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More 12-inch MacBook Air details: reversible USB Type C, MagSafe gone, slimmer fanless design

macbook-air-apple-april-2014

Following a report earlier this month that claimed Apple was readying its long-rumored 12-inch MacBook Air in iPhone-style space gray and gold options, the Jack March is now back with more details of the next-gen Macbooks. According to the report, Apple will move from the current USB ports to the new slimmer, reversible USB Type C introduced last month by the USB 3.0 Promoter Group. It will also feature a “noticeably thinner design” and remove the current MagSafe charging solution. 9to5mac has reason to believe he has knowledge of Apple’s upcoming MacBook Airs.

Other details in the report line up with previous rumors of a 12-inch MacBook Air sporting a Retina display arriving in 2015 with a fanless design:

The source also told me that the product is completely fanless which has helped it gain a thinner design, it is assumed that Intel’s Broadwell processor line will allow this change as they can keep at low temperatures and high performance without a heat sink… The source also said “the display bezels are noticeably thinner, quite similar to the current MacBook Pro Retina lineup”

In addition, the report includes some details regarding tweaks to the current design: The source also gave details on the design for the keyboard saying that it “it leaves almost no space on the side”, the source also mentioned the speaker location as being “above the keyboard and visible”, this design change is different to the current MacBook Pro with Retina Display lineup which has the speakers on the side of the keyboard, and the current Macbook Air which has speakers under the keyboard.

[tweet https://twitter.com/llsethj/status/514084658414632961]

If Apple is to switch to USB Type C only on the new MacBook, it could support the new DisplayPort Alternate Mode allowing USB Type C to offer DisplayPort functionality for high-quality audio and video. We’re thinking the change would also require a new Lightning to USB Type C cable or adaptor for older cables if Apple is to continue allowing iOS users to charge off the new MacBooks. 

Today’s report adds to the several in recent months pointing to an all-new 12-inch MacBook Air with Retina display likely arriving sometime in 2015.

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Comments

  1. Adam K. - 10 years ago

    Yay, another charger.

  2. Mike Murray - 10 years ago

    I’d be shocked if Apple removed Mag-Safe. I suspect they’ve reworked mag-safe rather than removed it. Unless they’ve added a lightning port.

    • Lightening crossed my mind as I was typing that, and then I was like… NAAAAH! MagSafe is just such a beautiful thing I find it difficult to imagine them getting rid of it.

    • Andy Brooks - 10 years ago

      Maybe the new solution for charging is inspired by the Apple Watch’s charger or even the same charger itself. Think: something very thin, round and flat that magnetically snaps onto the bottom of the MacBook Air.

      • rettun1 - 10 years ago

        It’d be cool if that new apple watch charger will eventually be used on every product apple makes: iphone, apple watch, MacBooks, iPads, etc. And one would only need a different wall adapter to suit the battery of the device

    • I’ve been wondering before if a lightning port would be a viable option for data transfer as well. Does anybody know if it would be possible to equip a MacBook with a couple of lightning ports that replace a USB port?

  3. Getting rid of MagSafe? Probably just redesigned to be thinner.

  4. Dss33 (@Dss33) - 10 years ago

    Very interesting details. The big question is – if they’re getting rid of MagSafe, what are they replacing it with?

    • Stetson - 10 years ago

      The new USB C (3.1) connector can do USB, data, and high current charging all in one cable.

      • Clint (@Claustin26) - 10 years ago

        I can’t believe they’d get rid of the “trip” protection of magsafe for a plug-in solution though

  5. Vadi Forté - 10 years ago

    Please don’t get rid fan, cuz even you have fan, you still hot as fuxk

      • thejuanald - 10 years ago

        He’s saying that MB Airs get incredibly hot, even with the fan, and that is very true. My MBA gets boiling hot if doing anything intensive. Hopefully they will come up with a better heat solution.

      • Instead of Intel, Apple could utilize its own in-house custom-designed ARM SoC for the rMBA.

    • Stetson - 10 years ago

      The new Intel Broadwell Core M chips run much cooler and are designed to be used without a fan.

  6. clarkberryman - 10 years ago

    I guess I don’t really see Apple leaving the MagSafe design, unless they are improving it somehow. I wish they would do it for the iDevices, as my daughter is sometimes not as deft at removing the Lightning cable. the MagSafe was one of the primary reasons I bought an MacBookPro in Dec. 2010. Before that, I had 1 laptop that required an internal power adapter swap and at least 2 power cords, and the screen hinges were falling apart. It’s name was Dell.

  7. Matthew Sims - 10 years ago

    The MagSafe power cable is one of the best things about having a MacBook. I wish MagSafe type connectors were on everything!

  8. Taste_of_Apple - 10 years ago

    I’m looking forward to seeing how this changes the game.

  9. thejuanald - 10 years ago

    They’re either trying a discreet wireless charging solution or just reworking the magsafe.

    I’m kind of annoyed that I would have to use a USB adapter on anything I would want to use that isn’t Type C.

  10. suby22 - 10 years ago

    Maybe the charger will be similar to that of apples new watch.

  11. Benjamin (@NSbenjamins) - 10 years ago

    magsafe gone…. that makes me wonder if it’s going to be a macbook at all.

  12. Apple will release an hybrid Macbook/iPad with a detachable or, even better, foldable keyboard… That’s why also the rumors about a 12′ iPad pro…. iTomb

  13. Mr. Grey (@mister_grey) - 10 years ago

    The only reason to include USB C connectors is if you are going to remove the USB 3 connectors which are larger. Therefore this thing will have Thunderbolt, and USB C connectors, and that’s it.

    Remember the MagSafe, even the redesigned one, is the same height as a USB 3 plug, so again, theres no reason to use USB C connectors at all unless you are getting rid of the MagSafe as well as the old USB 3. If you keep those, you aren’t gaining any height, and the product has to be the same thickness.

  14. Juan Tejero - 10 years ago

    Inductive charging?

  15. prezeus - 10 years ago

    Definitely not for October this year??

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.