Apple has again simplified the purchase of MacBooks

Yesterday, Apple made one of those sleepy summer updates on its MacBook, which usually goes without fanfare or celebration. No design has changed, the problematic butterfly keyboard is still present – albeit in a new, improved form – and the specs' backlashes are cool but do not tremble. Apple has also drastically reduced its product line: it dropped the 12-inch MacBook, eventually stopped selling the old old-fashioned MacBook Air, and it abandoned the MacBook Escape, giving its MacBook Pro an entry-level Bar touch. In this process of downsizing and simplifying its portfolio, Apple has regained its strength: keep things simple.

The day before yesterday, a student looking for an ultraportable Apple computer for help with note-taking and essay writing at college had to deal with a group of options without any clear distinction. They could have bought an iPad Pro with a keyboard, the MacBook 12 inches or, for a little more, the MacBook Air. This layered Apple device node was unusual for the company and frustrating for consumers who generally wanted a simple answer, ideally without having to perform a spec-spec-spec comparison.

Picture of Sam Byford / The Verge

The beauty of Apple's new line is that choices become obvious and can be quickly summarized. If you just want a macOS laptop that covers the vast majority of usage scenarios and needs, you go on the MacBook Air. This is what comes closest to a "basic" option of the Apple line. For something below 13 inches, Apple will direct you to the iPad and the iPad Pro, which now have their own operating system. This is the most radical change for Apple: the company seems convinced that the operating system for iPad is ready to turn the iPad into a real substitute for laptop. Finally, for professional photographers, video editors and other users who need more power from their laptops, Apple has the MacBook Pro.

We can discuss options that offer the best value for money and an optimal compromise between portability and energy, but it is hard to argue that the lines between them are not clearly defined. iPad for portability, Air for versatility and Pro for more power.

By reducing its range of laptops only to MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, Apple has regained its main strength: offering simplicity in a world overwhelmed by names and model numbers. And the company has once again signaled how important it is to the iPad as important to the future of its notebook business.