Apple updates MacBook Air, MacBook Pro

Now with TouchBar!

Apple has introduced much-improved entry-level models of both the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, cut prices and is offering an even steeper price reduction to college students.

What has happened

Apple took its educational store offline today while it updated its store with this year’s Back to School deals and updated Macs.

The company has added True Tone to the entry-level Retina display MacBook Air, while the entry-level MacBook Pro got a T2 security chip, True Tone Retina display, and new 8^th-generation Intel quad-core processor and both Touch Bar and Touch ID for the first time.

Even more impressive, Apple has reduced prices on both Macs. The entry level Air costs $1,099 (or $999 to college students) while the $1,299 MacBook pro is available for just $1,199 to college students.

What Apple said…

“College students love the Mac — it’s the notebook they rely on from the dorm room to the classroom, and the No. 1 choice among higher education students,” said Tom Boger, Apple’s senior director of Mac Product Marketing.

“With a lower $999 student price for MacBook Air and the updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with faster performance, Touch Bar and Touch ID at $1,199 for students, there’s never been a better time to bring a Mac to college.”

Back to School

MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are also part of Apple’s Back to School promotion, which includes a pair of Beats Studio 3 Wireless headphones with the purchase of a qualifying Mac notebook or iMac.

Why it matters

Student Monitor data claims almost 60 percent of US college notebook buyers own a Mac. That’s interesting, and is even more interesting in a context in which most students now want to own a Mac and many of those who don’t cite price as the challenge.

Not to neglect that 43% of students using a PC think Macs are better value.

Apple’s discounts should make that a slightly smaller problem.

All about the new MacBook Air

• The MacBook Air offers Touch ID, an 8th-generation dual-core processor, immersive wide stereo sound and all-day battery life.
• The addition of True Tone to the 13-inch Retina display means the Mac automatically adjusts the color temperature of the display for a more comfortable viewing experience.
• 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch with support for millions of colors
• 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, with 4MB L3 cache
• From 128GB storage
• 8GB Memory
• 2.75 pounds
• Two Thunderbolt ports.

All about the new MacBook Pro

• The 13-inch MacBook Pro packs powerful processors, super-fast SSDs, all-day battery life and the best Mac notebook display ever into a portable 3-pound design.
• The upgraded entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro now hosts latest 1.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz, with 128MB of eDRAMprocessors for up to two times faster performance, Touch Bar and Touch ID, True Tone, the Apple T2 Security Chip and immersive stereo speakers with wide stereo sound.
• 1.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz, with 128MB of eDRAM
• From 128GB SSD
• 8GB Memory
• Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645
• 2xThunderbolt ports
• Backlit keyboard
• 3pounds.