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Apple is planning to launch a 12in version of the MacBook Air that is so slim it only has space to accommodate a single, new type of USB port. The MacBook Air has been through eight different revisions since its launch in 2008, but this rumoured new design may be the most significant yet.
Although nominally bigger than the 11in version of the MacBook Air, the 12in model will actually be narrower than its "smaller" sibling, according to an Apple insider who provided an unusually detailed description of a prototype device to 9to5Mac. That's because Apple has reduced the width of the screen bezel to almost nothing, and has also squeezed the keys on the keyboard closer together. The keyboard now runs from edge to edge, with only a very thin bezel on either side.
Apple has also been forced to redesign the trackpad to fit within the thinner frame. The trackpad will no longer provide a physical click when depressed, a feature which may be mourned by some users.
Everything you need to know about the radical new USB Type-C
However, the biggest and most controversial consequence of the new design is that Apple only has room for a single port on the edge of the laptop. That port will be the new USB Type-C, which has a smaller connector and allows the cable to be plugged in either way up. The port can be used to drive peripherals or displays, and can also be used to recharge the laptop's battery.
With only a single port on the laptop, Apple will likely be forced to supply some kind of docking solution, so that users can plug in external screens and peripherals whilst using the laptop at their desks. The only other connector on the prototype MacBook Air is a headphone/microphone socket.
The shift to USB Type-C is something of a surprise, given the effort Apple has put into engineering the Thunderbolt and Lightning connectors. However, neither of those can be used to power the laptop, which may have swayed Apple's decision to move on.
9to5Mac's source claims the revamped design is already nearing production and could be launched by the middle of the year. Some sources are speculating that the new MacBook Air will be significantly cheaper than its predecessors, providing competition for low-end Windows laptops and Chromebooks. We suspect that is little more than wishful thinking.
