Apple's 2013 Product Roadmap Predictions: Multiple iPhones, Retina iPad Mini, All-Retina MacBook Pros

[BobbyCat]

Originally Posted by I Am M3

I don't need retina, I just want a regular 15 inch Mbp with anti glare, since I am wanting to become a music producer. The only reason I will wait is because of overall CPU etc... Performance and lower prices. Should I just buy my regular mbp now?

If I had the cash, I'd buy a current MacBook Pro, since the next ones will likely have no SuperDrive, less ports, non extensible RAM, and higher prices. That is, if Mr. Cook and Mr. Schiller continue on the same path.
On the other hand, if things turn out that bad, the current generation of non-retina MacBooks will be more affordable on refurb, but ... they'll be hard to catch.

[Giuly]

Originally Posted by BobbyCat

If I had the cash, I'd buy a current MacBook Pro, since the next ones will likely have no SuperDrive, less ports, non extensible RAM, and higher prices. That is, if Mr. Cook and Mr. Schiller continue on the same path.
On the other hand, if things turn out that bad, the current generation of non-retina MacBooks will be more affordable on refurb, but ... they'll be hard to catch.

Get the standalone Superdrive and a Thunderbolt dock. The maximum of RAM at the moment for any 2012 MBP is 16GB, and the price for that on a rMBP isn't that outrageous either. The SSD is still replaceable, although pricy because there aren't much vendors. The prices will go down eventually, too, and probably settle around the prices of the old MBP.

[BobbyCat]

Originally Posted by Giuly

The prices will go down eventually.

You're probably the only one who failed to notice that all Apple prices have risen the past year, and there's no indication that trend will not last.

Moreover, having to buy extras on top of more expensive machines when these extras were included before, is by no means a step forward on the road to cheaper Macs.

IMHO.

[Giuly]

Originally Posted by BobbyCat

You're probably the only one who failed to notice that all Apple prices have risen the past year, and there's no indication that trend will not last.

Moreover, having to buy extras on top of more expensive machines when these extras were included before, is by no means a step forward on the road to cheaper Macs.

IMHO.

If Apple discontinues the MBP without adjusting the prices of the rMBP, it would leave the market of the old 15" MBP to competitors. The same goes for the 13" MBP, as 13" MBA is not nearly as powerful for the same price, and unless there is a 15" MBA we don't know about, it would have the same effect as directly wiring money to Lenovo.

[BobbyCat]

Originally Posted by Giuly

If Apple discontinues the MBP without adjusting the prices of the rMBP, it would leave the market of the old 15" MBP to competitors. The same goes for the 13" MBP, as 13" MBA is not nearly as powerful for the same price, and unless there is a 15" MBA we don't know about, it would have the same effect as directly wiring money to Lenovo.

I agree completely. I'm only skeptical of Apple's current way of reasoning.
They seem to think : hey, we make big bucks with expensive products and we have 100 billions in the bank, why should we worry about those who can't afford us?

[Boomish69]

Originally Posted by KnightWRX

The thing is, what % of their revenues come from the Mac Pro and what % of their revenues come from the iPhone ? Answer that question, and you'll understand why the "iPhone seems to be sapping all their resources".

Apple have become highly dependant on the iPhone's success in the last few years, so much so that its failure would probably mean very hard times for Apple.

I fully understand the % of the revenue, but the Mac Pro is a fully designed system, nothing else needs innovating apart from minor motherboard upgrades, these are stock parts!! It would be simple to upgrade a Mac Pro with todays latest CPU and motherboard options, probably cost Apple not more than 1 days work for an engineer. With their record profits and their "Halo" effect of new users buying more than 1 Apple device, it makes no sense for their not to be an option for Pro users coming to the Mac eco system.
I would say by not developing the Mac Pro something that has been an integral part of their Mac line up especially given the emphasis on creative users, they have lost customers and loyal ones at that.
Tim Cook has turned Apple into a profit seeking company by not continuing to develop products but stretch out the life of everyone with minimal updates and minimal resources. If the iPhone "s" models never happened but new smarter, bigger & smaller iPhones and IOS was developed I doubt Samsung would be leading the smart phone market now.

[samuelk0814]

Gotta love those people who are like, "Herpa derp my dog could predict better than this crap."
I don't see any of you releasing correct predictions like Mr. Kuo has done in the past...

[linux2mac]

In summary Apple will own every category again (laptops, desktops, tablets, smart phones).

[cclloyd]

Originally Posted by PlayRadioPlay

If they don't upgrade the Mac Pro in 2013, I will be buying a desktop PC.

I love Apple, but this is really getting insane.

I have work to do, Apple, and I'm not upgrading to the current Mac Pro.

Get some powerful hackintosh working hardware

[koban4max]

Originally Posted by Tiger8

iPhone for the middle class! Yay!

would that be the one with that breaks within 30 days and you get 14 days of apple care?

[nomadman]

Apologies if this is already posted. But I can not and will not spend the amount on the current MBP Retina due to the lack of drive space, integrated memory no LAN connector, and the type of charger.

Is it possible for Apple to make the older, thicker MBP into a retina display? Or will I have to upgrade it to a higher def screen?

Thanks

[Pigumon]

Originally Posted by PlayRadioPlay

If they don't upgrade the Mac Pro in 2013, I will be buying a desktop PC.

I love Apple, but this is really getting insane.

I have work to do, Apple, and I'm not upgrading to the current Mac Pro.

Originally Posted by Pakaku

Apple is an appliance company now. They're alright at designing phones, tablets, and very thin laptops. But their desktop line is hopeless.

My next laptop might be an Air. I will, however, definitely be building my own desktop when I feel like I need to upgrade.

Built a hackintosh last December, never had a better Mac. :/

[nia820]

Originally Posted by Mr. Retrofire

iPod touch is overpriced. People can buy cheaper smartphones with Wolfson Audio ICs.

Depends on where you live. Here in qatar ipod touch is half the pricd of locked and unlocked iphones.

[StorminaTcup]

I need to purchase three Mac Pros.
But I'm not, I'm waiting!
I need to process large datasets from microscopes, but with a research grant this is a once only pot of funding. Come on Apple please announce when the Mac Pro is to be refreshed.

[calaverasgrande]

Originally Posted by StorminaTcup

I need to purchase three Mac Pros.
But I'm not, I'm waiting!
I need to process large datasets from microscopes, but with a research grant this is a once only pot of funding. Come on Apple please announce when the Mac Pro is to be refreshed.

This is my number one bone to pick with Apple.
The secrecy hype game was "cool" when Apple was an underdog and didn't have the budget for big ad campaigns.
They are a major player now (again). They need to give us corporate and educational institutional guys a roadmap.

In my world I have to put together a budget a year in advance of when it gets spent. Easy to do when buying HP or Dell. Very difficult if Apple is in the equation.

[whooleytoo]

Originally Posted by calaverasgrande

This is my number one bone to pick with Apple.
The secrecy hype game was "cool" when Apple was an underdog and didn't have the budget for big ad campaigns.
They are a major player now (again). They need to give us corporate and educational institutional guys a roadmap.

In my world I have to put together a budget a year in advance of when it gets spent. Easy to do when buying HP or Dell. Very difficult if Apple is in the equation.

Good point. The secrecy makes sense if a new major product is coming (the iPad, iPhone, Apple television etc.), but for incremental upgrades it doesn't make as much sense.

[rodriguise]

Originally Posted by gmanist1000

A6 processor for the AppleTV? Not really sure what they could do with it... without a major software update.

Probably nothing. Apple is probably binning chips and throwing those with a bad core into the AppleTV. Keeping a run of older chips is significantly more costly than using the scrap for lower end devices.

[Doc. Caliban]

Originally Posted by BobbyCat

If I had the cash, I'd buy a current MacBook Pro <snip>

I am fortunate enough to have the cash for one at the moment, but I don't have an immediate need for one; I would be buying just to get one of the last non-Retina models before they are gone.

Therein lies the rub: Will the non-Retina MBP's survive a spring refresh, and hopefully have the new Intel parts, or is there a chance that the models on the shelves right now are the last of the line?

Not sure what to do.

-Doc

[sarakn]

Originally Posted by Tech198

Yay !!

New Mac stuff. ... Time to Gazelle

However, these thungs stood out like a sire thumb -:

Iphone 5s : Apple's using numbers now? (Taking a page of Intel's book are we).

Also, a fringer-print reader in a phone ... lol, i always fell outta bed.

Good for security, I admitt, but its a mobile device, not a laptop (often wonder why Apple ommitted this from devices where it matters frst)

-------------

MacBook Pro : I still have my non-Retina 15-inch,, and bought it *because* of it being non-Retina, but if true, this new one may be wrth looking at.. If prce s about the same. If its gonna be priced around the same as the current 15-inch Retina, then forget it. (AU pricing is $2499) .... Too expensve for my needs.

I don't mind paying a premium, but this is not a car.

-------------

Apple TV : pushed back the Television,,,,, of course, lack of content, (we knew that part)

What about an "updated" Apple TV 4....? Give consumers something interesting to play around with while we are waiting.

You type like you need a new keyboard on whatever device you're using.

[Kushp14]

its time for apple to kill the 13,15 in macbook pro non retina body, getting too old.

[Jjaro]

K ow what I want to see? Something like the iMac, but without a screen. Maybe between the iMac and (the new, as yet unannounced) Mac Pro "power-wise", so we can finally have a dedicated Mac for gaming. Granted, I have a huge gaming PC, but it would be nice to be able to have a Mac that can do this as well, and fill what I think is a gap in their product line.

[BobbyCat]

Originally Posted by Kushp14

its time for apple to kill the 13,15 in macbook pro non retina body, getting too old.

Just because you can afford the expensive models doesn't mean everybody have the same needs and kind of bank account.
=> Buy your own stuff and let the non retina alone.

[TheUndertow]

Come on liquid metal MBP!

[fpsBeaTt]

Originally Posted by BobbyCat

Just because you can afford the expensive models doesn't mean everybody have the same needs and kind of bank account.
=> Buy your own stuff and let the non retina alone.

If you can have the money to purchase the cMBP but not the Retina (which will be moved down to the price point of the cMBP upon its removal), then you're in the financial situation where you really can't afford either.

[BobbyCat]

Originally Posted by fpsBeaTt

the Retina (which will be moved down to the price point of the cMBP upon its removal)

Well if you say so, then you probably have access to inside information.

Because observing Apple's behavior the last year and a half, nothing indicates that we're about to witness a sharp price drop this year. According to your theory, the cheapest MacBookPro will be all Retina and cost 1.200 $ or 1.200 €, which is a 300 $/€ drop. Honestly I don't think so.

More likely, prices will go up again and we'll get fewer ports and non user upgradable RAM.
But hey, who am I to complain, the current non-Retina will then be cheaper as refurb...