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Apple’s serious miscalculation with the 15-inch MacBook Air

15-inch MacBook Air sales are slow enough that Apple significantly cut orders, suggesting shoppers aren't impressed with a bigger, heavier Air.

Did Apple overestimate demand for a larger MacBook Air? A recent report suggests Apple reduced orders from its supply chain, indicating sales of the largest budget MacBook fell short of expectations.

According to DigiTimes, which specializes in supply chain news, 15-inch MacBook Air sales seem to be off to a bad start. People with knowledge of the matter are reported to say that Apple cut the shipment volume by half in July 2022.

Since Apple introduced the MacBook Air as a remarkably lightweight laptop, launching a large and relatively heavy version could prove to be a mistake. It’s only been a month, and the notebook market has slowed recently as a whole, so sales of Apple’s newest Mac, the 15-inch MacBook Air could pick up in the coming months.

Weight and cost could be a concern. The 15-inch MacBook Air weighs more than the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro, which includes a fan to unlock greater performance. Both models sell for $1,299. The 15-inch MacBook Air costs $300 more than the entry-level 13.6-inch MacBook Air.

Making customers choose between performance and screen size could play a role in slower 15-inch MacBook Air sales. The 13.3-inch MacBook Pro’s specifications are nearly identical, but it has a battery life advantage, providing up to two more hours, includes a faster 67W charger, and weighs less.

The M2 chip update of the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro came in June 2022, and it does lack some of the 2023 MacBook Air’s features, such as thin bezels, six-speaker sound, improved Bluetooth 5.3, and a higher-resolution 1080p webcam in a notch.

All in all, it could be argued that choosing a MacBook in 2023 has become overly complicated. Confusing shoppers is a bad idea, but Apple has a chance to clear this up soon, as a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with an M3 processor could arrive earlier than expected.

Google just dropped its latest AI model, Gemini 4 Carbon, designed to tackle complex coding jobs and cybersecurity threats. The company claims it can work through difficult engineering problems for days, finding hidden bugs and developing fixes across large codebases.

Gemini 4 Carbon also takes the top spot on Artificial Analysis' updated Intelligence Index, scoring 59 points, pushing out Claude Opus 5.5, OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra, and even its own predecessor Gemini 4 Argon.

Apple has just introduced a redesigned MacBook Pro with a few bells and whistles. The focus this time around is on a thinner and lighter build, and an upgrade to a touch-sensitive OLED screen without any ugly notch. And, in case you were wondering, there is definitely a price premium to pay for these niceties, which also include a glowing Apple logo at the back. What if you wanted to get the best that Apple has to offer? Well, the numbers are finally here.

For a mere $14,549, you can get yourself the fully kitted 16-inch MacBook Pro PROLED XDR with the beefiest laptop chip that Apple has to offer, and the best memory configuration in tow. For nearly $15,000, you treat yourself to the 16-inch version of the laptop with a nano-texture glass layer on the screen to reduce reflections and glare.

Apple has unveiled its first-ever touchscreen MacBook Pro. The company seems a bit confused about the naming, calling it the "MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display," which is tough to remember. If you look past that and review the full spec sheets, you might ask a genuine question: what are the differences between the touchscreen and non-touchscreen versions?

Given that Apple continues to sell both variants together, that's a genuine question. Luckily, you don't have to spend more time lining up the spec sheets side by side and hunting for differences hidden in the fine print. I took that bullet for you. Here's everything that's different between the PROLED XDR Display and the regular MacBook Pro.