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17" Unibody MacBook Pro with Non-Removable Extended-Life Battery

Let's summarize

So far 3 scenarios why Apple would go non-user-swappable:

1.) Case Rigidity
Without a long battery panel at the bottom, some argue this will aid rigidity of the case.
Yet some say it's the opposite.

2.) Unusual Shape
Having a moldable battery occupy every nook and cranny will make its volume larger and hence longer lasting. But the resulting odd shape will make it impossible to swap out easily.
But filing all the nooks might cause thermal issues as it might prevent needed airflow around parts now cushioned with a battery.

3.) Battery Moves Behind the Screen
Heavy batteries like LiIon might be an issue, but the new silver-zinc ones are reportedly a lot lighter.


To me 3. seems the most likely.
Once the 17" switches to LED backlighting, they could make the lid quite a bit thinner (2-3mm). But such a thin lid at 17" size might really end up rather floppy. I think there is a limit to the thinness of laptop screens which constantly get opened and closed.

So if they can't make it thinner, but could due to the use of LED backlighting, what to do with all the wasted space?
How about a wide and thin battery? The 17" screen has enough surface area that even a thin battery would have quite a lot of volume.


Now with the battery behind the screen, what could they fill the empty space in the bottom with? An optional second HD? An optional second battery? Both?
 
Speaking as someone with a MBP 1.5 years old with a battery capacity down to about 45%, this concerns me.

That said I'm excited to see what Apple has up their sleeve if all this is true. :cool:
 
waloshin said:
Wouldn't it be too dangerous to use silver zinc batteries?
Click to expand...

They might not be perfect but believe me theyre a lot lot safer than lithium ion batteries, you know if you set light to a lithium ion battery theres almost no way to put it out, it even burns underwater and in a vacuum! so take the example of being in a plane if someones laptop goes up it can cause serious problems.

Also lithium ion batteries are incredibly hard to recycle much more so than silver oxide, because the lithium is spent so its fairly useless, whereas the silver can be reused.
 
dotdotdot said:
What about college students? Those 2 hour lectures, back to back, relying purely on battery? I wouldn't be able to miss notes for two weeks.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Try using this. I used it in the past and it worked really well. I even noticed some other people using it.

s.
 
rick3000 said:
This "rumor" doesn't sound so bad to me. An internal battery would not be a problem if the battery life was longer than the current batteries If it was twice as long it would be great.
But I think they battery needs to be user replaceable (no harder than adding ram) to get people to accept an internal battery.
Click to expand...

You probably don't have a 17" MacBook Pro. It is not about battery life with these guys it is more about replacing them when the battery becomes unusable. For the most part the 17" MBP is used as a portable desktop. Plugged in for most of the time but unhook it and go on battery for meetings or a training session and other things during the day that lasts about 1 hour. But they are not small and easy to carry (only compared to other 17" laptops).

However unlike an iPhone or an iPod these guys are hard on batteries. Not having a user replaceable battery is a turn off for me. And will lead my next purchase to be a Lenovo. If I am going to spend $3,000 every 4-5 years for a good quality laptop. I want to be able to be able to replace the most commonly failing parting within the 4-5 year period. I am already pissed because I can no longer easily replace the hard-drive. Luckily I haven't needed to replace the drive yet.

If this rumor is true. Apple has forgotten about the common man the fact that getting a Laptop is a major purchase for someone. Locking the hood just to make the case look a little nicer is short sited. And not what people want.
 
for those who want two batteries. Dont you know that batteries are heavy? and apple always try to make their notebooks baby light.
 
jellomizer said:
You probably don't have a 17" MacBook Pro. It is not about battery life with these guys it is more about replacing them when the battery becomes unusable. For the most part the 17" MBP is used as a portable desktop. Plugged in for most of the time but unhook it and go on battery for meetings or a training session and other things during the day that lasts about 1 hour. But they are not small and easy to carry (only compared to other 17" laptops).

However unlike an iPhone or an iPod these guys are hard on batteries. Not having a user replaceable battery is a turn off for me. And will lead my next purchase to be a Lenovo. If I am going to spend $3,000 every 4-5 years for a good quality laptop. I want to be able to be able to replace the most commonly failing parting within the 4-5 year period. I am already pissed because I can no longer easily replace the hard-drive. Luckily I haven't needed to replace the drive yet.
Click to expand...

I am planning on getting the new 17" MBP for heavy video editing and I plan on using it almost exactly as use descibe, plugged in most of the time and portable for an hour or two at a time.
But how can you care about an internal battery if you don't care about battery life. The only way an internal battery is a large negative is if you need to swap it out in the field for more battery life.
If you just need to swap the battery every two or so years, most people can spare an hour to do a swap if it isn't to hard.
And how are they 'hard' on there batteries?
 
nick9191 said:
Bad idea that the battery can't be removed.
Good idea that it lasts a long time (lets hope 10 hours).

I doubt it will become non removable, the European Union are already spanking Apple over the iPods and the Macbook Air.
Click to expand...

Are they really? The thing that the EU doesn't like is non-removable batteries that end up in the waste causing huge levels of pollution. These batteries here _can_ be removed, just not by using a coin as your only tool, and you don't have to worry about recycling, because the rumored silver batteries are so expensive, you have to keep them non-removable so they don't get stolen.

jaykay74 said:
Would this not now be illegal in Europe as the EU 'New Battery Directive' came into force on Sept 26th 2008;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_Directive#2006_Battery_Directive
Click to expand...

Again, if you read the directive it is about avoiding waste. You are confusing "easily removable" as required by the directive with "easily swappable". The battery in an iPod is easily removable, just use some strong pliers. They are not easily swapable, that is a completely different thing.

Think about it: How would a user-removable battery help with recycling? It helps if you have some cheap toy where I can take the battery out and throw the toy away while putting the battery into a recycling bin. In the case of a MacBook, I would expect to return the computer to Apple eventually, who would do the recycling. It doesn't help one bit if I take out the battery myself and hand them a MacBook without battery and a separate battery.
 
jellomizer said:
You probably don't have a 17" MacBook Pro. It is not about battery life with these guys it is more about replacing them when the battery becomes unusable. For the most part the 17" MBP is used as a portable desktop. Plugged in for most of the time but unhook it and go on battery for meetings or a training session and other things during the day that lasts about 1 hour. But they are not small and easy to carry (only compared to other 17" laptops).

However unlike an iPhone or an iPod these guys are hard on batteries. Not having a user replaceable battery is a turn off for me. And will lead my next purchase to be a Lenovo. If I am going to spend $3,000 every 4-5 years for a good quality laptop. I want to be able to be able to replace the most commonly failing parting within the 4-5 year period. I am already pissed because I can no longer easily replace the hard-drive. Luckily I haven't needed to replace the drive yet.

If this rumor is true. Apple has forgotten about the common man the fact that getting a Laptop is a major purchase for someone. Locking the hood just to make the case look a little nicer is short sited. And not what people want.
Click to expand...

Know of an acquaintance who does sound editing and recording. He usually carries 1 extra battery on site. He carries his MBP in a waterproof case. Yeah, there are a people out there that depends on their MBP to bring home the bacon! I use my MacBook for nonessential things such as surfing and iTunes, but this guy is for real. he didn't hesitate to through down a few grand for a new MBP, Applecare and 2 batteries. Apparently Applecare was very important to him, so he keeps repeating.

Cinch
 
Consultant said:
I think it's unlikely, unless it's extremely slim that a removable battery is not possible.
Click to expand...

If the battery is in a more traditional from factor, its likely removable. If its a thinner battery spread over a larger surface area to compensate you could win up with something not removable.
 
Hey guys, I don't think Apple will surprise us with something.

My predictions:

New iMacs - Quad-core, Nvidia 9800, maybe 8GB ram...
New MacMini - new design, better specs
New Macbook Pro 17" - as like as unibody 15", better specs, removable battery...

No Alu Macbook for $999, maybe a little price drop ($1199 and $1499)
No Macbook nano, mini, tablet or something like that...

But I think there is a chance the Apple is not going to release something new. They might prepare their own keynote in February, March... ;)
 
I am fine with a phone or a music player that does not have a replaceable battery. With these devices if the battery dies during the warranty then they get replaced. Not so easy with a laptop, and judging from my 15 MBP that battery would not last more then 2 years.

A have refrained from complaining about none replaceable batteries, however this is where I would draw the line.
 
Non-removeable batteries seem to be the suck.

Main benefit I can see for companies is the ability to put it deeper in the machine without being accessible.
 
dam0dred said:
Speaking as someone with a MBP 1.5 years old with a battery capacity down to about 45%, this concerns me.

That said I'm excited to see what Apple has up their sleeve if all this is true. :cool:
Click to expand...

I have this same problem and would be VERY hesitant to buy one with a battery that I could replace or atleast have the Apple store do it for no cost.
 
Apple is going to do what they want (no matter what a few hundred people on MacRumors think, or few thousand (FW/Matte screens), and getting upset won't change it.
If they do this, fine, deal with it. If not, then great.

If they release on Tues. I would image them going on sale the same day but maybe within two months, just my guess.
 
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