Apple’s 12-inch MacBook was last updated in 2017. A leaker is now claiming that the Cupertino tech giant may re-introduce the small MacBook by 2024.
Apple may re-introduce the 12-inch MacBook
According to a new post shared on the Korean blog Naver by “yeux1122,” an Apple supplier in Taiwan claims that the company is planning on re-introducing the 12-inch MacBook.
Apple reportedly appears to be debating the device’s future and has not yet decided if it will be released. Nevertheless, it is said that the device’s production activities are still in progress. Apple reportedly intends to announce whether mass production of the device will begin as early as the second half of this year.
The 12-inch MacBook, which was introduced in 2015, proved to be a very popular model among consumers due to its fanless design, size, portability, the first-ever butterfly keyboard, and more. Apple updated the MacBook in 2016 and 2017 but discontinued it in 2019 shortly after the launch of the redesigned MacBook Air with Retina Display and due to the overall declining appeal.
In August 2021, Apple sent out surveys to select owners of the discontinued 12-inch MacBook model asking their opinion regarding the laptop’s size, features, and what changes they would make to the laptop.
At the time of the survey, it was assumed that the tech giant would re-introduce the 12-inch MacBook with Apple Silicon since there were a few issues with the Intel-based design. For instance, the fanless design meant that the 12-inch MacBook could only accommodate a specific Intel chip, critically limiting the machine’s performance. Various users were also experiencing problems with the butterfly keyboard, which is why the tech giant issued free keyboard replacements to users.
If the tech giant decides to relaunch the 12-inch laptop, it will likely offer updated keyboard switches to avoid potential problems. In addition, with Apple’s M-series chips offering stellar performance in fanless MacBook designs, it could be the perfect time to re-introduce the 12-inch MacBook.
It is important to note that reputable analysts in the industry such as TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and display analyst Ross Young have not reported on Apple’s plans for a smaller MacBook.
Read more:
