Apple unveiled a new MacBook at its “Spring Forward” press event in San Francisco today that is its thinnest, lightest portable computer yet. The device features a 12-inch retina display, with a .88 millimeter panel – the thinnest the company has ever made. It’s powered by an Intel Core M processor with speeds up to 1.3 GHz, and Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.9 GHz. In order to cut down on the device’s size even further, Apple eliminated all of the fans.
The device weighs in at just 2 pounds, and is 24 percent thinner than the current 11-inch MacBook Air. The MacBook features a new kind of keyboard with a “butterfly switch” that is designed to be more precise than the scissor designs used on Apple’s other portables. Each key has its own individual LED backlight for typing in the dark.
Rather than use a traditional trackpad, Apple created a new “Force Touch” trackpad that uses four touch sensors and the company’s “taptic” engine to produce a pressure sensitive pad that can have its feel configured by software.
The device comes with Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, which is good news, because the device only has one USB Type-C port. That port will provide power, USB connectivity and display connectivity. Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide marketing Phil Schiller said that people who own the MacBook will primarily use the device’s wireless connections to transfer files and connect to the internet, rather than use a traditional system of ports.
Pricing for the MacBook starts at $1299, with an upgraded model priced at $1599. Both will be launching on April 10 – the same day the Apple Watch will be available for pre-order.
The MacBook Air line got an update with faster 5th-generation processors and faster storage, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro has been updated with the Force Touch trackpad, faster storage and a faster processor.
