Apple has discontinued the MacBook, leaving only the MacBook Air and Pro models to remain in its range.
This is in fact the second death for Apple’s MacBook, which was discontinued in 2012 just six years after it was launched in 2006. Apple brought it back in 2015, but hasn’t been updated in the past couple years.
Apple, however, did announce updates to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models, which also sees new price reductions.
The MacBook Air price tag has been reduced to £1,099/$1,099 and adds Apple’s True Tone technology to its retina display, which enables the screen to adapt to the light around it. You can pre-order the MacBook Air at B&H Photo Video.
Apple’s entry-level MacBook Pro now costs £1,299/$1,299 and also gets True Tone, as well as Touch ID, a Touch Bar display, a new security chip and the option to add new processors to speed up the computer. Pre-order the new MacBook Pro.
From the official Apple press release:
Students Can Purchase MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro for a lower price
Cupertino, California — Apple today updated MacBook Air, adding True Tone to its Retina display for a more natural viewing experience, and lowering the price to £1,099, with an even lower price for college students. In addition, the entry-level £1,299 13-inch MacBook Pro has been updated with the latest 8th-generation quad-core processors, making it two times more powerful than before. It also now features Touch Bar and Touch ID, a True Tone Retina display and the Apple T2 Security Chip, and is available for college students.
MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are also part of Apple’s Back to School promotion, which includes a pair of Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones with the purchase of a qualifying Mac notebook or iMac. With their sleek, portable designs, Retina displays, great everyday performance, all-day battery life and running macOS, Mac notebooks have never been more popular in higher education.
“College students love the Mac — it’s the notebook they rely on from the dorm room to the classroom, and the No. 1 choice among higher education students,” said Tom Boger, Apple’s senior director of Mac Product Marketing. “With a lower student price for MacBook Air and the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with faster performance, Touch Bar and Touch ID at a lower price for students, there’s never been a better time to bring a Mac to college.”
Updates to Apple’s Most Popular Notebooks for Students
MacBook Air features a thin and light design in three beautiful finishes, the convenience and security of Touch ID, an 8th-generation dual-core processor, immersive wide stereo sound and all-day battery life. Its stunning 13-inch Retina display now features True Tone that automatically adjusts the colour temperature of the display for a more comfortable viewing experience. MacBook Air is designed to power through daily tasks, from email and web surfing, to photo editing and FaceTime calls, and at an even lower price, it’s the do-it-all notebook for consumers and students alike.The 13-inch MacBook Pro packs powerful processors, super-fast SSDs, all-day battery life and the best Mac notebook display ever into a portable 3-pound design. Today, the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro adds the latest quad-core processors for up to two times faster performance, Touch Bar and Touch ID, True Tone to the brilliant Retina display, the Apple T2 Security Chip and immersive stereo speakers with wide stereo sound, all at the same great starting price of
£1,299, or an even lower price for college students. With all these powerful features, MacBook Pro is the perfect choice for students heading into college and looking for the notebook that will help power them through graduation and beyond.Apple’s Back to School Promotion Starts Today
The updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are part of Apple’s Back to School promotion starting today and available to higher education students, their parents, faculty, staff and home-school teachers through the Apple Education Store. The promotion includes a pair of qualifying Beats headphones with the purchase of any eligible Mac or iPad for college, as well as education discounts on qualifying Mac, iPad, AppleCare, select accessories and services.*macOS Catalina Coming this Fall
This fall, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro can be updated at no cost with macOS Catalina, the latest version of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, packed with cool new features, fresh new apps and powerful new technology for developers. macOS Catalina comes with Apple’s popular entertainment apps — Apple Music, Apple Podcasts and the Apple TV app — and the all-new Sidecar feature enables users to extend their Mac desktop by using their iPad as a second display or as a high-precision input device. New security features keep users better protected and Voice Control lets users control their Mac entirely with their voice.Pricing and Availability
MacBook Air starts at £1,099 or even lower price college students. MacBook Pro starts at £1,299 and at an even lower price for college students. Both are available today through apple.com, the Apple Store app and in select Apple Stores and Apple Authorised Resellers later this week. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at apple.com/uk/mac.