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Thunderbolt display rumormill

C

chaseychasem

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 4, 2012
137
0
Maybe some of you noticed this, but I haven't seen much discussion around these parts:

Stock shortage tips Sept 20 Apple Thunderbolt Display refresh
http://www.slashgear.com/stock-shortage-tips-sept-20-apple-thunderbolt-display-refresh-07246481

Setting aside the question of whether a new iMac/TBD would be Retina-enabled (I agree with the skeptics for technical reasons), what would be compelling reasons to wait, apart from guaranteed inclusion of USB 3 ports? I'd wager improved stability and perhaps a tamer glossy finish à la the Retina screen, maybe slightly increased resolution too. I read somewhere about a new glass-bonding process that may be carried over from the rMBP to the iMac and TBD. On the other hand, this may also be responsible for current production delays that make October seem a more likely month for a refresh, if one is indeed coming soon.

Thoughts? Joys? Concerns? I'm eager for one of these, but the bugs associated with TBD v1 are a little scary to read about.
 
I'm currently playing the waiting the game.

My guess, at a minimum, would be the addition of USB3 and a revised MagSafe adapter. On the other end of the spectrum would be the above, revised glass (as you noted), increased resolution and revised slimmer body.

Unfortunately, there hasn't been much information. I believe the next date everyone is waiting for is 10/04.

The one thing that gives me hope of a revised monitor is the fact the iMac is taking so long to come out. We've heard there are panel shortages causing the release to be pushed back, but they need panels regardless of a new iMac or not. Just doesn't make sense.

Last but not least, if you look at MacRumors upgrade guide, you will see the display has had minor updates almost every year - so were due. :D
 
joshuaginter said:
Can you elaborate on these bugs?

I have had an immaculate experience with mine.
Click to expand...

I've read user testimonials that describe crashes involving order of unplugging cables from a notebook computer, problems associated with going into and coming out of sleep mode, revving fans, etc. Firmware glitches, in short. But I'm glad your experience has been good. I'd get one now if an October update didn't look possible/probable.
 
537635 said:
With the new iPhone supporting only USB 2.0, I don't really see this update coming anytime soon...
Click to expand...

That made no sense what so ever?

all the Ivy bridge Macbooks got USB 3.0, I think that trumps the iPhone 5 lack of USB 3.0

My take:

We'll see a revised construction, like the rMBP with less glare and thinner display.

USB 3.0 ports.

I'll play the wait game till mid October, if i haven't heard anything by then... i'll probably buy the current TD
 
The same for us. I want to get us 27" IPS panels and also Macbook docking station features. Only the Thunderbolt display delivers both. IF you add a Delkin docking station cost to a another IPS panel like the Dell U2711, the total cost is likely more than the Thunderbolt display.
 
bkar89 said:
That made no sense what so ever?

all the Ivy bridge Macbooks got USB 3.0, I think that trumps the iPhone 5 lack of USB 3.0
Click to expand...

Actually, it makes perfect sense to me. It would make even more sense to completely remove the USB ports from the display.

I think that USB is the next candidate (along with FW) of hardware relics to be removed from Apple's computers. If the new TBD is due in the following months, maybe not in this iteration, but definitely in the next. The same story as with floppy disks, VGA ports and DVD drives.

By then we will have BT, ac wireless standard, maybe 10Gb ethernet and the revised Thunderbolt.


Personally I wouldn't miss USB much even today. My data is on NAS. I use Dropbox and wireless keyboard and trackpad. USB ports on my rMBP and TBD are simply collecting dust.
 
537635 said:
I think that USB is the next candidate (along with FW) of hardware relics to be removed from Apple's computers.
Click to expand...

Sure, if you expect other people to stop using non-Apple peripherals and thumb drives. Yet I can't quite see the point of a Thunderbolt keyboard, for example, and even many wireless devices require a USB dongle rather than Bluetooth (for good reason, too). As for FW, I'd be disappointed if it disappeared from the next TBD.
 
chaseychasem said:
Sure, if you expect other people to stop using non-Apple peripherals and thumb drives.
Click to expand...

I do :).

In the same way as I expected people to stop using floppy disks and compact disks and switch to more advanced means of data storage.

If we look at the majority of Mac users - what USB peripherals do they use?

- external hard disks -> shifting towards networked drives
- thumb drives -> shifting towards on-line storage
- peripheral input defices -> shifting towards wireless solutions

The rest is in my opinion so insignificant that it can simply be ignored with a $49 TB->USB adapter (in the same way as there were USB->COM and USB->LPT adapters).

You don't even need a physical media to install an operating system anymore! :)
 
537635 said:
- peripheral input defices -> shifting towards wireless solutions

The rest is in my opinion so insignificant that it can simply be ignored with a $49 TB->USB adapter (in the same way as there were USB->COM and USB->LPT adapters).
Click to expand...

Again, take Logitech as an example: USB dongles with wireless mice. And $49 is an annoying investment for the sake of aesthetics.
 
chaseychasem said:
Again, take Logitech as an example: USB dongles with wireless mice. And $49 is an annoying investment for the sake of aesthetics.
Click to expand...

Logitech will just have to use bluetooth. Or they will annoy they custumers, who will have to buy a $49 adapter from Apple. ;)


OK, we're getting seriously off-topic.


I agree with you, that an update in the following months might bring the next generation of USB ports. But to be honest, everything else is perfectly fine with the current TBD. Sure some might miss the audio out, but otherwise it's perfectly good external display and a nice docking station for TB Macs.

I don't see the retina bump for at least some time (maybe along with the revised Thunderbolt). As far the glare is concerened - as this is not a mobile solution, I don't think it's highly on the priority list.
 
All this begs the question....what resolution will a 27" display have to be to be called Retina? Today the 27" IPS panels like Thunderbolt do 2550x1440. The Retina MBP does 2880x1800 and is typically closer to your face than a 27" panel. So will a 27" Retina panel have to bump up the resolution to 2880x1800....or higher?
 
MCAsan said:
All this begs the question....what resolution will a 27" display have to be to be called Retina? Today the 27" IPS panels like Thunderbolt do 2550x1440. The Retina MBP does 2880x1800 and is typically closer to your face than a 27" panel. So will a 27" Retina panel have to bump up the resolution to 2880x1800....or higher?
Click to expand...

The estimates are around 5120×2880...
 
What I think would be an interesting next step in the next display would be to incorporate airplay technology so that your mac can use the display without plugging it in.
 
Highly unlikely they would put retina on the TD, unless they also include a high end GPU into the display to drive those pixels.

Maybe they will split the product into TD & rTD. Normal ones with only usb3.0, retina version with gpu.
 
bkar89 said:
That made no sense what so ever?

all the Ivy bridge Macbooks got USB 3.0, I think that trumps the iPhone 5 lack of USB 3.0

My take:

We'll see a revised construction, like the rMBP with less glare and thinner display.

USB 3.0 ports.

I'll play the wait game till mid October, if i haven't heard anything by then... i'll probably buy the current TD
Click to expand...

Why would an iPhone have a USB 3 port? Care to elaborate?
 
Tempted to pair my MBA with a TBD. I have the opportunity (but only for the next few days) to pick one up for £650.

Personally, I don't think a Retina Display will be likely for the next couple of years as nothing (with the exception of high-end iMacs and Mac Pros) will be able to drive it.

What worries me is a potential redesign.

Hmm, decisions.
 
I don't think we will see a retina display this year. I do believe the update will included the mentioned mag safe change, possible USB 3 update (USB isn't going anywhere anytime soon), and possibly a thinner profile.

Regardless, I am going to buy the current TB display this week from Best Buy and if a refresh comes out in the next 60 days then i'll do an exchange. :cool:
 
537635 said:
With the new iPhone supporting only USB 2.0, I don't really see this update coming anytime soon...
Click to expand...

No this makes absolutely no sense, just like all of your other posts in this thread about how USB of any type will be removed any time soon.

First off, the flash in most phones and MP3 players isn't really all that fast. It isn't setup the same way as SSD's are, so even if it had a USB3.0 connection it wouldn't use the bandwidth. Think of it as like all of those cheap USB3.0 Flash drives that can't even saturate USB2.0 bus let alone USB3.0. All it would do is add cost.

Secondly, to drop USB after they just upgraded to USB3.0 on all of their new computers is just ridiculous. Dropping Firewire makes sense since it really was never even a mainstream connection anyway, but USB? Maybe in 5+ years if Thunderbolt takes off, but until the cost for the controller in each device drops to almost nothing (like in USB devices) it will be a long time before Apple can realistically drop USB. Even the firewire port still has support (albeit in a dongle form) on the new rMBP, so no sir. USB will not be dropped in 2013 (which would be when the next reiterations come out).
 
If you think you'll get 4x the pixels for a mere $500 extra, you're in cloud cuckoo land. If Apple were to release a retina TBD with that resolution, I would be gob smacked if it came in at under $3k.

EDIT: Plus, nothing would be able to drive it!
 
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