The Cupertino-based company Apple is planning to launch a cheaper version of its popular MacBook Air. The cheaper variant of the device could hit the market sometime in the second quarters of 2018, claims a new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via 9to5Mac).
Kuo claims that the new variant of the MacBook Air could arrive ‘with a lower price tag’. Apple has taken this move to push MacBook shipments up by 10-15 percent this year.
KGI Securities analyst states that the if new MacBook Air will be priced on a lower side, Apple could increase its laptop sales. As Apple has already overtaken Asus in global laptop shipments, escalating from fifth to the fourth position, according to TrendForce. In the third quarter of 2017, the company shipped 4.43 million MacBooks.
However, much details about the upcoming MacBook Air is not known but a new report from Kuo corroborates a similar report from DigiTimes. Currently, Apple sells the 13-inch MacBook Air for $999 (or approx Rs 65,131). The base model offers an older 1.8GHz dual-core Intel i5 processor, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD, and Intel HD Graphics 6000. The MacBook Air does not feature a Retina Display, unlike the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro.
Several reports earlier indicated that Apple is planning to discontinue the MacBook Air in 2018, however, it seems unlikely. Seemingly, there is still a market for the ageing MacBook Air. In spite of all of this, the MacBook Air is still the most popular macOS machine in the market. The MacBook Air is also a popular choice among college students.
Apple hasn’t updated the MacBook Air lineup since 2015. And in 2016, Apple officially discontinued the 11-inch MacBook Air. Last year, Apple refreshed the 13-inch MacBook Air lineup with a modest spec update. Steve Jobs unveiled the MacBook Air at MacWorld Expo in San Francisco on January 15, 2008.