MacBook Air 2017 release date, specs rumors: Insignificant 2016 updates to Air series hinting at laptop line's discontinuation?

The newest MacBook Air that came out in 2016 had only one update that was a lot less than expected, which could be signaling that Apple will soon discontinue their MacBook Air series.

In 2016, Apple released their new MacBook Air model with only one update, which is the additional 8GB memory standard that was only applicable to the 13-inch model.

Since the company has been consistent with their model launches every year, fans are expecting that a new MacBook Air with more enhanced features will be released sometime between March and May this year.

But given the insignificant update of last year's model, there are speculations that the MacBook Air will soon be discontinued, according to the KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Apple Insider confirmed.

If there are plans to discontinue the series, the analyst notes that the MacBook Air series will remain in the market for a while to serve as an entry level device for new Apple users.

Aside from this, a tech blogger named Jack March confirms that to have gotten insider information that Apple will soon dump the Air series — both MacBook and iPad lineups — soon, Macworld reports. This can be indicated by Apple's new releases of the thinner and lighter iPad Pro and MacBook Pro models.

Even other analysts such as Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research and Carolina Milanesi of Kantar WorldPanel Comtech also agree that the MacBook Air series is dying.

"This wasn't the MacBook Air, but instead leapt past the Air," Dawson said, in reference to Apple's new MacBook that launched back in 2015. Dawson added that Apple is keeping the MacBook Air around just like how they retain the old iPhone models.

Meanwhile, Milanesi pointed out that "all notebooks need to be more mobile, so something like the Air doesn't need to be branched out anymore." The chief of research of Kantar also added that it would even benefit Apple if they lessen their "'families' of Macs."

There are still no updates regarding a new MacBook Air coming this 2017.