It's that time of the year again. The Apple rumor mill continues to churn out speculation after speculation about the latest iPhone and MacBook Pro. Yet, the side of the MacBook Air 2016 has been unusually quiet. Could the classic thin entry in the MacBook lineup be headed for the chopping block?
According to Mac Otakara, a Japanese site focusing on Apple news, the 11-inch model of the MacBook Air 2016 will no longer be produced, with the company focusing on their 13- and 15-inch models. This may be an adaptation to the 12-inch Macbook, which is thinner and lighter than the 11-inch MacBook Air, while only being minimally less powerful.
Future MacBook Air 2016 and MacBook Pro 2016 models will also carry USB Type-C ports, as well as Thunderbolt 3. It's possible that traditional USB Type A ports and older Thunderbolt and MagSafe ports will be removed from the MacBook Air 2016.
However, in addition to this set of rumors, there is another growing idea that the MacBook Air 2016 may actually be discontinued entirely.
Tech blogger Jack March has claimed that Apple is going to end the Air brand entirely, with no new iPad Air and MacBook Air 2016 offerings for the current lineup. Acording to March, the iPad Air has been rebranded into the iPad Pro, with more features at the same specifications, while the MacBook Air may be replaced by MacBook Pros that are thinner, iPad Pros, or simply refreshed MacBooks.
On top of all this, there have been far fewer updates on the MacBook Air 2016, unlike other devices which have gotten leaks and rumors from trusted sources galore. Whatever the case, it's best to take any news and speculation with a grain of salt. No solid news or evidence has yet been released about the future of the MacBook Air 2016.