MacBook Air 2018 is out - my first thoughts

Rumours were true: Apple announced their 2018 revival of a classic, the MacBook Air. I am not a customer here, but the features of Apple's notebook lineup get mixed up again. This time we get:

• Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, instead of just one in their 12" MacBook
• Touch ID, instead of no such thing in the 12" model
• No touchbar, whereas their MacBook Pro models have one

So another in-between solution. None of their notebooks have it all, right? One of the best features of the new MacBook Air 2018 is the one it doesn't have. Yes, the touchbar. This strange addition to the MB Pro line-up is discussed enough on the web, so I am not going to comment further on it. We do get the Touch ID, though, so again, if you want one in a retina display ultraportable machine, you've got to buy this new Air. MacBook 12" will surely get it later, which in itself will make it another reason for you to reconsider and keep buying. Just like Face ID with iPhone. Why isn't it in the MacBooks? Because it will be the reason to update your hardware in a few years from now (BTW, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon has "infrared camera (optional) with advanced facial recognition" already) . 

Apple has played this card ad nauseum, but it just keeps on giving and works like a charm every time!

MacBook Air 2018. No ports to disturb the view.

To elevate the aesthetics, there is no headphone jack either. This will certainly cause inconvenience and allow people to buy additional accessories. Like for the missing SD card readers, USB slots, HDMI slots etc..

Apple's dongle hell. Apple's fastest growing income category?

Not sure if anybody still remembers the convenience just a few years ago...

MacBook Pro Retina: SD slot, HDMI, USB ports, the wonderful MagSafe, headphones, etc..

Or even today, but from other manufacturers:

Lenovo X1 Carbon still has a regular USB and a HDMI port.

All in all I was hoping for a student laptop this year. Before the event, I could be heard saying that this is the time to final nail the market and persuade users by storms to go all Apple. But with the current pricing, it's not gonna happen. Apple is still very expensive, very premium. Who is going to buy this to their 6th graders for school?