it's about cost. apple is sure would want to add hi res to the macbook, but its market is for student which is will not sell well if the price is expensive.
It shouldn't or wouldn't add much to the cost for a $2K+ MBP.
For me, I expect all of the extras when I am spending two or three grand on a Mac notebook computer. For me, I am paying such a high premium that these "cost" issues are BS.
It used to be when we bought a Mac, we got things that PC buyers didn't have. The Mac was really amazing in terms of speed and component quality.
In my estimation, Apple has decided it needs to make the same profit margins on the Macs as they do on the iPod and iPhone. It is sad really. Mac notebooks have seen some cool features like aluminum case and glass trackpad and etc. But none of those features costs Apple much more money. Even worse, lately instead of Macs being incredibly fast with great components, they are slow and inferior to PCs on the market for 1/3 of the cost. That is the ridiculous part of it. We should be getting at least the same quality components as high end PC notebooks that cost half what the Macs cost... but right now upgrades are a joke in terms of costs of components.
We are paying more and getting MUCH LESS than we are used to. With the exception of the Mac Pro (which Apple increased margin on heavily), Macs have not seen a real CPU upgrade for two years. Very minor speed bump updates. But Apple still refuses to go Core 2 Quad or give us real CPU update.
Look at the iMac updates and even worse the Mac mini updates. People were so desperate for an update, they went and bought the new NON-UPDATED Macs. The CPU differences were non-existent. Apple could have put Nehalem desktop chips in there for no more money than current Penryn costs when they were introduced in iMacs over a year ago. So, Apple spends less now for those CPUs and doubles the RAM, which is a joke, and brands them as spanking new.
It seems to me that Apple loves selling the iPod and iPhone and the margins that go with them, that Apple is using them as a lesson for Mac pricing.
Seriously look at let's say the MB or Mac mini. Nearly the exact same CPU speeds for 2+ years. Even the MBP has seen weak bumps. 2.33GHz 2.5 years ago to 2.66GHz now on the high end model. That is a JOKE!
Until we stop buying, they will keep sticking it to us. Thank God Intel is upgrading line to Nehalem and Arrandale so we can get some real CPU performance upgrades... hopefully by the end of this year.
Has anyone else noticed what Apple is doing in not upgrading in terms of costs or CPU speed yet calling them NEW?
Apple brags about innovation, and it's nice, but a glass trackpad has to be ridiculously inexpensive. And aluminum case isn't like it's silver or gold, yet Apple would have us believe it. What else is cool and new with new MBP and MBs? Oh yes the chiclet keyboard... again not any higher costs. Or how about backlit keyboards??? add a few leds for less than a buck and charge a few hundred more for it.
As far as component changes, has been a complete joke for the upgrades, again except in the Mac Pro which Apple jacked the price up thousands of dollars and is essentially a side-step going from 2.8 to 2.26 Nehalem for much more or $1900 more for a 2.66 Octacore MP over the prior 2.8 Octacore.
I have loved my iPods and iPhone, but I think it has really left Apple caring less than ever about its Mac line of computers. I just don't see the performance and characteristics of Mac computers that I used to see... and that was the reason we were all willing to pay more for our Macs in the first place.
So, going back to this thread. Could a 15.4" display, as used in MBP, get an upgraded resolution from 1440x900? For any other company, charging half the price for the computer, and it would absolutely have the higher resolution. For Apple, it's not even a possibility... for any other company at even half Apple's Mac price levels it's a probability... just not for our beloved Apple, No longer a computer company!
Disappointed but a loyal fan of the Mac. Here's to hope that the current downturn in the economy opens Apple's eyes to getting the Mac back where it needs to be, on top of the pedestal!
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