Skip to main content

Chinese whispers point to 2014 MacBook redesign

chinese whispers point 2014 macbook redesign pro
Image used with permission by copyright holder

For those of you holding off on a laptop purchase until this year’s MacBook range is unveiled, here are some interesting nuggets of information: MacRumors reports on a Chinese forum post that suggests a new 12-inch MacBook is in the pipeline and that a revamped MacBook Air series is also on the verge of launching.

The same forum poster has made accurate predictions about Apple hardware in the past, so it would seem he does have some genuine inside contacts at the company. According to the post, Apple is readying a fanless 12-inch MacBook with a new trackpad that does away with mechanical buttons. This ties in with rumors we’ve heard about a 12-inch Retina display MacBook Air.

The Air and Pro lines are already very close in terms of size and style, so perhaps 2014 is the year that the lines merge completely. The Chinese tipster did say that new MacBook Airs were due in the near future, while a MacBook Pro refresh won’t arrive until September, so we’ll have to wait and see just how Apple is going to market and differentiate these laptops.

There was also mention of Apple’s long-awaited iWatch in the post, of course — apparently it’s still at the prototype stage, so an announcement on that front won’t happen for a while. If you’re eager to read up on all of the rumors and speculation we’ve heard so far about Apple’s smartwatch product, head over to our comprehensive round-up page.

Editors' Recommendations

David Nield
Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…
You can still buy the M1 MacBook Air, and it’s cheaper than ever
Apple MacBook Air M1 open, on a table.

Apple deals are rarely particularly cheap but Walmart is continuing to sell the Apple MacBook Air M1 with 13.3-inch screen for just $699. The lowest price ever, it’s the perfect entry point for anyone considering checking out macOS. It feels like stock must be starting to run low here so if you don’t want to miss out on one of the better laptop deals around, hit the buy button now before you miss out. Otherwise, here’s what the MacBook Air M1 has to offer.

Why you should buy the MacBook Air M1
The MacBook Air M1 isn’t considered one of the best laptops any more but just because its processor is a few years old doesn’t mean you should ignore it. MacBooks are typically built to last with support for macOS continuing for a number of years. With the MacBook Air M1, you get the M1 chip with an 8-core CPU which is sure to outperform Intel chips of the same era. The leap between Intel-based MacBooks to Apple silicon was pretty huge which is why the M1 chip remains highly potent.

Read more
The 5 best MacBooks for video editing in 2024
Apple MacBook Pro 16 front angled view showing display and keyboard.

Video editing is one of the most demanding things you can ask of your laptop. Not only do you need a powerful processor to keep things running smoothly, but you'll also need loads of RAM and a solid GPU to best carry out the task. If any of these components are lacking, you could run into trouble with your software – resulting in sluggish performance and a frustrating overall experience.

Hunting for a laptop that's robust enough to handle video editing isn't easy, but you can make things more manageable by sticking to Apple's MacBook catalog.

Read more
How to select multiple files on a Mac
An open MacBook Pro on a table.

macOS is an intuitive and innovative operating system. Over the years, Apple has revamped and evolved its tried and true platform numerous times, but there are a number of core features that have been around since the beginning. One of these is the ability to select multiple files at once.

Read more