iBook Updates Imminent?

[MacRumors]

ThinkSecret reports that Apple will be updating the iBook line "soon" with speeds up to 900Mhz.

The new models will not have any new features or increases in memory or hard drive size, making them simply 'speed bump' changes. The low-end model will be boosted from 700MHz to 800MHz and the mid-range and high-end models will go from 800MHz to 900MHz.

ThinkSecret provides a detailed chart of specs for the rumored iBook upgrades.

MacRumors' Buyer's Guide shows that the iBook was last updated on November 6th, 2002 -- 152 days ago as of this writing. Based on Apple's history of upgrade intervals, it appears that the iBooks are soon due for a revision.

[ratspg]

i'D never buy an ibook G3 at 900mhz and no new features, seems really lame...who cares... iPods, and iTunes, and thats pretty much my worries.

[iJon]

with the specs they gave there isnt anything to exciting about this. the salesman probably arent doing a good job if they have hard time saying the differences between the 12 inch powerbook and 12 inch ibook and showing that the powerbook is better.

iJon

[MarksEvilTwin]

Removed

[dabirdwell]

What does this mean?

[phampton81]

It would be sad to see the ibooks updated with only a speed increase, but I still think they are great machines.....now only if we could get the 970's in the powerbooks then maybe we would see a real ibook update. Too bad apple needs to keep that devision between the ibook and powerbook

[dabirdwell]

It'd be badass to get a 970 PowerBook and then a Sahara II iBook with AltiVec. IBM only.

[punter]

A speed bump and a price drop would be great. The rest of the ibooks features are good enough for the ibooks target users. If you want more features, you want a power book (in my opinion).

My only concern is if I bought a g3 machine, I might soon find myself two generations off the pace.

[Hawthorne]

No Bluetooth?
No AE?

At the very least, I'd expect that.

[shadowfax]

i think this would really be bad for the 12 inch powerbook. i don't think they need to release new iBooks yet.

[Grimace]

Unless there is some major revision like adding AE, BT, or a better video card, there is little point in a speed bump. Apple wouldn't waste their time on something like that.

[Hemingray]

Originally posted by carletonmusic
Unless there is some major revision like adding AE, BT, or a better video card, there is little point in a speed bump. Apple wouldn't waste their time on something like that.

I agree. I think (hope) that we will at least see AE and BT and possibly a better video card. If this "speed bump only" is true, it sure cuts the head off "year of the laptop". PowerBooks aren't the only laptops, after all...

[ebow]

I could see them adding Airport Extreme, but not BlueTooth; the latter definitely feels like more of a luxury feature to me. What would be more shocking is if they decided to increase the pre-installed (on motherboard?) RAM to a non-shameful 256MB. But for some reason, they just don't seem to respect their customers enough to do that...

[Centris 650]

Well, first let me say that I've postponed my desktop purchase waiting for the 970's. However, my iBook SE w/FW has about had it. I don't need that much power for my portability needs so I'm thinking about putting my iBook on ebay and buying a 12" 800 iBook. The price drop should fit nicely into what I'm willing to pay. (Assuming the 800 is priced dropped to the current 700 range.)

[ebow]

Originally posted by Centris 650
Well, first let me say that I've postponed my desktop purchase waiting for the 970's. However, my iBook SE w/FW has about had it. I don't need that much power for my portability needs so I'm thinking about putting my iBook on ebay and buying a 12" 800 iBook. The price drop should fit nicely into what I'm willing to pay. (Assuming the 800 is priced dropped to the current 700 range.)

Just be aware of the smaller details of what Think Secret is predicting: the new low-end model will be the same as the current 700 MHz model, but with an 800 MHz chip. It will (presumably) still have less video RAM, a smaller HD, and a CD-ROM drive instead of a combo drive. And I'd guess it would still have a solid white plastic enclosure, instead of the clear plastic with white paint on the inside (the solid white being inferior, I guess)...

[superscientific]

Well I guess timing is just bad on the 12" powerbook and the ibook. This does seem logical to just increase the speed and lower the price. Bluetooth does seem a little much , but Airport Extreme should def be in the Top of the line Model. 100$ drop and Airport Extreme Included and a speed bump sounds like enough for now until a major overhaul... we will see what happens. Video upgrade would be nice too though...

[redAPPLE]

my 0.02 $...

drop the prices for the ibook. if Apple wants to differentiate between consumer and prosumer notebooks, the "MHZ" should show.

Wait until the 12" PB reaches 1GHZ before bringing out a 900 Mhz iBook. Then update both.

That would be the logical thing to do. Business-wise.

[maradong]

i can t believe this. How can the Ibook power the poerbook out, and if it is only on the mhz count. That sounds quite strange to me...

[nagromme]

I don't see how a minor iBook change is a bad thing. It keeps the iBooks cometitive and it doesn't mean a bigger change won't come in three months. Would it be better to leave the iBook as is until then?

I'd expect to see a major iBook speed change shortly after the next major PowerBook change. I can't imagine that would happen right now--so why NOT a small boost and price drop in the mean time?

[caveman_uk]

An ibook speed bump is a cheap and easy thing to do for Apple. I still think the 900MHz machine will cannibalise powerbook sales as it's 900MHz vs. 867Mhz and quite a lot on the less informed buyers don't know the difference between a G3 and G4. I bought a 800Mhz ibook just before the 12" PB came out and I was a bit annoyed not to have waited and got a PB instead. I've got a Powermac now and that does everything the ibook doesn't and a lot faster. So now I'm happy with the ibook. Does what I want when I'm away from the desktop.

P.S. Yeah I know 970's are coming but I wanted a desktop mac and the dual 1GHz was on special offer...

[T'hain Esh Kelch]

Originally posted by dabirdwell
What does this mean?

That Apple wont waste time on these iBooks, because next time we get 970 iBooks with all the features, and therefore they seem a LOT better...

[The Shadow]

Originally posted by redAPPLE
my 0.02 $...

drop the prices for the ibook. if Apple wants to differentiate between consumer and prosumer notebooks, the "MHZ" should show.

Wait until the 12" PB reaches 1GHZ before bringing out a 900 Mhz iBook. Then update both.

That would be the logical thing to do. Business-wise.

I agree with these comments, and others like them, to a point but I still think Apple should keep ramping up the iBook every chance it gets.

Yes this might result in some cannibalization of PB 12 sales because of MHz myth type ignorance, but what about the other competitors, ie PC notebooks? So, the more MHz the better I think.

Anyway, you'd hope people with a big budget who walk in after a PB, are more likely to be educated and less likely to end up going for a iBook.

Bottom line, I reckon, is if Apple were to be worried about cannibalization, easily solved: put slower G4s in iBooks. As it stands, don't penalise iBook buyers with slower than necessary G3s.

My HO's.

[d46799]

Can't believe they're still making G3 laptops. C'mon, get with the program, Apple.

[gotohamish]

Originally posted by d46799
Can't believe they're still making G3 laptops. C'mon, get with the program, Apple.

I admit the G3 is/was a great chip, but the cost of a 900Mhtz G3 can't be (much) cheaper than a 700Mhtz G4 now can it?

The iBooks should be G4 now, and they should be slightly less speed than the PowerBooks, as the other features (DDR, AE, BT, Display Spanning, etc) justify the price jump (which isn't that much to a 12" PB anyway).

Bring the price down, stick a low power G4 in, and they'll FLY off the shelves. Plus when the big boys get the next generation chip, then the step isn't as drastic.

Interestingly though, the 1Ghtz 15" Powerbook still outperforms the 17" 1Ghtz with DDR, so CNET says anyway... but I don't believe everything I read!

[pianojoe]

Originally posted by caveman_uk
An ibook speed bump is a cheap and easy thing to do for Apple.

AFAIK the current MB design allows for G3 speeds up to 800 MHz. So, if we get a new MB, it might (!) well sport some of the new fancy features (onboard Bluetook, AE, etc.). I'm sure they'll come up with a MB that can easily be equipped with a G3, or a G4, because I can't believe Apple would stick to the G3 until the next-next major MB redesign of the iBook.