14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is surveying MacBook Air owners on a number of topics including 3G, data syncing, I/O usage, more computing power etc. in a move that should see the next-generation of Apple MacBooks gain new functionality both hardware- and software-wise.
Apple is not the kind of company to carry out surveys to learn what the customer wants / needs, as AppleInsider points out, yet the Cupertino giant does (sometimes) reach out to fans to better understand which features they prefer the most.
This time, Apple wants the full scoop. It is asking customers about the use of USB ports and external disc drives, web-based file storage and syncing, use of certain function keys on the keyboard and more, the report outlines.
Most interestingly, the survey includes a number of questions related to wireless 3G data connectivity.
“In general, what would cause you to use a 3G connection instead of a wireless connection?”
This, AppleInsider speculates, suggests Apple could be planning to integrate cellular radios in future notebooks.
(Softpedia note) However, Softpedia would like to stress that it is not a question of if, but when 3G will make it into Apple’s laptops.
All signs point to a scraping of the optical drive in MacBook Pro laptops as well, and with such few USB ports available on MacBook Air systems, staying connected to the cloud will be imperative in the years to come.
The report continues to offer a compilation of some of the key questions in the survey, which include queries like “What would you change to make your MacBook Air your primary Mac?” and “How often do you use 3G with your MacBook Air?”.
The MacBook Air boasts Wi-Fi capabilities like the low-end iPad, but does not have built-in 3G connectivity.
In order to free up a USB port, Apple will most likely integrate 3G in the next line of MacBook Air laptops, Softpedia believes.