Apple will release a new version of the MacBook Air with a “lower price tag” later this year, a reliable Apple analyst has claimed.
Many people in the tech industry had believed that the Air line was on the verge of being discontinued, but Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities says a new model is in development.
The company is planning to revive the MacBook Air by releasing a cheaper new model during the second quarter of 2018, he says.
The MacBook Air first came out a decade ago, and has been largely neglected by Apple in recent years.
Kuo says the 2018 model will have a 13-inch display and a range of updated specs and features. However, it will also be less expensive than the current cheapest MacBook Air, which still costs a lofty £949.
That model comes with an 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB of internal storage and 8GB of RAM.
Its design has also grown somewhat stale, and its 13.3-inch, 1440 x 900 screen isn’t as sharp as what you’ll find on other laptops that are available at this price.
Kuo believes consumer interest in the new MacBook Air model could boost Apple’s overall MacBook sales for 2018 by as much as 10-15%.
If the report proves accurate, the laptop could make an appearance at Apple’s WWDC event in June, with a release likely to follow shortly after.
