We here at Macworld used to complain that the MacBook lineup was too complicated , but Apple has now simplified it so it make more common sense . But what if Apple had go even further – what if there was only one laptop line , the MacBook Pro , and nothing else ?
That ’s what former Apple aim guru Jony I ve desire to do , according to diarist Walt Mossberg . In arecent episode of The Vergecastpodcast , Mossberg talks about one of the idea that I ve had while working with Tim Cook at Apple . ( It ’s at the 26:30 marker of the show . ) I ve desire to whittle down the MacBook card to one model , the MacBook Pro . “ He decided there did n’t ask to be an line and a Pro , ” said Mossberg . “ He decide he could do the Pro and make it as sparkle and as lean – or thinner – than the MacBook Air . And it would be a higher - price machine , so that would be better for their bottom line , and people would grease one’s palms it even if they did n’t need the additional power it gave . ”
Mossberg cautions that the rumor is “ a one - source level ” from “ a very high - tier ” person at Apple who “ really super - knew the product . ”
Apple followers may retrieve Steve Jobs ’ philosophy of having two different product sets , one for universal consumer , and one for pros . I ve ’s idea flies in the face of that . “ There was a gravid state of war between the design team and its acolyte ( in other tidings , the Jony Ive - lead squad ) , and the engineering and merchandise managers side of the party , ” say Mossberg . The latter group wanted a young MacBook Air because it was Apple ’s best - selling laptop . “ They did not need to go out it on a mound to die . ”
This dispute keep but eventually , the product people prevailed , and a novel MacBook Air was produced , though it was just a specifications upgrade , not a redesign . Mossberg , who admitted that this story add up from a single high - level beginning at Apple and may not pass “ journalistic rigor , ” read thisMacBook Air was released at an outcome at the Brooklyn Academy of Music , which was in 2018 . “ This source of mine get out me aside , ” say Mossberg , “ and pronounce , ‘ We lastly won . ' ”
I ve left Apple the next yr . It ’s soft to conclude that this event head to I ve leave ( Mossberg does n’t plow it in the podcast ) , but it ’s more potential that I ve had been planning to leave regarding of the final result . I ve had been at Apple for intimately 30 years and stuck around for eight year afterSteve Jobs died .
But ( cueJeffrey Wright voiceover ) , what if Tim Cook gave into Jony I ve ? What if all we had was the MacBook Pro as Apple ’s laptop computer offer ? I ve was notorious for believe that client had to be shown what they need and would argue that customers would just adapt , but would they , specially if their pocket edition was rent such a huge hit ? As Mossberg say , it would ’ve been a higher - priced machine , so there would ’ve been considerable backlash by Apple customers . perchance , maybe not . The world will never know .
