X
Business

Apple halting all new Mac releases until Lion launch in July?

For anyone waiting for that new MacBook Air everyone keeps talking about, you might be waiting at least another month thanks to Lion.
Written by Rachel King, Contributor

For anyone waiting for that new MacBook Air everyone keeps talking about, you might be waiting at least another month thanks to Lion.

AppleInsider is reporting that Apple "has been holding back the release of at least one new Mac refresh until the software is finalized."

Instead, the Mac maker is said to be locked on waiting till it can image the new notebooks with a Gold Master build of Lion so that buyers are afforded the latest and greatest Apple experience. This includes complimentary iCloud services that will come built into the software, offering a means of automatic data synchronization that is both unparalleled in the computing industry, and paramount in an age when consumers are adopting a digital lifestyle in which they own and operate multiple mobile devices.

That points directly at the rumor that Apple will be releasing a new generation of the MacBook Air, packed with Intel Sandy Bridge processors and its speedy Thunderbolt I/O. Apparently it could also affect a new set of Mac minis and the LED Cinema Display shipments.

However, it does make a lot of sense. Sure, the Lion upgrade is only $29.99 so it wouldn't be that much to upgrade. Apple could even go the route it did with the iLife upgrade last fall and ship it with all new Mac purchases thereafter.

But that was just some simple software (which actually cost to upgrade at $49.99), and this is a whole new version of Mac OS X. Apple could make a bigger splash by shipping brand new computer models with a new operating system than just making its customers download the upgrade from the Mac App Store after purchasing.

Although Lion has been slated for a July release, Apple hasn't announced an official date. Nevertheless, it's not that long to wait now for either the OS X upgrade or a new MacBook Air.

Related:

Editorial standards