Say what you want about Apple’s current generation of MacBooks, but the portable computers are here to stay. Since its release back in 2015, the 12-inch MacBook ushered in a new era in Apple’s hardware — that of sleek devices toting the Cupertino-based giant’s Butterfly keyboard design and lacking most conventional ports. If Apple’s recent filings in Europe are any indication, the company might finally be taking its laptop lineup a step forward this year.
According to a report from France-based tech website Consomac , Apple has teased five new laptops in the database of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), an organization of the Eurasian Economic Union. The five laptops were designated as “‘Apple’ brand Personal Computers A1931, A1932, A1988, A1989, A1990 (MacOS Software Version 10.13) and their Spare Parts.”
The laptops referenced in these filings are quite interesting, primarily because the final three directly correspond to the MacBook Pro line — the 13.3-inch without Touch Bar, 13.3-inch with Touch Bar, and the 15.4-inch with Touch Bar. What is particularly interesting is that the first two model numbers, A1931 and A1932, do not correspond to either the 12-inch MacBook or the MacBook Air, at least in their current iteration. With this in mind, it appears that Apple could be preparing to introduce more than a refresh of the entry-level laptops this year.
Both the 12-inch MacBook and the MacBook Air are getting long in the tooth. The 12-inch MacBook, while responsible for ushering in the new design era of Apple’s laptops, has been the same since it debuted back in 2015. Since then, rumors have been abounding that Apple would roll out a larger, 13-inch variant of the MacBook. So far, that has not happened yet. Could Apple’s unknown notebook in its European filings be referring to a larger MacBook or a revamped 12-inch MacBook? The next few months should reveal the answer.
‘Reliable’ source says Apple announcing new MacBook Air soon, but probably minor refresh https://t.co/a9IGyyEAOm pic.twitter.com/TBtENddvVp
— 9to5Mac (@9to5mac) June 8, 2016
The MacBook Air is more of an enigma. The laptop’s current design still features the template that Steve Jobs debuted in one of his final presentations. The MacBook Air turns 10-years-old this year, and it has since been overtaken in the portability arena by Windows-powered rivals, and its very own sibling, the 12-inch MacBook. Rumors of a MacBook Air update have been around lately, as noted in a AppleInsider report.
Speculations about the upcoming device are many, with some suggesting that the updated Air would finally feature more notable upgrades than a minor spec bump. Thus, the model numbers in Apple’s recent filing could very well correspond to a much-needed and well-deserved upgrade to Apple’s iconic laptop.
