The MacBook Air is a hot-seller, but it no longer elicits the smattering of oohs and aahs it did when it debuted on Jan. 29, 2008. That's largely because Apple has elected to keep the same silver and aluminum body enclosure along with the tapered, ultra-thin profile that's gone on to define the Air. Also, the subpar screen resolution and lack of powerful graphics have annoyed users for years.

Yet, the MacBook Air is a utilitarian workhouse, and an admired one that that. And on a dollar-by-dollar basis it still provides an excellent value when compared to similarly equipped Intel Ultrabooks. But the MacBook Air is no longer exciting and its design language needs to change ASAP. 2014 could be the year that a redesigned model emerges per reports.

MacBook Airs currently come in two sizes, 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch. There will only be one new MacBook Air model, and it won't be available in any of those previous sizes. Instead, a heavily rumored 12-inch model will be released. This singular product will help Apple Inc. pare down its already svelte product line even further and streamline its manufacturing processes. A 12-inch version will also strive to achieve a happy medium between workability and portability.

So besides the screen size and SKU changes, the next biggest differentiator will likely center on the display technology itself. Currently the 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch MacBook Air's have sub-1080p displays. In this day and age, that's ludicrous. The 12-inch models retina display will feature pixels smaller than the human eye can discern at normal viewing distances. 

The popular display technology would also help road-warriors keep on plugging away without eye strain. And the MacBook Air would be a good alternative to the iPad Air when it comes to (portable) media consumption.

Other changes the 2014 model will bring about include a thinner, lighter body design thanks to a reconfigured trackpad. Currently, all Mac laptops include a glass trackpad with a mechanical clicking function. The new trackpad will rely on sensors that register finger taps, not clicks. The laptop would also forgo a fan in an effort to make operating it virtually silent.

Exciting stuff, huh? But only time will tell if 2014 is indeed the start of a new era for Apple's ultraportable machine.

Would you be interested in buying a redesigned MacBook Air with Retina Display? Let us know either way in the comments section below.