Much of Ive’s design output is dedicated to removing features or reducing the elements vying for the user’s attention. His aim is a considered solution that ‘speaks’ to the user and reduces thoughts of ‘how does this work?’ People discover the product’s functionality intuitively.

The design and construction of this portable personal computer employs what Apple calls the “precision aluminium unibody enclosure”. The unibody was developed by Ive and the Apple Industrial Design Group and initially applied to the MacBook Air in 2008.

This most critical part (housing track pad / keyboard / drives / central processing unit) is machined from a single aluminium blank. The design of the unibody required Ive and the team to think exhaustively about the process of manufacture. The computer can be assembled with reduced time and resources and manufactured to incredibly high tolerances (fit and finish) resulting in economies of production, reduced product weight (and reduced packaging and transport costs) and a rationalisation of parts.

*Height 255mm when lid open to 90 degrees.

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