Category: 📁 Tech Plans

Imagine if Apple releases a newly redesigned thin and light MacBook Air with a twisting hinge like the Lenovo ThinkBook Twist, a touchscreen display possibly with 120Hz, and the first 2nm M6 chip in 2026, and saves the MacBook Pro touchscreen redesign for the M7 Pro in 2027.

• Portable with battery to place anywhere
• Thin screen with hinge style thin stand
• Folds like laptop to move or travel in bag
• Adequate speakers/camera in thin design
• Screen defaults to display analog clock
• Turns screen on when you look at it

February 27, 2026

For anyone who hasn't realized it, like people enjoying the overly complicated tri-fold phone, you could make a regular foldable phone with a wider aspect ratio on the inside screen like an iPad mini or eReader by making the phone wider and shorter on the outside screen.

Outside Screen

Inside Screen

I appreciate the gusto if this is purely experimental, but I think the design, function, and placement of this separate bottom toolbar in the Music app may be the single worst UI change in macOS 26.

Suggested Changes

• Move and merge the full toolbar back to the top
• Stay in same place when queue or lyrics selected
• Make volume popup from toolbar and have mute
• Collapse volume popup when clicked second time
• Don't blur song title and info when mouse over
• Move star icon to the toolbar and always show
• Make all icons including playback the same size
• Move shuffle to right of playback, left of repeat

Here is a partial wish list of features for a redesigned MacBook Air or Mini in late 2025 or later. While not currently rumored, I feel it might even make sense to redesign it before the MacBook Pro redesign for various reasons.

• Smaller - Redesign with smaller ~12.7" "mini" screen
• Matte - Nano-texture display upgrade option available
• Storage - 16 GB memory and 512 GB storage standard
• Wireless - Wi-fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 custom wireless chip
• Screen - New oxide TFT screen with 120Hz refresh rate
• Notchless - iPad style rounded bezel design without notch
• Touch - Touchscreen as all mobile devices should have
• Apps - Force all iPad/iOS apps to allow being installed

MacBook Air Smaller Sizes Guess

I think that Apple or any company making operating systems should display an even amount of 16 apps in home screen tabs, app folders, and app menus on iOS, tvOS, and other operating systems, instead of the hard to organize and odd amount of 9 apps.

What

• Display 16 apps in folders, or alternatively 24
• Grid of 4x4 apps in folders, or alternatively 4x6
• Always show an even amount of app columns
• Always show an even amount of app rows

Why

• Grouping apps in groups of 2, 4, or 6 makes sense logically
• With groups of 4 people can easier create a mental model
• Rotating from portrait and landscape shows the same apps
• People may be buying or using less apps with folders of 9

I wonder if the names of executive positions should be simplified with chief as C-Level, general as G-Level, senior as S-Level, and vice as V-Level. Each department could have simpler titles, with marketing having "Marketing Officers" instead of long vice president titles.

What

• Level - Title - Abbreviation - Codename
• C-Level - Chief Marketing Officer - CMO - Chief/Leader
• G-Level - General Marketing Officer - GMO - General/Admiral
• S-Level - Senior Marketing Officer - SMO - Major/Colonel
• V-Level - Vice Marketing Officer - VMO - Captain/Commander

Past

• Level - Title - Abbreviation
• Chief - Chief Marketing Officer - CMO
• Executive - Executive Vice President of Marketing - EVP
• Senior - Senior Vice President of Marketing - SVP
• Vice - Vice President of Marketing - VP

I wonder if all MacBooks which are fanless should use separately designed chips, possibly named B-Series and B1, which are more appropriately targeted at the MacBook Air and future powerful fanless devices without throttling significantly or needing a fan.

Why

• MacBooks and MacBookOS can be designed and targeted at powerful fanless MacBooks
• The entire fanless MacBook line could use the same B-Series chips, creating consistency
• Macs and macOS can be designed and targeted at more powerful Mac devices with fans
• The entire Mac line with fans could use the same M-series chips, creating consistency

More

• The MacBook B-Series chips can be targeted at fanless MacBooks and fanless devices
• The fanless B-Series chips can be targeted exclusively to more powerful fanless devices
• Powerful fanless chips targeted at larger devices will be needed in future fanless devices
• Device Ideas - MacBook Air, Apple Vision, iPed Portable Console, MacPad Detachable

Links

• Split macOS In Two

I wonder if Apple Silicon chips and devices should be simplified with high end A-Series chips for iPads and iPadOS, and new fanless MacBook chips and MacBookOS targeted more appropriately at fanless laptops and other powerful fanless devices of the future.

Chips

• A-Series Reg/Pro (Fanless) - iPhones including Pro (Mobiles/Clamshells/iOS)
• A-Series Pro/Max (Fanless) - iPads including Pro (Tablets/Notebooks/iPadOS)
• B-Series Reg/Pro/Max (Fanless) - MacBooks and Pro (Laptops/Laplets/MacBookOS)
• M-Series Reg/Pro/Max (With Fans) - Macs and Pro (Desktops/Laptops/MacOS)

Devices

• A-Series Reg/Pro - iPhone Mini/Air, iPhone Pro/Ultra, iPod, HomePad (Smart Display)
• A-Series Pro/Max - iPad Mini/Air, iPad Pro/Ultra, iBook, Apple Display (Smart Monitor)
• B-Series Reg/Pro/Max - MacBook Mini/Air, Apple Vision Air, MacPad, iPed (Console)
• M-Series Reg/Pro/Max - MacBook Pro/Ultra, Mac Mini/Studio, iMac, Apple TV (Smart TV)

New

• iPod - Foldable iPhone with two separate screens like a clamshell phone (iPhone Pod?)
• iBook - Foldable iPad with two separate screens like a reading book (iPad Book?)
• MacBook Mini/Air - New design with no fans, touchscreen, thin, and new MacBookOS
• MacBook Pro/Ultra - New design with fan, touchscreen, thick, and new MacBookOS
• MacPad? - Portable touch Mac that folds back over detachable keyboard, B-Series chip
• iPed? - Portable media and game console with detachable controller, B-Series chip

Links

• Make Separate Fanless MacBook Chips
• Split macOS In Two

I wonder if Apple might release a redesigned MacBook Air in two new 12" and 14" sizes that are even thinner, lighter, and smaller, and which may not have a tandem OLED screen like the iPad Pro.

What

• M4? - Redesigned - 12" and 14" - $1199/$1399?
• M2? - Discounted - 13" and 15" - $799/$999?
• M3? - Discontinued

Why

• Make next MacBook Air thin, light, and small
• Offer cheaper old MacBook Air for education
• Keep MacBook Air somewhat lower priced
• Leave tandem OLED for MacBook Pro first

I wonder if Apple should split macOS into two separate operating systems, instead of simply making macOS touch capable. Make one OS for touch operated MacBook laptops with touchscreens, and one for mouse operated Mac desktops with monitors.

What

• Split macOS in two, maybe renamed MacOS and MacBookOS
• Like current iOS and iPadOS, MacOS and MacBookOS have similar apps
• Make MacBookOS a touch first UI for laptop MacBooks, and later iPads too
• Keep MacOS a mouse first UI for desktop Macs, and also iMacs and servers
• Force allow all iPadOS and iOS apps to work only on MacBookOS, but not MacOS
• Make any iPads that are 11" or larger and all MacBooks both use MacBookOS

Why

• iPads become more powerful by having the full power of MacBookOS
• MacBooks become more useful with touch iPad and iOS apps on MacBookOS
• iPads and MacBooks come with powerful MacBookOS, giving people option
• People have option of the all-in-one MacBook laptop or modular iPad tablet
• The most popular segment of "portable computers" are merged into one OS
• Apple Vision replaces the iPad as an entertainment device that can do work too

Here are some reasons why I might choose to leave Mac computers, which are also some major improvements that I think may be able to be changed on future Mac devices.

1. 8 GB and 256 GB base instead of 16 GB and 512 GB
2. Memory and storage upgrades are way too overpriced
3. Promised all iPad and iOS apps would work on Mac
4. Most iPad and iOS apps still not available on Mac
5. The MacBook screen has an intruding notch cutout
6. No USB-C port on both sides of all MacBook devices

Quandaries

• Base M-Series is not optimized for fanless devices
• High throttling misappropriates actual performance
• No OLED/Mini-LED displays or 120Hz refresh for Air?
• No touch MacBooks that support touchscreen apps?

I wonder if Apple could have CPU redesign, newer N3P process, and add cores for their A18 and M4 chips. If so, 2024 iPhone and 2025 M4 Macs could be great upgrade for tock cycle, especially compared to year old A15 in iPhone 14, and M2 Macs.

Ideas

• A18 and M4 get more cores with 3+6 - A11 started 2+4
• A18 and M4 use newer N3P process - Skip N3E of others
• M4 focuses on CPU improvements - CPU redesign
• M3 focused on GPU improvements - GPU redesign
• If so, A18 will be worthwhile tock upgrade
• If so, M4 will be solid tock upgrade too
• If so, A18 iPhone could be great choice
• If so, M4 Macs could be good choice too

Cores

• A18 Reg - 3 PC - 6 EC - 6 GC
• M4 Reg - 6 PC - 6 EC - 12 GC
• M4 Pro - 9/12 PC - 6 EC - 24 GC
• M4 Max - 12/18 PC - 6 EC - 48 GC

Dates

• A18 Reg - Fall 2024
• M4 Reg - Spring 2025
• M4 Pro & Max - Summer 2025
• M4 Ultra - Summer 2025

Devices

• Fall 2024 - A18 iPhone 16 Reg - Update - A18 goes in iPhone
• Fall 2024 - A18 iPhone 16 Pro - Redesign
• Spring 2025 - M4 15 inch and/or 13 inch MacBook Air - Update
• Spring 2025 - M4 12 inch MacBook mini - Redesign or M3 12 inch Update
• Summer 2025 - M4 Pro Mac Pro nee Studio and MacBook Pro - Update
• Summer 2025 - M4 Ultra Mac Ultra nee Pro - Redesign or M3 Ultra Update

Hi Matt. Could any of these ideas be favorable for WordPress.com's new 100 year hosting plan?

Give

• Free 101 year hosting
• Free WordPress.com setup and backup at /domain
• Free 1 year domain or domain name transfer
• $19 for 1 year domain or domain transfer - Gets card
• $99/year additional domain years up to 101 total
• Note - 1st year could be one of $19, $49, $99, $29

Money

• Ads and sponsors - 95% Cut - Large Profit
• Single site one-click subscriptions - 50% Cut - Medium Profit
• Domain name additional years - 100% Cut - Small Profit
• Single site one-click follow button - Feature - Network Effect

Names

• "Hosting 101" - wordpress.com/hosting-101
• "WordPress.com 101" - wordpress.com/101
• "Website 101" - wordpress.com/website-101
• "Domain 101" - wordpress.com/domain-101
• "Automattic WordPress 101" - wordpress.com/101
• Future Dream - "Wordpress 101" - wordpress.com/101

Sales of the 100-year plan so far - 0.

I wonder if we should design keyboards to input the bullet point character (U+2022 •) instead of the backtick character (U+0060 `), which is currently the key above the tab key and to the left of the number 1.

Notes

• Why 1 • The bullet point is a very common symbol used in lists and HTML
• Why 2 • The bullet point character is an excellent information separator
• I wonder if the bullet point should be used as a data/table separator
• Column Data 1 • Column Data 2 • Column Data 3 • Column Data 4
• I wonder if the bullet point should be used as a better colon replacement
• Title of This Book • Cool Subtitle of This Book With a Really Long Name
• I wonder if the bullet point could even be used as a filename/URL separator
• Example • 2023-08-20•bullet-point-character-on-keyboards•munro-stewart

August 20, 2023

I wonder if our personal and work technology future will consist solely of using wearable devices including headsets, glasses, watches, and other future devices. These wearable devices would completely replace all the "screens" we now use including PCs, TVs, phones, and tablets.

Wearables

• I envision Headsets replacing all computers, laptops, and televisions
• We will use these devices while at home or work for everything
• I envision Glasses replacing all phones, tablets, and readers
• We will wear these devices constantly, both inside and mobile outside
• Headsets will be powerful and display any screens or environments
• Glasses will be less powerful and display information differently

Devices

• Headset, Glasses, and Watch wearables will be all most people need or use
• In that sense, we almost merge with technology as it is always present
• Desktop or Laptop will be reserved for power users and old computers
• Even then, a wireless or wired Headset will usually be used as your monitor
• We wouldn't need a Watch, but it makes sense to track our health metrics
• Other wearable devices in the future will make us even more like a cyborg

I wonder if XR headsets will be to the TV set what a laptop is to the desktop. Some people will still use televisions in the future, but most people will transition to use a portable, smaller, and battery powered XR headset instead of a TV.

Notes

• Headsets make the TV portable and smaller, just like a laptop
• Headsets are battery powered unlike a TV, just like a laptop
• They use nearly as powerful of a processor as a console, just like a laptop
• They are fully self-contained and functional on their own, just like a laptop
• Unlike a laptop, the screen will actually appear bigger than a TV
• Unlike a laptop, a Micro OLED screen would appear better than a TV

I wonder if the rumored 5.7 inch iPhone SE could actually be a potential new size and design for the regular iPhone, possibly for fall 2023. The next iPhone SE could be based off that new design with USB-C, possibly for spring 2025 or 2026.

Notes

If there is an earlier iPhone SE in the spring of 2024, I wonder if it would be based off of the 5.4 inch iPhone 13 mini, or the 6 inch iPhone 13. However, they would need to at least slightly redesign the exterior of the device, to add USB-C, and possibly also Touch ID in the power button for cost reasons. Previously, the iPhone SE was not updated for 4 years from 2016 to 2020. Waiting three or four years after 2022 until the next iteration could make sense, to allow it to be based off of a newer design with USB-C, instead of ever having an iPhone SE based on an iPhone from the Face ID and notch era of devices.

I wonder if Apple may end up with a MacBook lineup which mirrors the current iPad lineup, with a 12" MacBook mini and 5 total devices including a super budget device. There would be no 15" MacBook, which goes against some currently suggested rumors.

iPad

• iPad Pro - Large and Small - 12.9" and 11"
• iPad Air - Large - 10.9"
• iPad mini - Small - 8.3"
• "iPad" - Cheap - 10.2": Older design with newish internals

MacBook?

• MacBook Pro - Large and Small - 16.2" and 14.2"
• MacBook Air - Large - 13.6"
• MacBook mini - Small - ~12.2"
• "MacBook" - Cheap - 13.3": Older design with newish internals

Why

• So there are only 2 size choices of the mainstream SKU, Air and mini
• So there is an ultraportable mainstream 12" MacBook with good performance
• So there is a super budget device, but not way too many different choices
• "MacBook" could be old design with updated internals at budget price
• MacBook Air and mini reach main customers who want very portable Mac
• Budget "MacBook" SE would reach budget customers who just want Mac

I wonder if TextExpander should offer both a single full purchase that includes all features offline, and a separate but optional subscription purchase, that includes an online account with cloud syncing.

What

• Single purchase for all main features
• Subscription purchase for cloud sync features
• Single purchase includes all features without account
• Subscription includes saving and syncing settings with account

Why

• Have more happy users and positive reviews
• Get many more users for network effect
• Still have recurring revenue from power users
• Make versions 2, 3, etc. for single purchase upgrade strategy