Apple designing even lighter MacBook Air

Carbon fibre could replace some aluminium parts

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12 November 2008 11:54 GMT / By Katie Scott

According to AppleInsider, the next MacBook Air could be ever lighter thanks to the use of carbon fibre.

Apple is apparently unhappy with the weight of its ultra-thin model and is allegedly working on getting it under three pounds.

The Apple blog is quoting "people who've proven familiar with the company's portable plans" and claims that Apple is looking at substituting some of the aircraft-grade aluminium parts with carbon fibre parts.

While it is unlikely that Apple will replace the unibody upper chassis, which it is made from a single extruded block of aluminum, rumours are that the Air's lower aluminum case, or bottom cover, could be replaced by one constructed from carbon fibre.

Says AppleInsider: "The move would reportedly raise production costs but shave upwards of a 100 grams off the notebook, dropping its weight from a hair over 3 pounds (or 1363 grams) to 2.78 pounds (or 1263 grams)".