redesign since the iPad Air.

I think we will most definitely see a new iPad Pro will no home button and a greatly reduced bezel, but it won’t be as edge to edge as the iPhone Xs. There will be a 20 to 30 point bezel around the entire iPad so that a Face ID array can fit. Sure, it’s not edge to edge, but it will still look great and will allow for larger displays without increasing the overall footprint.

These iPad Pros will likely have A12x processors, better camera, better battery and the standard refresh updates. It is also believed to use a USB-C port replacing the lightning port and the removal of the headphone jack.

We will probably see the Apple Pencil 2 with AirPod-like pairing and better battery life. It’s also rumoured that the Pencil will be redesigned to make it easier to attach the Pencil to the iPad with magnets.

New MacBooks…Finally

The other, long awaited, major announcement will be the new MacBook. New MacBook Pro models were introduced in the summer and everyone has been waiting to see what Apple is going to do with the MacBook and MacBook Air lines. I’ve written about this before, so I won’t rehash everything, but we will likely see a low cost MacBook Air update or replacement, and a new evolution of the MacBook.

The interesting thing for me is to see what Apple decides to name these new products. In my opinion, I think it’s time for Apple to simplify their entry level MacBooks. Drop the Air, drop the price of the MacBook and have a clear delineation between entry level and Pro notebooks.

New iMacs and Mac minis

We may also see new desktop computers introduced. The iMac might see a refresh but so far no rumours of a major redesign has been mentioned. Also, the Mac mini could see an update, but again no details have surfaced as to what they will look like.

iMacs will for the most part look the same but will see spec bumps. The Mac mini could be a bit of a surprise and we might get a smaller little desktop box.

Audio and accessories

While this might be a distinct section the presentation, we might get mention of AirPower and a solid release date and price. Many believe that the AirPower mat is dead, but signs point otherwise and Apple might finally get it to market.

A bit of a wild card might be new AirPods. Rumours have been swirling that new AirPods are in development with the ability to use “Hey, Siri” as well as better pairing and battery life. While there might be an AirPod 2 in the pipeline, we might not see these until next year.

There’s also another rumour swirling that Apple is developing an Apple branded, high-end noise-cancelling headphones. I am certain Apple won’t be announcing them for sale this year, they might give an early preview like they did with HomePod a couple years ago. It is also unsure if these rumoured headphones are actually happening. These headphones are said to be higher end than Apple owned Beat’s over-ear headphones, so while it won’t be directly competing with the Studio 3’s, Apple would be double dipping into the headphone market.

I, for one, hope these headphones come to market because I’d love to have a set of noise-cancelling headphones that have the convenience of AirPods, Apple’s design, and Siri. Not to mention that, I’m sure Apple will pay very close attention to sound quality. Again, I don’t think we’ll see these until next year, but we might get a sneak peak.

October 30th

This is of course all speculation and we’ll soon find out who’s right and who’s wrong. You can tune into the event at 7am PST on apple.com and on your Apple TV.

CBC’s Story on Apple is Just Bad Journalism

The CBC’s The National’s undercover report on Apple is not investigative reporting, but instead a one-sided, skewed attack just looking to get views.

*Full disclosure, I spent several years as an Apple Genius, but I no longer work for Apple. I am an Apple fan, but I also criticize them when it’s appropriate.

If you haven’t seen it, and you might not have because it was a story that ran on a Canadian TV station, the CBC’s The National, a program known for hard hitting investigative journalism, ran a piece that went “undercover” to an Apple store in Toronto and exposed an Apple employee trying to up sell a customer from their broken computer. It then devolves into an expose on how Apple doesn’t let third parties repair their products, and ends recycling a nearly one year old Batterygate issue which Apple has since addressed. The video glaringly misses and neglects to mention several key facts and interviews only those who help build their case.

The piece starts out with the undercover journalist going to an Apple store with a MacBook Pro with a non-functioning backlight on his display. The technician goes to the back to open up the computer and comes back with bad news. The computer has been liquid damaged and if Apple were to repair the computer it would cost well over $1000. The Genius points out that purchasing a new computer would be a better option. The journalist acts surprised and pushes to see if anything can be done. The Genius finally says, “no.”

Skip to New York City, where the National visits Louis Rossmann, a Youtube computer repair personality who takes a look at the computer. It turns out that the backlight issue isn’t caused by the liquid damage, but from a bent pin in the display cable. Once bent back, the backlight issue is resolved. Note I said the one issue is resolved. The computer is still liquid damaged AF and I’m sure has a load of other issues. The report goes on to claim that the Genius was maliciously trying to sell him a new MacBook for something that coiuld have been fixed in a few minutes.

This is the first red flag for me. Pins don’t bend themselves inside computers. Just like computers don’t get themselves full of water. Clearly, someone opened the computer, bent a pin to cause the issue, then liquid damaged the computer before taking it to the Apple Store. They knew of Apple’s policies and procedures and bent the pin along with giving the laptop a drink. You can read the policies yourself on Apple’s website, but essential it boils down to, Apple will not do partial repairs on a device if they see other components are damaged. It’s to cover themselves as any smart business would do. Imagine Apple repaired a computer that was dumped in a swimming pool. They replace only the display. A month later the customer comes back saying the display isn’t working again. The display gets replaced again. Then a month later the same thing. Ends up being that the logic board is shorting the display cable because it has corrosion in the connector. So, now Apple has gone through three dispalys and now has to replace the logic board. They need to cover themselves and follow procedures. Any smart and thorough repair centre, for any product, would do the same.

I will concede that there is an issue with Apple retail stores and their ability to be thorough. The craziness of an Apple store has some negative effects on service, namely the time that is given to a customer. In this case, if the Genius were allowed to take time to closely inspect the MacBook Pro, he may have found the bent pin, which wouldn’t have needed a repair and would have resolved the immediate issue. That would have changed the whole story. Instead, because of the frantic nature of an Apple store and the pressure from management to take as many customers as possible, Apple often fails to properly inspect devices with the alotted time. That Genius was setup to fail.

The more journalistic approach would have been to bring in several computer with different issues to different stores to see what the Apple store would say to those repairs. But, the report doesn’t do that, because they know that they could only make their point with a liquid damaged computer. One liquid damaged computer doesn’t tell the whole story.

The piece then moves on to Rossmann and this whole right to repair movement. I’ve never heard of it, but the main argument is that Apple doesn’t allow third parties to repair Apple products and that Apple controls all aspects of repair.

What they neglect to mention is that there are thousands of third party authorized repair centre around the world and that repairs at unauthorized and often shady repair shops can lead to subpart to disasterous repairs.

Then there’s some weak argument that Apple’s parts are proprietary and expense which is just another way of gouging the customer. This isn’t news. Apple products have always been proprietary and that’s why it’s expensive. They customize and patient everything and they’ve been doing it since the original Macintosh. It’s not to gouge customers, it’s just a unfortunate by-product of how they design their devices.

The report ends with a, late to the game, look at Batterygate which Apple has addressed since it all came to light late last year. Now, I don’t believe they were forcing people to upgrade their phones as this story suggests, but I do feel Apple should have been more transparent with what they were doing throttling customer’s older iPhones. Having said that, the story doesn’t do anything to explain natural battery depletion, battery replacement costs, and countless other important factors before rendering a judgement. They also, conveniently, don’t mention how Apple addressed the throttling with the update to disable it, or the performance increase in iOS 12. It’s just shotty, and misleading reporting.

In a time of accusations of fake news being thrown around, the media, more than ever, has to be at their best. This showing from CBC’s The National was not at all their best. The whole story is just a witchhunt directed at Apple with manipulated scenarios, targeted interviews and a lack of understanding and prospective. It’s clickbait. The National used to be better than this.

The Next iPhone: Predictions for 2019

Now that the iPhone Xs, Xs Max and Xr have been announced and released (as of this writing, the iPhone Xr hasn’t been released yet), it’s time to have some fun and speculate what next year’s iPhone models will be like.

The newest line up of Apple’s phones were updated versions of last year’s iPhone X, typical of a S-cycle revision. This paves the way for next year being a more dramatic upgrade to Apple’s flagship product, and based off rumoured features and changes we didn’t see this time around, I thought it would be fun to speculate what the 2019 iPhone line up will be like. Let’s look into our crystal ball…

The Name

I feel I could write a whole article on the history of Apple’s naming of iPhone models, but for now I will take a stab at what they will be naming next year’s models.

I think it’s safe to say that Apple has skipped the iPhone 9 and that we will never see an iPhone with that name. Now there’s a chance that the iPhone 8 could evolve into the iPhone 9, but I’m pretty certain that Apple is done with home button models and the iPhone 8 will be the last phone with a forehead and chin.

So, the next logical number after X (10) is 11. I could be making an obvious point here, but there are some interesting possibilities around this. First, if it will be called the iPhone “11”, will it be the iPhone 11 or iPhone XI? The iPhone X used a roman numeral numbering system, which I had thought Apple did away with after getting rid X from macOS. If Apple decides to continue with this numbering system, then we might have to deal with people saying iPhone ex eye. Sigh

Another possibility would be that Apple decides to ditch the romans and go back to regular old numbers. iPhone 11 has a nice look to it.

My prediction for this one is it’ll be called the iPhone 11. X looked good, a single, striking character. XI starts to look awkward, and in 2021, the iPhone XIII looks really weird. And what happens in 2057, when we have iPhone XXX? Not a good look.

To the Max?

Like it or not, Apple will likely stick with “Max” for the large screen version of the iPhone 11. I’m already getting used to saying it, so I’m sure by then no one will care.

iPhone 11 Max looks pretty plausible.

The Internals

Like every iPhone since the iPhone 4, the system on a chip has been an Apple custom designed A-chip processor. Apple will obviously continue to design their own silicon and will continue to name them with the A”insert number here” convention. This year saw the A12 Bionic chip, with the A11 Bionic chip being last year’s chip.

It’s interesting to note that the Bionic moniker was used two years in a row, which was a subtle signal by Apple that the A11 and A12 are very, very closely related.

We will most definitely see the A13 chip. It’s anyone’s guess what fancy moniker Apple will add to this new chip, but it won’t be Bionic again.

As for the specification of the chip itself, there will be more power packed into a 7nm processor. The A12 has a six-core CPU and a four-core GPU and a Neural Engine that can process 5 trillion operations a second. The A13 could have 8-cores CPU with four high performance cores and four power efficient cores. As for the GPU, we might see a five core chip, which could coincide with a new Metal 3 API from Apple.

The Camera

Earlier this year, rumours had been swirling that the iPhone Xs Max would have a triple camera system. But, closer to Apple’s September announcement, it was becoming clear that this wouldn’t the case. Now rumours point to next year’s model getting the new camera system.

Samsung has just announce a triple camera lens phone, while Huawei has had a tri-cam system for a while now. Samsung’s approach was to make the third lens an ultra wide lens that mimics what the human eye sees. Huawei’s approach was to make the third lens a monochromatic lens that would add lighting detail to images.

Apple’s approach to having a three lens array would be to assist in their ongoing efforts in AR. The third lens would be used for wider stereoscopic mapping to help with augmented reality, and for improved Portrait mode thanks to a wider parallax effect. As well, the third lens could be a ultra wide lens or even a macro type lens.

As for the image sensors for this new Camera array, we may finally see Apple up the megapixels count. Since the iPhone 7, the camera has had a 12-megapixel sensor. Might we see a 20-megapixel sensor? Not likely, but expect an upgrade of at least a couple megapixels. Also, expect to see a slightly larger f-stop for even better low light photos.

The Body

I think it’s safe to say that the overall body shape and size will be the same as this year’s lineup. Glass, front and back. Steel frame. Curved edges. The same basic profile since the iPhone 6 which I feel is still a solid look and feel.

We could see some small tweaking of the placement of buttons and switches, but Apple will be sticking with physical buttons a little while longer. This is due to the fact that the only way cases will work on an iPhone is that the buttons are physical.

USB-C

There are rumours of an October 2018 Apple event that will introduce new iPad Pro models with a USB-C port. If this proves to be true, and I think this could be true, I see this coming to 2019 iPhones. It’s going to be controversial, just like when Apple switched to Lightning back in 2012 with the iPhone 5. But, switching to USB-C makes sense as Apple would want to streamline all products to charge using the same power adapters and cables.

The Display

Okay, so the biggest change a year ago, with the iPhone X, was its display. People had their doubts, but within a year I think it’s clear that this is the future of all smartphones. The iPhone 11 will see Apple trying to push the display to the limits.

Apple has been calling the iPhone X and now iPhone Xs displays “edge to edge,” and yes there are less bezels then previous iPhone displays, but it’s not quite edge to edge. Expect Apple engineers to continue reducing the bezels to get a more edge to edge screen.

I can also see Apple upping the resolution of the display. With Apple heavily supporting Dolby Vision in it’s iTunes catalogue, it’s natural that Apple would want to get their displays to near, or even full 4k. It might seem like overkill for such a small screen, but if you consider the 6.5 inch iPhone Xs Max display, it could look amazing.

The Notch

Another area of improvement I’m sure Apple is targeting, is the TrueDepth camera array, or the notch. Pretty much everyone I know that has an iPhone X has gotten so used to the notch that they forget it’s even there. But, when watching a video in full screen, or playing games, you are often reminded of it’s presence.

I’m certain that Apple is going to reduce the size of the array and gain back space on the display. I could see the front camera and infrared camera being combined. The dot projector and flood illuminator could also be combined in some way and made smaller. I expect to see a narrower and flatter TrueDepth camera array that could be half the size.

For anyone who can’t stand the notch, it’s too bad for you. Clearly, Apple doesn’t want to go back to the chin and forehead, and until they can find a way to hide the array under the screen, there will be the notch.

The Sizes

The iPhone Xs comes in two sizes. 5.8 inch and 6.5 inch displays. I don’t see the iPhone getting any bigger than the Max. The Max is the same size as the previous Plus models and I think that’s as far as Apple is willing to go in terms of physical size of an iPhone.

I think the real question is, will we see a 5.8 inch iPhone next year? I will get into the iPhone Xr later in this article, but it’s screen size of 6.1 inch makes you wonder why Apple made it’s screen larger than that of the iPhone Xs.

As weird as having an in-between 6.1 inch screen in the mix, I think Apple will stick with a 5.8 inch model as people do find that size to be just right.

The Price

I’ll keep this section short and simple.

iPhone 11 is going to be expensive. iPhone Xs starts at $999 USD like the iPhone X before it, and the iPhone Xs Max starts at $1099 USD. Expect the same prices next year and start saving up.

What about the R?

This year Apple introduced not just one, but two new iPhone sizes. The 6.5 inch iPhone Xs Max and the iPhone Xr with a 6.1 inch LCD display.

What Apple does with the iPhone Xr next year is going to be interesting. It really depends on how Apple views this product. The iPhone SE was basically an iPhone 5s with an A9 chip. It was in the iPhone lineup for two years and served as an entry level device; or as an iPhone for people who just didn’t want to go bigger than a 4 inch display. Is the iPhone Xr the new iPhone SE? Or will Apple treat this differently and update it along side the flagship models every year as a lower cost variant?

Well, price-wise, the iPhone Xr is not the same category as the iPhone SE, but I feel it serves a similar purpose. I think Apple is planning on keeping this phone around for a while. I don’t think Apple will refresh it every year, maybe every couple years. The current model has an A12 chip. Next year it won’t be refreshed but the price will be dropped. Then the following year it will be refreshed along side the iPhone 11s.

September 2019 is going to be a big

There have been some major iPhone re-designs in the history of the device. The iPhone 4 with it’s sleek Leica-like design. The iPhone 5 had the first change in screen size. The iPhone 6 with the increase in overall size, and the introduction of the Plus size. And, the iPhone X with it’s edge to edge screen and removal of the Home button.

The iPhone 11 won’t be a major re-design, but will have some major refinements to the iPhone X/Xs design. Like the iPhone 7, and to a further extent the iPhone 8, there’s going to be enough changes to entice a lot of people to upgrade.

A Buyer’s Guide to This Year’s iPhone lineup

Apple’s new flagship iPhone line-up has launched, and this year Apple has gone back to a S-cycle for their top of the line phone. (Apple leap-frogged from the iPhone 7 to iPhone 8 last year) More over, there’s a new iPhone variant, the iPhone Xr, which replaces the iPhone SE. (Sorry folks, no more iPhone 5s-like body type moving forward.)

But, who are these iPhones for? If you own an iPhone X, like I do, do you upgrade? What do you upgrade to? Or, should you wait for next year? Let’s dive in.

iPhone Xs

The iPhone Xs is what we have come to expect with the S models. Like other S models, the phone casing is near identical to the previous year’s model and this device is no different. The internal hardware and specs have been updated, faster processor in the A12 Bionic chip. Faster Face ID. Better camera sensors. Slightly better battery life. All typical S model upgrades. The more powerful A12 Bionic chip gives the iPhone Xs a few extra features. For example, the Camera app gets Smart HDR and better Portrait photos. There’s a fun new feature with Portrait photos where you can adjust the depth of field after a photo has been taken. A really cool feature, but not one that’s worth the upgrade. The fact Apple still use the moniker Bionic, for the A12 chip, tells me they even consider the chip a minor update. Don’t get me wrong, it sounds like a great piece of silicon, but not a giant leap in Apple’s custom silicon.

It’s also interesting to note that, unlike previous S models, there’s no new innovative stand out feature. With the iPhone 4s it was the addition of Siri. The iPhone 5s introduced Touch ID. And, the iPhone 6s added 3D Touch to the screen. iPhone Xs doesn’t have a defining new feature like this.

So, to sum up the iPhone Xs: It’s very similar to the iPhone X, but faster with improved cameras capabilites. Oh, and there’s a gold colour option now.

iPhone Xs Max

I know what you’re all thinking. But, what about the iPhone Xs Max and it’s larger screen. Yes, this year’s iPhone cycle brought with it a new screen size, and if that is a huge game changer for you, then upgrading to the iPhone Xs Max would be worth looking into. But, like the Plus size models before it, it’s not something that appeals to everyone, or is just too big for people’s hands. Other than the larger 6.5 inch screen and better battery life, nothing else sets the iPhone Xs and Xs Max apart.

Having held the iPhone Xs Max, I can say it feels just like my old iPhone 7 Plus, but the edge to edge screen is very impressive and is very enticing to anyone who likes having the biggest and best screen in their pocket.

If Apple launched the iPhone X with a “Max” sized screen last year, I probably would have bought that. But this year, a larger screen isn’t enough for me to upgrade this year, especially with the huge price tag of the Max model.

iPhone Xr

The most interesting announcement during the iPhone portion of the event was the reveal of the iPhone Xr. An iPhone with the internal specs of the iPhone Xs but with a LCD display and a single lens rear camera. It’s also made out of aluminium instead of stainless steel. The display is an in-between size of 6.1 inch, bigger than the iPhone Xs, but is missing 3D Touch and is lower resolution and lower contrast ratio. The price is $250 less than the Xs and it comes in six colours.

Comparing it to last year’s iPhone X, you get some upgrades in internal specs and a larger screen, but also some downgrades like the single lens camera, LCD display with no 3D Touch and aluminium frame.

Apple is also releasing the iPhone Xr in October, a month after the iPhone Xs release. This is likely to drive iPhone Xs sales as much as possible.

Who Are These iPhones for?

If you have to have the latest and greatest iPhone, then you will probably be eyeballing the iPhone Xs Max; or the iPhone Xs, if you find the Plus/Max sized phones too big for your hands. My guess is most people will be opting for the Max version if they have the money to spare, are familiar with the Plus sized phones and want the biggest screen possible.

If you didn’t get the iPhone X last year, you have some options. Any one of these phones are compelling, especially the iPhone Xr with it’s lower price point. The iPhone Xs is, on paper, better than the iPhone X. And, the iPhone Xs Max is just the best of the best.

If you are like me and have an iPhone X with no extra money to spend, you will probably be happy with last year’s iPhone X for another year. The iPhone Xs Max is tempting and I did love my iPhone 7 Plus, but the price is really high and other than the screen size, it doesn’t offer much more in terms of additional benefits. I think I can hold out until next year’s iPhone and get the Max version of that. Hopefully, by then, I will have saved enough pennies.

What’s the Future of the MacBook Air?

Apple, famously, has always been ahead of the curve with new technologies. Ditching floppy disks, optical drives, headphone jacks, switching to USB-C, to name a few. Always met with criticism, but staying steady fast.

It’s been nearly three years since the introduction of the 12-inch Retina MacBook with the single USB-C port, and about a year and half since the introduction of the USB-C MacBook Pro. You’ve likely heard all the criticism and complaints about dongles and lack of hardware that uses USB-C natively, and it still doesn’t seem to be going away.

Seemingly, to counter the outcry, Apple has kept around a 15-inch MacBook Pro and, more notably, the longstanding MacBook Air. Essentially the same computer since the one, and only, major update in 2010, the MacBook Air is Apple’s cheapest and most popular notebook. It’s also outdated and underpowered. But, it has all the ports people want. A no fuss computer for the average consumer.

The question is: What does the future look like for the MacBook Air?

Rumours have been swirling about a new entry-level notebook from Apple that may actually be cheaper than the current MacBook Air. But, what would such a MacBook look like? What features will it have and will you need dongles for it?

A new Retina MacBook

The going rumour is that the new entry-level MacBook will be a newer version of the current 12-inch MacBook. Now keep in mind that the current model is $1299 USD. That’s $300 more than the $999 MacBook Air. Also, rumours are saying the new notebook will have a 13-inch display. That’s a tall ask for a computer that is currently considered a premium priced notebook. It would be an upgraded 12-inch Retina MacBook but with a price drop of over $300.

The other possibility with the Retina MacBook is the 12-inch MacBook drops to $999 replacing the MacBook Air as the entry-level model, and Apple introduces a 13-inch MacBook with a faster processor and more RAM for $1299.

Either way, it would be Apple fully committing to USB-C in their notebooks.

The status quo 1

Another direction Apple could go, would be a more drastic iteration of the current MacBook Air. Imagine, if you will, the current MacBook Air, but with a 13-inch Retina display, and a force touch trackpad. It would also have the current wider keyboard layout but not necessarily with butterfly hinges. If you’ve used the Magic Keyboard, you know what I mean. This MacBook Air would have the same I/O ports has the current model which would allow the notebook to have the same logic board. This could be where the cost savings would come from and a $899 to $999 price tag would make sense.

The status quo

My third scenario would be that the current MacBook Air would stay the same and Apple just drops the price to $899 or less. The computer has been the same for so long, you can bet that the cost of manufacturing it has become very efficient and cost effective. This is, of course, the most unexciting path Apple could take.

Which Apple will we see?

The general consensus is that Apple will announce new notebooks at this year’s WWDC in June. This potential could be a watershed update to Apple’s top selling notebook. Apple will be making a statement with this refresh. But, which Apple will we see? Will we see the aggressively innovative Apple, pushing USB-C connectivity? Will we see a more cautious Apple, making some long needed upgrades to a familiar design? Or, will we see a contentious Apple, keeping things the same and focusing on attracting new customer’s with a low price point?

The MacBook Air is an important product for Apple. It covers several large demographics. Students, writers, families, small businesses, the list goes on and on. It’s no wonder why Apple hasn’t changed it for so many years. But, Apple also doesn’t want to appear like they are resting on their laurels and trotting out the same old hardware. Thats why I’m leaning more towards seeing a new Retina display MacBook at a MacBook Air price. It would be what Apple has always wanted in making the MacBook the entry level notebook. It’ll also streamline the notebook lines to MacBook and MacBook Pro. If this Apple’s game plan, the stories will be the $300 price drop, but juxtaposed with Apple’s further abandonment of traditional I/O ports.

Time will tell and likely on June 4th at WWDC we’ll know what to spend our money on.