Will new MacBook Air, Lion OS launch next week?
We all know that the latest version of Mac OS X, dubbed Lion, is going to roll out this month. If the latest reports are true, that could be as soon as next week.
9to5Macis reporting that Apple Stores are gearing up for an "overnight" on Wednesday, July 13, which translates into evenings where Apple Store employees are trained about new products and refresh store displays - although that should be a bit easier now given that much of the signage has gone digital on iPads.
The most obvious and official new product that is slated to launch this month is Lion, which will be integrated into all new Macs out-of-the-box once it is available. Otherwise, the only other way to obtain the software is not by buying it in a brick-and-mortar store but rather by downloading it from the Mac App Store. Sure, it's another way for Apple to boost awareness and sales for the Mac App Store. But let's be honest - it's a lot easier just to buy it directly on a computer and then download it without going anywhere. (Have you been to an Apple Store on a weekend? It's absolutely insane and not worth the trouble.)
But the other product that the blogosphere has been awaiting for months is a refresh of the MacBook Air. This ultra-thin laptop model was revamped for the first time last year since its premiere in 2008. Although there were rumors that we would see a new version, featuring Intel's Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt I/O, as soon as June, that month came and went. It's not terribly surprising, however, that Apple would hold off a new computer until the new operating system came out.
Thus, it would make for one large in-store bonanza if Lion and a new MacBook Air were released simultaneously next week, presumably July 14 or 15 depending how quickly Apple plans to get stores ready.
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