What year did Apple introduce the MacBook Air?

Apple introduced the MacBook Air in 2008. Steve Jobs unveiled the ultraportable notebook during Apple’s Macworld keynote on January 15, 2008, and the first models began shipping later that month.

The original MacBook Air had a 13.3-inch display and a thin, tapered aluminum design. Apple famously revealed it by sliding the computer out of a standard office envelope, emphasizing its unusually slim profile. At the time, Apple promoted it as the world’s thinnest notebook.

The design required several trade-offs. The first model omitted a built-in optical disc drive, Ethernet port, and FireWire port, while offering an optional solid-state drive. Users could access optical discs through an external drive or Apple’s Remote Disc software. These choices helped establish the lightweight ultraportable category that later influenced many thin laptops.

A common confusion is between introduction and later redesigns. Apple updated the Air in October 2008 and introduced Apple-silicon models beginning in 2020, but the MacBook Air product line began in 2008.