Claim of a March 17th MacBook Pro Release?

[MacRumors]

CrunchGear pinpoints March 17th as the date for the release of next generation MacBook Pros alongside a price drop of the high end model, which currently runs $2799.

They also claim the overall design will remain the same but with the expected inclusion of multi-touch.

CrunchGear has had some rumor hits in the recent past, but their timeframes have not been accurate. Their date also conflicts with recent whispers that expected MacBook Pro updates in the next two weeks.

Article Link

[Peel]

March 17th? I guess it will be green then with a glowing shamrock instead of an Apple on the lid?

[pondie84]

This makes sense to me. There would be no good strategic reason to release the new MBPs at roughly the same time as their MBAs. Here's hoping the rumours of a price drop turn out to be true.

[Nugget]

*cluck* *cluck*!

[DCSMAC]

I dont care what happens until june, but when that time rolls around i hope the MBPs have a base of 256MB VRAM so there would be a small possibility of the MB, or at least the black MB, getting a 128MB graphics card.

I would absolutuly love that.

My ibook is on its last legs.

[Calsef]

this sounds nice. I wouldn't mind waiting till mid-march for an update if it was a reeeeal update with a newer design to match. I would also tolerate waiting much more if I new this was fo' real. I hope they don't copy the MBA tapered design-it would make it so much harder to carry with 1 hand. I also don't like the MBA's keyboard of black on silver...its a little too freckly for me.

[Darkroom]

Originally Posted by pondie84

This makes sense to me. There would be no good strategic reason to release the new MBPs at roughly the same time as their MBAs. Here's hoping the rumours of a price drop turn out to be true.

macbook pro is for people who need a good computer, macbook air is for people who need to show off... they do not, nor ever will compete with one another.

[meigo1234]

Let's make it March 18th then. That's a Tuesday, and last but not least it's my birthday. : )

what I can recommend:
Darjeeling Unlimited

that's a good anti-thesis to the hip Apple ads, dissing PC-users - some kind of ridiculous ********

[Peace]

Originally Posted by HenMaster6000

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A93 Safari/419.3)

if this is true, i will be upset.

Originally Posted by Nugget

Wiredly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (PowerMac; U; CPU is Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Chainedtoadesk/4MOO Safari/419.3)

if this is true, i will be pleased.

That my friends is a classic example of why MR doesn't run Apple,Inc.

On topic though.We will see new MBP's around Feb. 5th or Feb.12th.

[Glueeater]

Originally Posted by Peace

That my friends is a classic example of why MR doesn't run Apple,Inc.

On topic though.We will see new MBP's around Feb. 5th or Feb.12th.

Source? lol. I've noticed following MacRumors you get a lot of people just shooting around "facts" that come from seemingly nowhere.

[pondie84]

Originally Posted by Darkroom

macbook pro is for people who need a good computer, macbook air is for people who need to show off... they do not, nor ever will compete with one another.

Well I beg to differ. By releasing two products at once it would force a greater number of people to hesitate before buying the MBA. As for whether the two products would compete, I also think they will. As a casual observer of this website I've already seen a few people asking "Should I buy a MBP or a MBA?". This is evidence of competition for part of the market. Of course, I suppose Apple won't really care as long as you buy one of their products, but I think it's not exactly true both products won't compete for at least some of the same market.

Finally, you don't think people purchasing the MBP want to show off at all? Although I suppose that question is immaterial in general, I found your statement a little much to be able to resist passing comment on.

I'm not saying they couldn't release both at the same time, I'm just saying it wouldn't make a whole lot of strategic sense (particularly from a marketing standpoint) to release them both close to one another.

[fireloss]

Originally Posted by pondie84

Well I beg to differ. By releasing two products at once it would force a greater number of people to hesitate before buying the MBA. As for whether the two products would compete, I also think they will. As a casual observer of this website I've already seen a few people asking "Should I buy a MBP or a MBA?". This is evidence of competition for part of the market. Of course, I suppose Apple won't really care as long as you buy one of their products, but I think it's not exactly true both products won't compete for at least some of the same market.

Finally, you don't think people purchasing the MBP want to show off at all? Although I suppose that question is immaterial in general, I found your statement a little much to be able to resist passing comment on.

I'm not saying they couldn't release both at the same time, I'm just saying it wouldn't make a whole lot of strategic sense (particularly from a marketing standpoint) to release them both close to one another.

Why would Apple worry about that? They are going to make money anyway from selling MBP or MBA.

[bacaramac]

Ok, from what I read. Page 2 News is either unverified or not as likely to be true based source, etc. So that is why the dates for this rumor and the other rumor are on page 2.

[pondie84]

Originally Posted by fireloss

Why would Apple worry about that? They are going to make money anyway from selling MBP or MBA.

I'd say they'd want to try and whip up interest in the MBA initially and try and get as many early sales as possible.

I understand your point on them making money either way, but it'd make far more sense to try and establish one brand and then release the other in a month or two when the hype has died down. Releasing them both at the same time lessens the impact of the release of each product and they would both need to share the limelight.

[corywoolf]

MacBook Pro will have more rounded edges like MacBook Air. Think of right now as the same situation when the 12" and 17" PowerBooks first got released and the TiBook was still the 15". The keyboard is certainly going to be that of the MacBook Air's. I know they are separate product lines, but it still makes sense. Goodbye to the current aluminum style keyboard on the MacBook Pro.

[Klaxons2012]

Originally Posted by corywoolf

MacBook Pro will have more rounded edges like MacBook Air. Think of right now as the same situation when the 12" and 17" PowerBooks first got released and the TiBook was still the 15". The keyboard is certainly going to be that of the MacBook Air's. I know they are separate product lines, but it still makes sense. Goodbye to the current aluminum style keyboard on the MacBook Pro.

I'm doing a lot of heavy typing so I'm going to have to stick with the current generation MBP. I want to be able to type at ease without an external. That's just my experience though.

I'm a student as well, and I waited for this update to happen. If it's not going to happen until March, then we'll have to see how long it takes for me to balance my finances before paying for the MBP outright. If it happens before the update then i'm running with it. I feel like anyone who needs a MBP right now, should just get one now.

[Tosser]

Originally Posted by Klaxons2012

heavy typing

[Chuckles]

Sorry, but that sounds funny! Not to mention the exact thing the MBA is aimed for (and not much else).

[oldwatery]

Originally Posted by corywoolf

MacBook Pro will have more rounded edges like MacBook Air. Think of right now as the same situation when the 12" and 17" PowerBooks first got released and the TiBook was still the 15". The keyboard is certainly going to be that of the MacBook Air's. I know they are separate product lines, but it still makes sense. Goodbye to the current aluminum style keyboard on the MacBook Pro.

No way they will stick us with chicklets

[Lord Sam]

Please! I hope so.

[oldwatery]

Originally Posted by Darkroom

macbook pro is for people who need a good computer, macbook air is for people who need to show off... they do not, nor ever will compete with one another.

Sorry to stray off subject but aren't we over the MBA being only for show offs yet.
It's a brilliant piece of gear that might not be right for you but it is for many others.

Regardless...I am disappointed if the 17th March is true.
I was hoping to get a new 17" sooner.....but if it's gonna be cheaper then I'm happy to wait. I priced out a loaded 17" yesterday and got serious sticker shock

[VArase]

Originally Posted by oldwatery

Sorry to stray off subject but aren't we over the MBA being only for show offs yet.

It's a brilliant piece of gear that might not be right for you but it is for many others.

Agreed ... the MBA is a second (portable) computer.

Not a heavy-weight, just something to carry on a short trip or between the home and office. A luxury portable, so to speak.

Being that it's not a full featured computer, it's not for me.

Originally Posted by oldwatery

Regardless...I am disappointed if the 17th March is true.

I was hoping to get a new 17" sooner.....but if it's gonna be cheaper then I'm happy to wait. I priced out a loaded 17" yesterday and got serious sticker shock

Longer to save up for that (probably not diminishing) sticker price.

My current computer is a Powerbook 17@1.5ghz, which I considered a safe buy since I thought it'd be years before they could lever a G5 into a portable configuration . Sigh ... so much for my acumen!

I need an LED backlit display (mine is dimming), a 320GB HD (my 160GB upgrade drive is almost filled and I need Windows), and I need the machine to last at least three years.

[masse]

It had better be more than just a speed bump with multitouch included. There's no reason that should even take so long to incorporate.

[t0mat0]

Is Nehalem slated for release just before the Christmas time period? If so, would it be more likely to get that put into a design that was altered around Feb/March time?

[ewxlt]

How lame are we for endlessly talking about what possibly or could be or should be released?

It's like having a crush on a girl in high school and thinking about how she should like you back.

[netdog]

I wonder if they'll issue a special green Blarney edition given the date for the rollout.