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What to Expect in the Third Generation MacBook
- Thread starter Hellhammer
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They will probably add the touch bar (it's ok). They HAD BETTER add another port on the other side (there's room with the headphone jack, if you move that up).
1) touch bar (who cares)
2) added port
3) thunderbolt 3
4) improved screen a little
5) Baby Lakes cpu
6) other stuff.
There's not really enough room for a second port and the headphone jack without some significant redesign, which is not impossible, but unlikely given Apple's changes to the iPhone. I still expect to see a Lightning port replace the headphone jack on the MB 3 so there is cross compatibility between the iOS and Macs. And the MB is the perfect testing ground for it. However, if the MB 3 doesn't add Lightning, then I think the writing is on the wall for Lightning as a whole, and the rumors of Apple's push for 100% wireless is likely the real path. At which point, the headphone jack will still likely be replaced by USB-C. But I wouldn't expect that to happen until Apple is ready to go completely wireless as the MB is essentially an extension of the iPad that happens to run macOS. And I don't think Apple will go completely wireless on a MB until they do it on the iPhone and iPad first.
A sensible thing that Apple can do is unify ALL devices they produce into the Thunderbolt 3/USB-C standard. Macbook: replace second headphone jack. iPhone: replace lightning. iPad: ditto. The donglegate loses a lot of steam if they do that. If only because you could actually connect your iPhone 7s to your Macbook Pro 2016 or rMB without buying an extra cable (which is HILARIOUS) and use the same headphones that came with the phone with the MB.
Macbook: 1/2 x USB-C
Macbook Pro: 2/4 x USB-C
iMac: 4/6 x USB-C (21" vs 27")
Mac Pro and Mac Mini: what are those comtupers you speak of? iPad Pro! etc.
Plus a series of three iDongs designed by Jony's intern Asok. Air, Mini and Pro, with differing slots and capabilities. it would be ideal if you could somehow attach them to at least the iMac without having an extra cable and box around (Magic Connector or whatever this is called?) Add the possibility of connecting an iDong to iPads and iPhones – nobody's going to lug around an iPhone with an iDong hanging from it, but you can boast about your you generously allow your customers to add a microSD card to an iPhone for only €99.
If you want to be courageous, Apple, put your entire weight behind USB-C. Not scatter it randomly around some machines, sometimes replacing it with a headphone jack, sometimes Lightning and sometimes FireWire.
As for TouchBar I am torn on this. Because if they want to reposition it as the cheaper machine, which I expect, there's no way it gets TB (especially as rMB Escape Edition still exists). But DO they want to make it cheaper? Apple now produces fashion products, and it is well known fashion world has money.
Macbook: 1/2 x USB-C
Macbook Pro: 2/4 x USB-C
iMac: 4/6 x USB-C (21" vs 27")
Mac Pro and Mac Mini: what are those comtupers you speak of? iPad Pro! etc.
Plus a series of three iDongs designed by Jony's intern Asok. Air, Mini and Pro, with differing slots and capabilities. it would be ideal if you could somehow attach them to at least the iMac without having an extra cable and box around (Magic Connector or whatever this is called?) Add the possibility of connecting an iDong to iPads and iPhones – nobody's going to lug around an iPhone with an iDong hanging from it, but you can boast about your you generously allow your customers to add a microSD card to an iPhone for only €99.
If you want to be courageous, Apple, put your entire weight behind USB-C. Not scatter it randomly around some machines, sometimes replacing it with a headphone jack, sometimes Lightning and sometimes FireWire.
As for TouchBar I am torn on this. Because if they want to reposition it as the cheaper machine, which I expect, there's no way it gets TB (especially as rMB Escape Edition still exists). But DO they want to make it cheaper? Apple now produces fashion products, and it is well known fashion world has money.
The iPhone is along more popular than the MacBook. However, unifying would mean replacing iPhone lightning with USB-C (and not replacing MacBooks with lightning). Reason being simply that the computer/Pc world will not adopt to Apples licences lightning proprietary standard.
Now to move from lightning to USB-C, Apple would lose tonnes of revenue from selling this licensed port.
Now what would be the benefit? Not much because, although there are some users who use both an iPhone and MacBook, realistically, this is less than 1% of people. To lose out on all that revenue to convenience a small percentage of users isn't going to happen.
Second, you risk pissing off all those users who have lightning adapter accessories. It's one thing to piss off the really small MacBook crowd with port issues, but to risk it with their prime selling device? I don't see it. No way.
So on the basis of profit and playing it safe, they won't make this unifying change that I believe they should. I hope they surprise me, like they did with head phone jack removal - but then again that did was open up a revenue stream with the advertisement of wireless W1 chip headphones via Beats/Airpods. If I learnt anything in business, it is always exploring changes that can add a revenue stream to your business, and the headphone jack removal did just that. No one else can compete with W1 chips if you're an iPhone/Watch/iPad user.
I don't see any revenue coming from going from lightning to USB-C, rather huge losses.
Same applies to iPads and why I don't think they'd become USB-C anytime soon.
- Replace port with Thunderbolt 3
- 720p isight camera
- CPU Spec Bump
- Lower price by $100
When the 13in 2010 MBA was released, it cost $1299 with 7 hour battery life, 4GB RAM and no backlit keyboard. Today, it is $999 with 12 hours of battery life, 8GB RAM and backlit keyboard. So, Apple is capable of steadily lower the price of a laptop while still making updates and improvements without changing the basic design.
P3 screen and redesigned battery are likely inclusions imo (along with butterfly v2).
It is rumoured that the newer style batteries were supposed to have been ready for the existing MacBooks (which would have allowed more capacity) but didn't pass QA or yield.
http://wccftech.com/intel-kaby-lake-refresh-coffee-lake-cfl-u-h-s-x/
this mean Macbook kaby lake will never come?
this mean Macbook kaby lake will never come?
This is the axing of Kabylake v2 - similar to how you had Haswell processors and Haswell-E (enthusiast) processors.
We still have 7th gen core-M gpu'S so you'll see them.
They will just use the 15w ones that are available, don't think many manufacturers made plans to go for the 18w (and some others) so they decided to cancel.
I'm sure in three-five years the touch bar will be wide spread through the laptop and desktop line, along with TouchID, but I can't see it in the short term on the rMB. TouchID maybe? I suspect it will be a spec bump, maybe an extra thunderbolt 3 port but that's it. Which is fine really isn't it as the physical size, post and battery life of the laptop is the whole attraction of this laptop surely?
From what I gathered, battery life hasn't been that impressive. A P3 screen and the rumoured battery redesign could make it a super charged bunny, or perhaps even thinner.
Users: "We don't really like the keyboard, also the battery could be better".
Apple: "We hear you, and we respond. Thinner it is."
But many users really do like the keyboard. I much prefer it to any other laptop keyboard (and I've used many over the years) and I even prefer it to the old Apple desktop keyboard as well. I suspect some at least of those who don't like it haven't used it for more than a short while, and perhaps haven't adapted their typing style (and possibly aren't touch typists). You need to use less force, that's all. Many people find they can type more quickly and more accurately with the new keyboard -- and that's before the improvements in the MBP version.
It's not as good as my desktop Kinesis Advantage -- not surprisingly, given that the latter cost well over £100, but it's an excellent laptop keyboard and reverting to older less effective models would be a big step backwards for Apple.
Literally half a millimetre more travel and I'd shut up about it. Haven't tried the MBP version yet, maybe I'd like that better. Still, having larger spaces between keys, at least for me, is helpful. The idea that if I used the new keyboard for a long time I'd start liking it... A lot of people tell me if I eat goat cheese a lot, I will start liking it. But I still prefer eating something I already like.
(By the way, just bragging – I am not only a touch typist, I am capable of looking away from the computer and having an unrelated conversation while banging on the keyboard without typos. It's a cool way to freak people out, but tends to only work once.)
(By the way, just bragging – I am not only a touch typist, I am capable of looking away from the computer and having an unrelated conversation while banging on the keyboard without typos. It's a cool way to freak people out, but tends to only work once.)
Perhaps if you didn't 'bang' on it...? Seriously -- you do need to reduce the finger pressure otherwise you'll notice the reduced travel.
But I've no problem with you not liking the keyboard: it's a personal choice and neither you nor I is entitled to say the other is wrong in their preference. I was merely pointing out that it's wholly misleading to say that users (implying an overwhelming majority) 'don't really like the keyboard and are being ignored by Apple.' It's not true.
It wouldn't surprise me if the MacBook Pro version of the butterfly keyboard makes it to the Kaby Lake MacBook. I don't expect it for the 3rd generation, but the Touch Bar would also be nice. I'm finding it nice to have on the MacBook Pro. It certainly isn't a necessity, but it is convenient for apps that support it.