There have been many reports across the web claiming that Apple might be on the verge of unveiling a brand new MacBook at its Spring Forward event, held mainly for the new Watch. And staying true to rumours, Apple has indeed announced a new 12-inch MacBook for the world to take note of.
At the Apple Watch event in San Francisco on Monday, the company successfully showcased its new MacBook, calling it the thinnest Mac. The company also revealed that the new MacBook comes in three colours: space grey, silver and gold, similar to that of the iPhones.
However, while there will be a few who only consider a new iPhone or iPad launch as the biggest deal, others, especially core Apple fans, will welcome the new MacBook, alongside all the changes and upgrades that have been made to it.
Here, we take a look at the six top features of the new MacBook.
More Than Just an Incremental Upgrade
Those who think the new MacBook is just another new Apple laptop with updated specs and build, couldn't be more wrong. The new MacBook is more than just some upgraded piece of hardware that has been announced in the market to keep the MacBook series going. It is actually a whole new machine overall. Keeping the specs of the MacBook at check for the time being, the new hardware from Apple is already touted to go the distance. However, make no mistake: it's not a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro. Apple's newest notebook is purely called a MacBook.
This MacBook Went on a Scripted Diet
As fans and users of different Apple products, you won't believe the amount of shedding and dietary regulations the new MacBook has gone through to be the one that Apple flaunted at yesterday's event. This new MacBook is (almost incredibly) impossibly thin, and you will know the difference in case you have been using the likes of MacBook Air in the past. If put side-by-side, the previous MacBook Air will strike a stark contrast to the new MacBook's 13.1-millimeter, 2-pound avatar. Having said that, the new MacBook is amazingly strong and sturdy for something that's so thin and light-weighted.
Keyboard Butterfly Mechanism
Making a product that's as light and thin as it's sturdy is no joke. And needless to say, the new MacBook, similarly, required complete redesigning of just about every component inside, including the keyboard, and the battery. Talking about the Keyboard, the new MacBook uses a so-called 'butterfly mechanism' for the keys. This mechanism is said to use a single assembly that's not only four times sturdy compared to the more established scissor mechanism, but 40 percent thinner as well. Apple says while the keyboard is shallow than usual, it will have a larger face for each key. Also, the backlight offers a different light for each key.
Force Touch Trackpad Upgrade
Aside the changes made to the new MacBook's keyboard, Apple has also upgraded the trackpad of it. The new Force Touch trackpad offers four force sensors for more feel. In fact, the trackpad is also fitted with a new Taptic engine. Know that this is the same technology used in Apple Watch, the one that provides you haptic feedback when you touch it. Hence, although the trackpad never actually presses down or moves, it still keeps moving around.
Color Variations
We don't remember the last time Apple brought out a new MacBook hardware into the market in a variety of colours. This is probably the first time something like this has happened, and shows Apple's desire to imitate the kind of colour choices fans get when they choose a new iPhone. The new MacBook comes in silver, space gray and gold colour variations. It may be recalled that the last black MacBook was sold back in 2008.
One Huge Chunk of Battery
It is indeed impressive that Apple, in order to maintain the overall thinness and lightweight quotient of the MacBook, made its first-ever fanless laptop. But more impressive is the surety with which we can say that the new MacBook is basically one huge chunk of battery. In the past, battery life with Core M processors fitted inside has always been an issue, but the new MacBook is where Apple takes a stand against it. Apple has divided the battery inside into a number of sheets that are terraced one over the other. According to Apple, the MacBook will offer up to 9 hours of wireless web use or at least 10 hours of iTunes video playback.
