While yesterday’s reports of a black MacBook Air left many mouths watering, the device could remain all but a dream for the foreseeable future, after one anonymous Apple employee has confirmed that the company has tried, but failed, to create a black model of its ultraportable notebook.
Testing on a black powder-coated MacBook Air has already been carried out, but after finding the treatment absorbed body oils like a freshly-polished iPad display, the results left Apple CEO Steve Jobs unhappy with the device.
In an email to MacRumors, an unnamed Apple employee writes:
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.
While the source doesn’t have an existing track record for reputable leaks, after chatting with him, MacRumors believes that “his story checks out.”
While this will be a blow to those who got their hopes up for an upcoming black MacBook Air yesterday, it’s reassuring to hear that Apple is still working on the device… we may just be waiting a while for its release.
Killian Bell is a freelance writer based in the U.K. He has an interest in all things tech and also covers Android over at CultofAndroid.com. You can follow him on Twitter via @killianbell.
24 responses to “Black MacBook Air Will Remain a Dream For Some Time”
It is aluminum. Anodize it any color they want.
liquid metal, now!
I’m still of the opinion that when a black one appears it’ll either be liquid metal or some fancy carbon fibre MacBook Lighter than Air.
Funny how they are happy with the iPads display then :p
Wish the would just use the same kind of glass as the iPhone 4 instead of whatever plastic is on the iPad, the iPhone 4 is much less of a finger print magnet
I just wont MacBook Air with Sandy… i don’t give a shit of color
Its funny. Apple can create ground breaking music players, phones and tablets…
… yet cant paint a laptop black.
Liquid metal manufacturing process?
color anodized aluminum looks like crap.
they CAN paint a laptop black, but it’s not up to their standards. Look at the black MacBooks from a few years ago, they’ve all cracked to crap.
It’s the same glass. It isn’t plastic.
Two words: Carbon Fiber.
If aerospace can use carbon fiber to build the skins of stealth aircraft, rockets and satellites, a computer company can use it to build the skin of a laptop.
Anodize it, as Djacobs2 said. And no, it doesn’t look like crap. It is also much more durable, which is desirable in a portable device. http://goo.gl/H6ahQ