It hasn’t happened yet, but word on the street is that in the very near future Apple is going to launch a brand new, redesigned MacBook Air. One of the talking points is that the new design will drop the tapered shell that Apple has used since the MacBook Air’s debut. Another, though, is that Apple is going to add some color to the lineup.
And not just one option, either. The company is supposedly following the route it did with the 24-inch iMac, and will be reportedly adding a handful of color options, including blue, and green, and maybe even yellow. Among others. If it’s true, and if Apple is planning to announce the new MacBook Air in early March, then we don’t have long to wait before we get to see the final results, which is always exciting.
But there’s a bit of a potential downside to this color addition. Just like the 24-inch iMac, Apple is also supposedly adding a white bezel around the new laptop’s display. It will be smaller than what’s available right now, but it will still be white. As I’m sure you’ve seen, and maybe even agree with, a white bezel around a laptop display isn’t being so positively welcomed. And even though I don’t mind it on my iMac, I really don’t want it on my laptop.
At least, I don’t think I do. I’ve been an Apple fan long enough to know that even the things I’m not particularly interested in or think have any relevance to me end up being things I actually like about the company’s products. So maybe in theory a white bezel around a laptop display is bad, but in action it’s not that bad. We’ll just have to wait and see.
What we are seeing is a shift in Apple’s vision for what apparently defines a casual user and a pro user. For many years now there hasn’t been an outright obvious distinction, as far as color options are concerned, between the two. Apple has offered just two colors for its products for so long, at least when it comes to the Mac lineup, that it just felt normal. But, as Apple has adopted more color options for the iPad lineup, and then added the Pro variant to the mix, we’ve seen how the company uses color –like with the iPad Air and iPad mini lines– to differentiate right out of the gate.
And we may be seeing the same thing happen with the MacBook Air, just as we did with the iMac. The iMac Pro is probably going to be available in silver and Space Gray, just like the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro is. But, for the “casual users,” they’ll get to choose laptops that come in a range of colors.
I want a blue MacBook. I’ll throw money at a blue MacBook Air and/or Pro. It’s one of the reasons I almost went over to a Surface Laptop back when that was a new thing people could buy, because Microsoft got into my brain and launched a laptop in my favorite color (cobalt). And upon hearing rumors that Apple may launch a blue MacBook Air, I couldn’t help but get excited. Even if I’m having to consider that white bezel.
It did get me wondering, though. Because I was thinking back to an old Apple ad that showcased how people customize their MacBook Airs and Pros. All the stickers! Which got me remembering a Jaws-inspired sticker I had on one of my old MacBook Air models. I loved that thing. And back in 2020, Apple was promoting stickers on its laptops for that year’s Worldwide Developers Conference!
And then I veered off into colored cases, the thin ones folks can just snap onto their laptop. It adds some protection which is always nice, but then you’ve got your blue laptop without having to wait for Apple to make one. Though, when I think about those thin shells I can’t help but think about the glowing Apple logo shining through. That’s something Apple should bring back.
But, I want to hear from you. Especially the folks who consider themselves pro users. Would you like to see Apple add some color options to the pro variants in its lineup? Do you customize your hardware with colored cases and/or a ton of stickers to help your machine(s) stand out? Or do you think Apple’s on the right path with offering up the more colorful/playful options for the casual users, and sticking to more monotone color schemes for the pro users?