Apple Introduced Its Most Controversial MacBook 10 Years Ago Today

Apple announced the infamous 12-inch Retina MacBook a decade ago today, an experimental new Mac that was as controversial as it was revolutionary.

2016 12 inch macbook feature
Apple unveiled the 12-inch MacBook on March 9, 2015, at the "Spring Forward" event in San Francisco, California. The event was primarily focused on the Apple Watch, which was being fully detailed ahead of its launch the following month, so the debut of the brand-new MacBook line took many by surprise. Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced the new MacBook as a "reinvention" of the notebook.

The device was extremely controversial due to its underpowered performance, single USB-C port for both charging and data transfer, short battery life, unreliable butterfly keyboard, and high price point ($1,299 starting price in 2015—the same as a MacBook Pro at the time).

However, the 12-inch MacBook offered a glimpse at what was to come in the Mac lineup. It was the first Apple device with a USB-C port, terraced battery, butterfly keyboard, and haptic trackpad. It was also the first MacBook with a design focused on efficiency, a Retina display in a non-Pro model, multiple color options, and without a fan or an illuminated Apple logo.

In 2016, Apple refreshed the 12-inch MacBook to add Intel Skylake Core m3, m5, and m7 processors, improved battery life and faster PCIe storage, and a Rose Gold color option. In 2017, it introduced Intel Kaby Lake Core m3, i5, and i7 processors, and a second-generation butterfly keyboard for slightly better reliability.

It was discontinued upon the introduction of the 2019 MacBook Air. The 12-inch MacBook was functionally replaced by the 2018 ‌MacBook Air‌, which effectively adopted its design, but with an additional USB-C port, a single fan for active cooling, and a larger display.

What do you think about the 12-inch MacBook a whole decade later? Let us know in the comments.

Related Forum: MacBook

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Top Rated Comments

AND411 Avatar
15 weeks ago
Bring it back. With Apple Silicon. Please!

@Tim Apple
I promise that I will buy two new devices:
A new MacBook 12 inch and a MacMini M4 pro,
they would replace my MacBook Pro M1.
Surely that's a reason to bring it back, Tim?
And I'll keep my iPad Pro 11 M2 anyway!
Score: 110 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chriscl Avatar
15 weeks ago
I still have mine, an early 2016 with 512GB of storage; it still does a job as a mobile writing and browsing platform. Love the form factor, and I‘d like to see Apple offer a similar product again.
Score: 45 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KPOM Avatar
15 weeks ago
I loved it. The 12” MacBook screamed for
Apple Silicon. Intel couldn’t do it justice.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
T'hain Esh Kelch Avatar
15 weeks ago
Best design Apple has ever made.

Worst keyboard, lousy battery, lacked another USB-C port.

Update it with Apple Silicon and a proper keyboard, give it another USB-C port on the other side, and it is a total winner.
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DaniTheFox Avatar
15 weeks ago
It was all Intel’s fault.
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
F23 Avatar
15 weeks ago
Ressurect it Timmy, and we will forgive you for the AirPods Max embarrassment of an update.
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)