Apple is changing how its MacBook batteries charge, with an upcoming update for macOS Catalina promising to learn from how the notebooks are used in order to maximize battery life. Currently, when you plug your MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro into its power supply, it automatically charges up to 100-percent. That, though, may not be the best strategy for a number of reasons.
A week ago today, Apple revealed a new model for the MacBook Air. After years of fielding complaints about the butterfly keyboard seen on many modern MacBooks, Apple finally replaced it with the Magic Keyboard from the 16-inch MacBook Pro. As with all new Apple releases, iFixit has gotten its hands on one of these new MacBook Airs and has subjected it to a teardown to see what other new items might be lurking inside the machine.
Apple has revealed the new MacBook Air, with its most portable notebook now kicking off at a cheaper price and switching over to the company's new favorite keyboard technology. The 2020 MacBook Air now starts at $999 - or $899 if you have a qualifying education account - though still features a 13-inch Retina display.
A rumor surfaced today that the next big update for Apple's collection of hardware devices will be a MacBook Air. This next-generation device is tipped to be revealed soon - as early as next week. This information could very well have been sourced before the gravity of the situation with COVID-19 set in - but we shall see!
A new MacBook Pro and a new MacBook Air design switching away from Apple's little-loved butterfly keyboards are tipped for the first half of 2020, with one analyst suggesting the new laptops would complete the Cupertino firm's transition away from the troubled switch mechanism. Apple moved away from its homegrown butterfly key switch with the launch of the 16-inch MacBook Pro last year, adopting a new version of the scissor mechanism.
This week analyst Ming Chi Kuo tipped the development of the next major Mac from Apple, complete with an Apple-designed ARM processor. This suggestion fits with other major projects in the pipeline with new processor tech, including 5nm process for the first 5G iPhone and new iPad later this year. This would be Apple's first Mac with an Apple-designed processor.
College students won't be returning to school for more than a month, but Apple is getting its back to school deals going early. In anticipation of that rush of students looking to buy MacBooks for the year ahead, Apple has updated the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 13-inch MacBook Pro. These aren't complete overhauls buy any stretch, but they might make these laptops more tempting buys for people who were once on the fence.
Apple has just started its recall of a number of MacBook Pros yet here comes another problem ailing another set of Apple notebooks. Fortunately, it's nothing dangerous to deserve a recall but probably still aggravating for owners. A number of MacBook Airs hailing from 2018 have been specifically marked as having issues with their logic board. And while Apple has yet to publicly explain what those are, it is at least telling authorized service centers to repair those units at no cost to the owner.
Apple isn't just adding new, faster MacBook Pro models to its range today: it's also updating its Keyboard Service Program, too. The scheme was launched in mid-2018 in the face of growing complaints about the Butterfly key mechanism, which some MacBook and MacBook Pro owners discovered could be more than a little frustrating.
The folks over at iFixit recently celebrated a small victory for third-party repair industry when exceptions to the DMCA allowed self-repairs for certain classes of devices. That victory, however, might have been short-lived at least as far as Apple’s latest Mac products are concerned. Because while some part of the new Macs and MacBooks can be replaced with no problem or issue, some parts, like the logic board and Touch ID fingerprint sensor, would now require official re-authentication using a diagnostic tool that only Apple provides to its authorized service providers.
Fans of DIY gadget repairs haven't had much good news over the past few years, but there are signs the tides may be changing - at least - for Apple devices. The Cupertino company hasn't exactly led by example when it comes to making repairs, battery replacements, and other unofficial tinkering easy with its laptops, tablets, and smartphones, but that could be changing.
Black Friday is still weeks away but deals are going live now. Best Buy has just launched its Black Friday 2018 deals for Apple products, including the latest and great MacBook Pro, select iPad models, and more. The deals aren't terribly substantial at this time, but buyers can expect up to $250 off certain models.