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Over the past several months, a number of rumors have suggested that Apple will be looking to update its notebook lineup at or soon after its Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off on June 10. In particular, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a relatively strong track record, laid out a roadmap in January predicting that the MacBook Air could see an update by late in the second quarter with Apple's MacBook Pro moving to an all-Retina lineup early in the third quarter.

Reports on whether there will be any design changes as part of a rumored June notebook update have varied, with a February report from Taiwan's Economic Times claiming that the MacBook Air will see a design refresh while Kuo has suggested that the Retina MacBook Pro may also see design tweaks.

macbook_air_macbook_pro.jpg

Digitimes has weighed in several times on the June notebook refresh rumors, first noting them in late December while suggesting that Apple may cut prices on the MacBook Air in the interim in order to keep sales moving. To that end, Apple did in fact drop pricing on its high-end 13-inch MacBook Air alongside a February spec bump for the Retina MacBook Pro. Digitimes weighed in again just weeks ago, claiming that Apple will be updating its notebook lineup late this quarter, again suggesting a June launch.

In a new report out today, Digitimes claims that Apple's quarterly notebook shipments are expected to grow 10% sequentially as the company works through the remainder of its excess inventory and looks to begin ramping up production again in mid-May. The report notes that this new production will primarily be next-generation models based on the Haswell platform.
Apple's MacBook shipments in the second quarter are expected to grow 10% sequentially as the company has almost finished digesting its excess inventory and should start placing new orders in mid-May, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

The orders in May are expected to be mainly Haswell-based models, the sources noted.
Conflicting with some earlier reports of design changes for the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro, Digitimes says that Apple's suppliers have not received any instructions for changes to designs or their equipment, suggesting that the upgrades may be limited to internal improvements.

During Apple's earnings conference call earlier this week, CEO Tim Cook appeared to play down the company's product launch plans for the next several months, specifically noting optimism about "amazing" new products coming in the "fall and throughout 2014".

Article Link: Apple Expected to Ramp Up Production of Haswell-Based Notebooks Next Month
 
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Amazing Iceman

macrumors 603
Nov 8, 2008
5,244
3,987
Florida, U.S.A.
If this is true and Apple releases Airs in June they might come with the Haswell USB bug in it, no buy here!

You are correct. The bug-fixed version will be release by mid-July according to this report: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57578223-92/intel-confirms-usb-bug-in-haswell-chipset/

I just can't imagine Apple risking a new product line to have a well-known documented bug. It would make them vulnerable to a Class-Action Lawsuit, and bad products review, and their stock will drop even more.
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
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I'm a rolling stone.
You are correct. The bug-fixed version will be release by mid-July according to this report: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57578223-92/intel-confirms-usb-bug-in-haswell-chipset/

I just can't imagine Apple risking a new product line to have a well-known documented bug. It would make them vulnerable to a Class-Action Lawsuit, and bad products review, and their stock will drop even more.

Actually it is even later, 31 July to be guaranteed to have the second non bug version.

Update: screenshot and link to PDF

http://qdms.intel.com/dm/d.aspx/C79FC2E6-6B75-4063-8687-660F4668FFC8/PCN112101-00.pdf
 

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commander.data

macrumors 65816
Nov 10, 2006
1,056
183
Conflicting with some earlier reports of design changes for the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro, Digitimes says that Apple's suppliers have not received any instructions for changes to designs or their equipment, suggesting that the upgrades may be limited to internal improvements.
Well if Apple isn't able to move the MacBook Air to a retina display this year since power, cost, and supply are probably still issues, then there isn't much point in doing a design refresh without it. The Retina MacBook Pro are new designs so it wasn't very likely there will be major design changes so soon anyways.

I do wonder if Apple is able to get a GT3e Haswell in the MacBook Air since that will offer a very impressive GPU boost. The rumours currently indicate that GT3e Haswell sadly won't be available in ULV form though.
 

bbeagle

macrumors 68040
Oct 19, 2010
3,539
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Buffalo, NY
Actually it is even later, 31 July to be guaranteed to have the second non bug version.

July 15 is the normal release date. The chip is already done and has gone to developers last week. Apple could acquire the same chip in mass production earlier if they paid the money. A non-issue.
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
9,745
I'm a rolling stone.
July 15 is the normal release date. The chip is already done and has gone to developers last week. Apple could acquire the same chip in mass production earlier if they paid the money. A non-issue.

Apple gets first dibs even before the mainstream. Just look back to Sandy Bridge.


Quote from the PDF

The depletion of inventory may be impacted by fluctuating supply and demand, therefore, although customers should be prepared to receive the Post-Converted Materials on this date, Intel will continue to ship and customers may continue to receive the pre-converted materials until the inventory has been depleted.
 

Macboy Pro

macrumors 6502a
Feb 16, 2011
730
52
It would be a GIANT mistake to remove the MBP non-retina line this early. The price of FLASH is still too high and professionals NEED more storage than 512GB in many cases. 768GB Flash is not affordable and 1TB is ridiculous, especially after the Apple Tax on a rMBP. If they remove the MBP non-retina line, they will eliminate a large base of customers who need a pro laptop.
 

iVoid

macrumors 65816
Jan 9, 2007
1,145
190
I wonder if this refresh will be the one that kills the classic unbody design or if we'll see Apple wait for that for one more upgrade cycle.
 

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
but arent discounted previous gen, all refurbs?

Well, yea no. When the new one comes out, the current gen that is on sale will automatically become the "previous gen". and that would be heavily discounted to clear stock. :cool:
 

TallManNY

macrumors 601
Nov 5, 2007
4,728
1,582
July 15 is the normal release date. The chip is already done and has gone to developers last week. Apple could acquire the same chip in mass production earlier if they paid the money. A non-issue.

Not to mention, the bug only cropped up occasionally on some thumb drives. With widespread and incredibly fast wifi, I rarely transfer files by SneakerNet. And when I do, I still use USB 2.0 for thumb drives because device is cheaper and even a big file transfer is just a "start and let it run while I do something else" operation.
 

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
If this is true and Apple releases Airs in June they might come with the Haswell USB bug in it, no buy here!

Proof that a little knowledge is dangerous.

I just can't imagine Apple risking a new product line to have a well-known documented bug. It would make them vulnerable to a Class-Action Lawsuit, and bad products review, and their stock will drop even more.

Any bug that might or might not be in that processor is no problem at all - as long as Apple doesn't use that buggy part. And Apple doesn't care about the share price. They had bigger drops before, also for no good reason whatsoever. 70% of all world wide profits in the phone market, more in the tablet market, 45% of all world wide profits in the computer market - Apple is hugely undervalued right now.

It would be a GIANT mistake to remove the MBP non-retina line this early. The price of FLASH is still too high and professionals NEED more storage than 512GB in many cases. 768GB Flash is not affordable and 1TB is ridiculous, especially after the Apple Tax on a rMBP. If they remove the MBP non-retina line, they will eliminate a large base of customers who need a pro laptop.

As a professional, I use less than 100 GB. At home, my MacBook needs a TB for music, audiobooks, videos. As a professional, my boss pays. At home, I pay so I am a lot more price sensitive :)
 
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Macboy Pro

macrumors 6502a
Feb 16, 2011
730
52
I wonder if this refresh will be the one that kills the classic unbody design or if we'll see Apple wait for that for one more upgrade cycle.

Killing the non-retina MBP is a mistake until flash comes way down in price. I personally can't stand the idea of a $2k-$3.5k laptop that is not upgradeable at all and is at EOL support after 1 YR unless you pay $350 for EOL support in 3YRs. Financially, not wise on any level.
 

TallManNY

macrumors 601
Nov 5, 2007
4,728
1,582
It would be a GIANT mistake to remove the MBP non-retina line this early. The price of FLASH is still too high and professionals NEED more storage than 512GB in many cases. 768GB Flash is not affordable and 1TB is ridiculous, especially after the Apple Tax on a rMBP. If they remove the MBP non-retina line, they will eliminate a large base of customers who need a pro laptop.

What is wrong with a thunderbolt external drive? Cheap and fast. Or just a firewire external drive, cheaper and fast enough?

I'm just curious what activities require more than 512 GB of storage but also demand such a high degree of portability that a 2 pound external drive is a problem? And yet, this activity does not benefit more from moving off an internal HD so an SSD (which seems to me the biggest performance boost for most activities in the last several years of computing). I mean I understand the value proposition of the non-retina MBP line to save $500. But in what context is it actually a more productive machine?
 

rhuber

macrumors member
Jan 6, 2011
93
0
Didn't Intel announce that touchscreen capability is mandatory for the Haswell processor? I read that they can get around it if they are willing to pay full price, but would apple do that? Or am I misunderstanding that requirement?
 
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