still not sure why we have both a "macbook" and "macbook air". they seem to occupy the same market segment. i thought apple was all about minimizing choices.
At this point, Apple is nearly back to the mid-90's state of having an assortment of overlapping products that compete against each other due to overlapping pricing.
They are a lot more similar than they were when the MacBook came out a few years ago. However, the MacBook is fanless (which also means much slower) and smaller/thinner/lighter than the Air.
Will the MacBook stay around? I suspect Apple is quite disillusioned with the performance that Intel offers in this TDP range, and the MacBook will either get dropped or go ARM.
I have a feeling that in the next year, the macbook may disappear again. I know others have mentioned the size and weight being a huge draw for the macbook, but I can't imagine at it's current price, many people will pick it.
I could see Apple just dropping it again and focusing on the Air/Pro lineup.
Working with kids, I actually see parents purchasing middle schoolers MacBooks over MacBook Airs. As the kids enter high school, they often opt for the MacBook Air over the pros. I suspect as they get into college, they'll end up with the MacBook Pro.
At this point, Apple is nearly back to the mid-90's state of having an assortment of overlapping products that compete against each other due to overlapping pricing.