In an exclusive interview with Tom’s Guide, Kate Bergeron, Apple’s VP of hardware engineering, and Laura Metz of Apple’s Mac product marketing team reveal what makes the 15-inch MacBook Air unique.
The decision to launch a 15-inch MacBook Air was driven by the desire to offer users a combination of performance and portability, said Laura Metz.
Recognizing that many users don’t necessarily need the capabilities of a MacBook Pro but still desire a larger display, Apple saw an opportunity to cater to this market segment, Metz added.
With the power of Apple silicon, the company seized the chance to introduce a 15-inch MacBook Air, the execs revealed, adding that creating the thinnest 15-inch laptop posed a significant challenge for Apple.
The engineering team aimed to match the thickness of the 13-inch MacBook while ensuring reliability, performance, and durability over a larger screen size.
The 15-inch MacBook Air boasts several advantages over its 13-inch counterpart. Notably, Apple was able to add two additional woofers to enhance the speakers, thanks to the larger screen size.
Additionally, the increased footprint allowed for a larger trackpad without compromising the impressive battery life characteristic of the MacBook Air.
To achieve the remarkable 18-hour battery life claim, Apple implemented thermal control loops and software optimizations. Leveraging the bursty workloads typical of MacBook Air users, power consumption was minimized during idle or light usage periods.
The new 15-inch MacBook Air is now available to purchase in Canada starting at CAD $1,749 for the base model. Customers in Canada can purchase their units online or by heading into an Apple retail store.
