Updates to the MacBook Pro in 2016 and eventually the MacBook Air in 2018 followed the formula that the 12-inch MacBook set out, changes that have been controversial in the Mac community. Many pros and amateurs alike miss the SD card slots and USB-A ports found on other MacBooks, and the butterfly keyboard redesign has been a disaster for reliability. But it was clear that Apple was going to stick to the design trends introduced with the 12-inch MacBook, at least for the time being -- current rumors indicate that the next generation of MacBook Pro will come with a new, more traditional keyboard design with deeper travel.

The time does seem right to do away with the 12-inch MacBook, though. The long-overdue refresh of the Air last fall made the MacBook a bit of an outlier -- it was thinner and lighter than any computer in the company's lineup, but its internals were severely underpowered compared to the rest of Apple's lineup. Over the last few years, the MacBook has been relegated to niche status; those who crave extremely portable devices were probably better off looking at the iPad Pro lineup at this point. Still, the 12-inch MacBook will remain a noteworthy product for the company simply for ushering in one of the more controversial eras of laptop design Apple has ever gone through.

If you really love the 12-inch MacBook and are lamenting its death, don't fret just yet -- you can still pick one up on Apple's refurbished products site.

Video

Presenter: Cherlynn Low

Script: Cherlynn Low

Script Editor: Dana Wollman

Editor: Chris Schodt

Producer/Camera: Michael Morris