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MacBook Air 3G?

K

kingsal

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 29, 2010
94
0
I wouldn't be surprised. Think about it. It will fit right in to the ultra-portable niche market, particularly business users who already are keen on the iPad. On top of that, Apple can differentiate the MBA from the MB/MBP on something other than size. I feel like a lot of consumers look at the bang for the buck on the MBA and look the other way (i.e. to the MBP) right now.

Apple was recently granted a patent for what looks like a 3G antenna in a laptop computer, so it'll eventually happen :) What do you guys think the probability is we'll see something like that on Wednesday?
 
Ace134blue

Ace134blue

macrumors 6502a
Sep 17, 2009
734
2
rkmac said:
I wouldnt quite say zero personally. Like I'd probably give it a 5% chance :p
I'm sure we will see it one day in the nearish future, but I dont think this wednesday is that day.
Click to expand...

I would say its zero chance, theres no market for it. And for those that really want it there are usb 3G adapters.
 
rkmac

rkmac

macrumors 6502
Jun 22, 2009
413
0
JAFA, New Zealand
Ace134blue said:
I would say its zero chance, theres no market for it. And for those that really want it there are usb 3G adapters.
Click to expand...

Who cares if there is "no market" for it? Thats what apple does best: make markets.
And ew @ USB 3G adaptors. Who wants that thing sticking out the side like a sore thumb?
Like I said, very VERY VERY small chance that we will see it on wednesday. But im definitely not ruling it out for the future.
 
T

thinkdesign

macrumors 6502
May 12, 2010
341
0
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile6.0) Sprint T7380)

companies sometimes patent things just because they were prodduced in research, and if the company doesn't use it they might get some bebefit anyway by licensing or better, using it as a bargaining chip if they get into a patent conflict with others.

"no market" is what Sirius & XM said a while back was why their hints of a radio for both (since the firms merged) weren't carried out. (Did they ever make such a radio?) "No market" is a phrase reassuring stock buyers that the execs. aren't neglecting to pursue an avenue of profit.

For one consumer to tell another consumer who wants integral 3G or 3/4G there's "no market" for it, when the market has been proven by other computer makers, is downright bizarre.

If Apple allows keeps up with the Jonses by allowing a BTO cell modem in an Air, it will be a rubicon crossed, indicating they finally "get it" about that "mobility" thing. :eek:
 
E

eron

macrumors 6502
Dec 2, 2008
394
0
Ace134blue said:
I would say its zero chance, theres no market for it. And for those that really want it there are usb 3G adapters.
Click to expand...

The main person that decides what goes into Apple's new product is Steve Jobs himself, who don't follow the basic consumer's wants and opinion.

That's what placed Apple so far ahead of competition in some areas.

http://www.cultofmac.com/john-sculley-on-steve-jobs-the-full-interview-transcript/63295
But unlike a lot of people in product marketing in those days, who would go out and do consumer testing, asking people, “What did they want?” Steve didn’t believe in that.

He said, “How can I possibly ask somebody what a graphics-based computer ought to be when they have no idea what a graphic based computer is? No one has ever seen one before.” He believed that showing someone a calculator, for example, would not give them any indication as to where the computer was going to go because it was just too big a leap.
Click to expand...
 
Manatee

Manatee

Contributor
Oct 20, 2003
591
165
Washington DC
3G... I wish. But I don't think so.

I'm so used to having 3G on my iPad that I feel like something's missing when I use my MBP away from WiFi. Yes, I could use MiFi, but it would be nice if Apple would offer the option of built-in connectivity, like others do.
 
Apple OC

Apple OC

macrumors 68040
Oct 14, 2010
3,667
4,328
Hogtown
CaoCao said:
Apple has massive amounts of cash, Jobs does whatever the Hell he wants
Click to expand...

There has never been a company with massive amounts of Cash that took the route ... we have enough Cash ... in particular Macintosh

we will see on Wed?
 
C

CaoCao

macrumors 6502a
Jul 27, 2010
783
2
Apple OC said:
There has never been a company with massive amounts of Cash that took the route ... we have enough Cash ... in particular Macintosh

we will see on Wed?
Click to expand...

Apple is bring in $8 Billion profit each year, they could outright buy AMD
 
Jaro65

Jaro65

macrumors 68040
Mar 27, 2009
3,822
926
Seattle, WA
A 3G option would be handy. I believe we'll get there (and it would also be in Apple's interest to make all our machines in constant connection with the mothership - aka iTunes). We'll see.
 
D

darngooddesign

macrumors P6
Jul 4, 2007
17,943
9,484
Atlanta, GA
I would be very limiting to use a built in antenna unless its quadband gsm/cdma/lte. Otherwise why, in the us for example, would a verizon person buy the Air.
 
H

hcho3

macrumors 68030
May 13, 2010
2,783
0
rkmac said:
Who cares if there is "no market" for it? Thats what apple does best: make markets.
And ew @ USB 3G adaptors. Who wants that thing sticking out the side like a sore thumb?
Like I said, very VERY VERY small chance that we will see it on wednesday. But im definitely not ruling it out for the future.
Click to expand...

Woah? Who cares if there is no market for it?

No.... I rather use 3G USB Stick.
 
Ace134blue

Ace134blue

macrumors 6502a
Sep 17, 2009
734
2
hcho3 said:
Woah? Who cares if there is no market for it?

No.... I rather use 3G USB Stick.
Click to expand...

Exactly, if apple put a built-in 3g adapter then the consumer would most likely be stuck with AT&T, while they coud have been using a 4g Sprint adapter or verizons, etc.
 
W

webnuts4u2

macrumors newbie
Aug 19, 2008
6
0
3G Air

I can see it. Would depend on the carrier. I suppose it could be Verizon or ATT. Really don't like the cost of data plans right now. Very expensive it seems to me. Suppose I'm spoiled for my unlimited for $30/month on my iPhone. Want that to extend across all of my devices but I know that ain't happening. Maybe if they would do a $9.99 for each additional device I might feel more like smiling.
 
Z

zipelius

macrumors newbie
Oct 30, 2007
22
5
I really hope there is...

Ace134blue said:
I would say its zero chance, theres no market for it. And for those that really want it there are usb 3G adapters.
Click to expand...

Im thinking totally opposite. I dont know is there markets (and I dont care) but I like to have 3G modem inside my laptop so I dont need carry that stupid 3G adapter! Its same if people say there is no market to SD-memory card reader on laptop, bcos those who really need it can use USB memory card reader.

There was before telephone modems inside laptops so why not 3G-modem? Its great if there 3G-modem in laptop so then there always connection immediately on laptop. Mail always sync without installing stupid USB 3G-modems. Well... on this day that modem already should be 4G! :rolleyes:

PS. That 3G-modem should be operator free just like my iPhone so I can choose what operator ever I want to. Apple just add that adapter to laptops and people go operator and get SIM-card to it.

webnuts4u2: I pay less than 10€/month of unlimited data for my iPhone and for my 3G adapter SIM.
 
K

kingsal

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 29, 2010
94
0
There is definitely a market for it. If you think otherwise, just look at the overwhelming market for the iPad 3G from business users (Steve mentioned this on the conference call today).

Anyway, I'm not sure what having a lot of cash ($51 billion) has to do with deciding or not deciding to include 3G in a laptop.
 
iZac

iZac

macrumors 68030
Apr 28, 2003
2,592
2,774
UK
50/50 I recon, the theoretically clever thing is that Apple has already done (and are continuing to do) a load of groundwork with carriers in various territories regarding 'data only' plans. Even things like the one month "pre-pay" system which will transition seamlessly to eventually all of Apples notebook lines. Of course one can argue if they are all good deals or not, but because of it, any no-brain consumer can get one with an "iPad data plan" and the networks in turn have somewhat of a known entity of this being used in much the same way as people use iPad data plans (of course until everyone tries torrenting on them and cripples the network :p)

Personally I like to see the Air as Apples little test-bed platform (for better or worse). As mentioned, It pioneered the "unibody" process. It was the first to take the ‘bold’ step of an integrated battery. It's dipping its toe into freeing itself from the shackles of optical media. It was the first machine to use the black chicklet keys.The particular chamfered edges also were reformed for the more rectilinear macbooks (which previously had a simple fillet). Naturally its size has performance drawbacks, but many of these features have trickled down into the main notebook lineup soon after.
 
netdog

netdog

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2006
5,760
38
London
I'm surprised that this wasn't part of the rumors, but as it wasn't, I suspect that there somewhat surprisingly won't be a 3G option.
 
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