Apple did indeed test out a black powder-coated MacBook Air, but the treatment absorbed body oils and didn't live up to Steve's standards, according to an anonymous Apple employee.
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This employee got in touch after we wrote about emails we'd received claiming that the next-generation MacBook Air would have a black option.
The email:
The rumors that the next iteration of the MBA's will have an optional black finish is grounded in truth.
We tried to powder coat the Air's (and Pro's for that matter) in black as a test run. There are more than a few floating around campus.
The coating looks good and holds up well, but it also soaks up body oils, making the palm rest look pretty gross. Ultimately that is the reason that the top brass (Jobs) killed the idea... it was just too easy to make the computer look like crap.
At some point we may offer a black coating, but it won't be powder coat, and it won't be anytime soon.
The sender doesn't have an existing track record, but after chatting with him, we suspect his story checks out.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)The title of this article seems very unMacrumors-like. Must be written by the new guy.
You should have seen the first version!The title, however, did give me a good chuckle.
Steve Jobs Killed Black MacBook Air Because Your Greasy Palms Made It Gross
OK, just kidding. But I appreciate y'all bearing with me while I do my best to learn the MacRumors style.
The title, however, did give me a good chuckle.
i find it hard to believe that apple would hire someone that doesn't know when to use an apostrophe.
everyone else, there is no apostrophe in 'pros' or 'airs' - an apostrophe is used to denote ownership, or in a contraction. this is 4th grade grammar. no excuses.
u shud use Capitol letters
I knew the black macbook air was too good to be true....
The title is 100% accurate.
Exactly why it was unmacrumours like! :p
For the all haters, that was a joke :D
I have seen black aluminum PC laptops, surely Apple can pull it off if Sony and Lenovo can.
Sorry but, "black aluminum PC laptops" and Apple don't belong in the same sentence..... Because there is a differenceSteve made the right decision, but I'm glad he realizes that the Black Mac needs to come back.