Apple on Monday unveiled a svelte new addition to its lineup of laptops: the 12-inch MacBook. At a press briefing in San Francisco, the electronics giant introduced the long-anticipated update to its MacBook line.
CEO Tim Cook touted the device’s light weight and thin enclosure. It weighs 2 lbs. and, at its thickest point, the MacBook is 13.1 millimeters thick, 24% thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air. It also features the company’s ultra-high-resolution Retina display. And unlike previous models, the device will be available in multiple colors, silver, grey and gold. Introducing the computer, Cook joked with the audience, “It is unbelievable! Can you even see it?”
Marketing chief Phil Schiller said the device represents the company’s vision of the future for notebooks. Rather than a multitude of ports, the device will have one connector, dubbed USB-C, to provide power, video output, and device connectivity. Schiller said the standard was being adopted across the computer industry. On stage, Schiller called it “the world’s most energy efficient laptop.”
The base model MacBook comes with a 1.1 Ghz dual-core Intel Core M processor, Intel HD 3500 graphics, 8GB of memory, and a 256GB SSD hard drive. It begins at $1,299 and will be available next month. The company also announced several moderate upgrades to its other laptops.
CEO Cook said during the presentation that while the notebook market shrank 2% last year, Apple’s MacBook business grew 21% during the same period. Ultra-light notebooks like the one Apple introduced today have been the lone bright spot as personal computer sales have sputtered over the past few years. According to researcher Gartner, sales of so-called ultra mobile premium computers like the new MacBook are expected to grow to 85 million annually, up from 39 million last year.
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Apple I was Apple's first computer, which became obsolete within a year. Today, they are auctioned off as collector's items.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images1977 Apple II was the follow up to the Apple I computer. Apple II proved highly successful and spawned several variations.Ralph Morse—The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images1983 Lisa was Apple's office computer that was the first personal computer to use a graphical user interface. It was a commercial flop, largely because it retailed for a whopping $10,000. Ted Thai—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images1991 NeXT Station was a workstation computer manufactured by NeXT, a computer company Steve Jobs founded in 1985 after he was forced out of Apple. After Apple acquired NeXT in 1996, Jobs rejoined Apple. Kristy MacDonald—dapd/AP1995 Pixar's Toy Story was the film studio's first feature film in 1995. Pixar had spun out from a larger graphics corporation in 1986 with funding from Steve Jobs. Alan Dejecacion—Getty Images1998 The iMac was originally released in 1998, and it was the first Mac computer to have a USB drive but no floppy disk. Many media outlets heralded it as a game changer. Over two million were sold in two years. John G. Mabanglo—AFP/Getty Images1999 The iBook was a line of laptop computers designed for use in schools. The computer, called the "iMac to go," was a huge hit with several upgrades over the years. Ted Thai—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images1999 The Power Mac G3 was a personal computer in the Power Macintosh line. Its upgraded hardware meant it was faster than most other computers on the market. Alan Dejecacion—Getty Images2001 Apple opened its first Apple Stores in 2001, with the original two stores in Virginia and California. On the opening day, thousands of Apple fans stood in line and collectively spent over half a million dollars. Justin Sullivan—Getty Images 2003The iTunes Store is Apple's online digital media store that redefined the music purchase experience and became a runaway success within years. By 2008, it had become the largest music vendor in the U.S. Ian Waldie—Getty Images 2001The iPod followed the release of iTunes and other consumer-facing software. It offered data storage and a sleek design, and soon became the nation's go-to portable music player. Gabe Palacio—Getty Images2006 Macbook Pro was Apple's first computer to use Intel Core processors, replacing PowerBook computers. The Macbook Pro line is Apple's latest laptop collection. Justin Sullivan—Getty Images2005 The Mac Mini was Apple's first consumer-targeted computer to ship without a display, keyboard or mouse, intended to minimize the space taken by a desktop computer.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images2007 The first iPhone was released after years of speculation that Apple would produce a smartphone. It was known for its large touch screen and finger-touch method, as opposed to using a stylus. It was marketed under the slogan "This is only the beginning." Tony Avelar—AFP/Getty Images2008 The App Store is Apple's online marketplace for downloading and developing apps. It was released alongside its iPhone 3G, and both proved to be massive successes. The App Store logged over 10 million downloads on the first weekend.Justin Sullivan—Getty Images2010 The iPad is an Apple tablet computer that met mixed reviews, as users were not sure if it was intended to replace or supplement laptop use, though many praised its ability to connect to WiFi or 3G. That year, the iPad became the leader in the tablet computer market. Justin Sullivan—Getty Images
