Apple Registers Several New Mac and iPad Models in Eurasia

[namethisfile]

Doesn't really matter what they do, everyone on here will moan about it anyway.

I know something they can do that will please a lot of people...

15" Macbook Pro

• Mid-2012 15" Macbook Pro form-factor that incorporates the later 2012 15" Macbook Pro with Retina side air-ducts for better thermals; this, also, includes the glass/acrylic protector in front of the LCD screen from the former 2012 MBP model!!!
• 16 GB RAM standard; upgradeable to 32 GB, if so desired
• M.2 and SATA3 ports (afforded by returning to an ever, slight increase in thickness with the Mid-2012 non-Retina 15" MBP form-factor)
• Nvidia GTX 1160 dGPU option (Yeah, the next-gen Nvidia cards)
• Butterfly keyboard switches 3.0!!!

17" Macbook Pro!!!

• The same as the 15" version above, but with a 17" 5K screen!!!

Modular New Mac Pro w/ PCIE, SATA, M.2, etc... slots... upgradeable everything!!!

New Mac Mini w/ Coffee Lake CPU's... RAM can be soldered; but, leave an expandable SATA or M.2 slot free!!! And, include Thunderbolt 3 for eGPU support and expansion....

The only thing people will moan about will be how Apple is going "backwards" with making the laptops ever so... in the slightest way... just a little, tiny bit bigger than the current models...

 

[jonnyo]

Perhaps Apple just needs to unload the Mac business to a company that actually wants to be in the personal computer industry. It's painfully obvious that it's not a priority for Apple anymore. While we Mac fanboys/girls are realizing this, the mass market is still largely ignorant of it, which means Apple still has time to right this ship if it wants to. But once they start realizing this – and there are early signs of this being the case – the bottom is going to fall out pretty quickly.

 

[loby]

A lot of my friends in design don't use Macs for work anymore or aren't even allowed. I think it might be different in music and photography fields though.

In Music, Logic Pro X is still a big player. Great product!

 

[WannaGoMac]

Perhaps Apple just needs to unload the Mac business to a company that actually wants to be in the personal computer industry. It's painfully obvious that it's not a priority for Apple anymore. While we Mac fanboys/girls are realizing this, the mass market is still largely ignorant of it, which means Apple still has time to right this ship if it wants to. But once they start realizing this – and there are early signs of this being the case – the bottom is going to fall out pretty quickly.

I've actually thought they should spin off Mac to a separate subsidiary. But it will never happen given the belief in integration at the core of Apple (or used to be)

 

[DrBrush]

Isn't ABLE to, or doesn't HAVE to? There's a difference.

If the Macbook is selling in quantities that Apple is pleased with at the current price points, why should they lower the price?


The answer is the same as above. Why should they make a"truly professional Macbook Pro" when the current offerings are selling well?

Because it is not all about selling today's MBP. I have a 2012 MBP that I have wanted to update for a year or two. I have not, because I don't like the keyboard, lack of ports, touch bar etc on the new MBP. So, I have been telling everybody I know that I am not keen on them and that I am considering a PC (which I am). While I may be a very small minority, the type of person that like me is interested in a "truly professional MacBook Pro" is the sort of person that others with less technical skill take advice from. When I first bought my home Mac I was the only one I knew with a Mac. Now my immediate family has four Macs, three iPads and five iPhones. My Dad has a Mac. My in-laws have had three macs and multiple iPhones and iPads. Had I been using a PC all of the intervening time, so (very likely) would they.

So keeping the many many local opinion leaders bought into the Mac ecosystems does matter to Apple in the long term (or at least it should!). If I buy a PC next, how many of my local Mac-buying group will buy a Mac again? Maybe all, but they are much more likely to consider a PC next time if I have switched back.

 

[Lord of the Pies]

I'm fairly desperate for a new 15" MacBook Pro, but there's no way I'm buying the current garbage. I'm praying like mad that Apple updates the current line sooner rather than later, and that they actually do a decent job of it.

 

[jonnyo]

I know something they can do that will please a lot of people...

15" Macbook Pro

• Mid-2012 15" Macbook Pro form-factor that incorporates the later 2012 15" Macbook Pro with Retina side air-ducts for better thermals; this, also, includes the glass/acrylic protector in front of the LCD screen from the former 2012 MBP model!!!
• 16 GB RAM standard; upgradeable to 32 GB, if so desired
• M.2 and SATA3 ports (afforded by returning to an ever, slight increase in thickness with the Mid-2012 non-Retina 15" MBP form-factor)
• Nvidia GTX 1160 dGPU option (Yeah, the next-gen Nvidia cards)
• Butterfly keyboard switches 3.0!!!

17" Macbook Pro!!!

• The same as the 15" version above, but with a 17" 5K screen!!!

Modular New Mac Pro w/ PCIE, SATA, M.2, etc... slots... upgradeable everything!!!

New Mac Mini w/ Coffee Lake CPU's... RAM can be soldered; but, leave an expandable SATA or M.2 slot free!!! And, include Thunderbolt 3 for eGPU support and expansion....

The only thing people will moan about will be how Apple is going "backwards" with making the laptops ever so... in the slightest way... just a little, tiny bit bigger than the current models...

You hit on a key point: Apple needs to reverse course on limiting upgradability. They may want to think of their desktops and laptops as sealed boxes but nobody beyond the Apple Park front door does.

I'll add one to the mix: replace the Touch Bar with Asus' ScreenPad and make it standard on all MacBook Pros.

 

[Martyimac]

Apple has already announced the new Mac Pro will not arrive in 2018, so that should not be a surprise.

Saying something in passing is not the same as releasing some actual info. So still worrisome.

 

[topmounter]

Hopes are high. Expectations are low.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Sadly, I'm not in the market for neither. I might upgrade when 32 GB LPDDR4 becomes a reality and 10 NM has stabilized for Apple to consider it.

As for the iPad Pro, I hardly use mine to even be considering an upgrade and from what I have seen with some using the original iPad 2 to this year, I suspect I will get a long life out of mine. The only time I might consider is when Apple switches to Super OLED and I am more inclined to wait until the second generation.

 

[Chazz08]

I love technological progress BUT can we just forget the 2016 and 2017 design and go back to something similar to the 2015, even if the only reasons are to use the same keyboard and magsafe.

Yes! Magsafe! That was one of my favorite things about MacBooks! And it was a huge reason why I got one for college. I mean, it's so smart and innovative, and no one else has done anything like it. I wish they would bring that back.

 

[Naraxus]

Apple, go ahead and remove all the ports you want. Go ahead and make it as thin as you can possibly make it. Make macOS even more of a mess than it already is.

Do whatever you want. Your pro customers woke up long ago and have left you in droves after you have given them the finger for so many years.

 

[Erasmus]

I've actually thought they should spin off Mac to a separate subsidiary. But it will never happen given the belief in integration at the core of Apple (or used to be)

I think integration is more at the heart of Apple now than ever before. I think that this has actually got to the point where there is TOO much integration. Whereas normally it's all about making Apple stuff work nicely together, at the moment it's more like wrapping every Apple product up together, and walling them off from everything else.

This goes for hardware (loss of normal USB, because Apple ecosystem can share files easily via other means, and who would want to share files with filthy Windows computers?) and software (depreciating both OpenGL and OpenCL which are cross-platform standards in favour of Metal, which is Mac-exclusive, because everyone knows the sole purpose of Macs is to web surf and develop iOS apps for the iPhone God)

Obviously this is good for profit (more closed ecosystem makes people inside more likely to stay inside) however I'm afraid it might burn itself out as it also makes getting in from the outside harder (New Apple device doesn't play well with existing non-Apple devices, which is a turn-off for purchase). Apple have (and still do) made some fantastic devices which can easily hold their own against the competition. Apple should not fear cross-compatibility with Windows/Android/etc.

 

[Geardo_Ranger]

Good point - for the Macs it’s mainly spec updated expected right? Maybe could even happen in July?

If that’s the case then September for iPhone + iPad + Watch could be doable. I imagine new iPhones & iPads will get A12 together (first time since 2014). That’ll be quite nice to have them on par again.

I tend to believe this would not just be a spec update because then Apple would have to add the new MacBook Pro models to its current warranty claims for keyboards and buyers and the press would go off on this. I think there is going to be an update that will be announced. I can almost guarantee there are some design changes happening. They don’t want to lose more money like they already are with keyboardgate.

 

[aaronhead14]

Hopefully the highest end MacBook Pro will have an SD card slot, HDMI port, no TouchBar, and a keyboard that doesn't suck...

 

[asiga]

I don’t know how they’ll handle the Air replacement, but it would be great if the lineup made more sense than it does today, name-wise.

It mainly is confusing thanks to the 13” “Pro” without Touch Bar. And kinda too because the Air name would be more appropriate for the MacBook. Just make two screen sizes for both MacBook and MacBook Pro, right?

Indeed. The MacBook line is quite non-sense these days. I think it's mainly because of fear of modifying the MBA, considering it saves the day in terms of sales. They are so afraid of losing the MBA sales, that this has led to an absurd MacBook line.

If it wasn't for the distortion caused by the MBA, the MacBook line should be like this nowadays:

12'' MacBook (like it is today)
15'' MacBook (very light: weighting 1kg, just like the LG Gram and the 2018 Acer Swift 5)
15'' MacBook Pro (like it is today)
17'' MacBook Pro (more RAM, better GPU: NVIDIA)

Particularly, I'm really missing the second one in the list: An ultralight MacBook with a big display. Acer and LG are winning here. And I want that for travelling and presentations: big display, lower weight.

 

[Dave245]

I tend to believe this would not just be a spec update because then Apple would have to add the new MacBook Pro models to its current warranty claims for keyboards and buyers and the press would go off on this. I think there is going to be an update that will be announced. I can almost guarantee there are some design changes happening. They don’t want to lose more money like they already are with keyboardgate.

It will be a spec update, the keyboard issues will probably be fixed, Apple will have a fix by now that will be rolled out ready for the next Mac’s. Don’t forget they also said that a “small number” of people were having issues we don’t actually know the amount of keyboards that have failed. I don’t see Apple turning away from the butterfly keyboard but advancing it and making it better.

 

[mctrials23]

The whinging in here is quite unbearable. Apple do care about the mac. Saying they don't is like claiming that google don't care about their search engine or builders don't care about their foundations. They have made some questionable decisions but most people like the new macbook pros. I've had macs for over 10 years and my 2016 tbMBP is the best of the lot by a way. The only thing I would happily ditch is the touch bar because I don't benefit from it at all.

Apples entire ecosystem is built on the mac. iOS relies entirely on developers owning a mac and building apps for them. Windows is good these days and so is MacOS. The only reason Windows has progressed faster than MacOS in the last few years is because it was so far behind.

Creating software isn't super hard. Creating a complete ecosystem that spans the Watch, Mac, iPhone, AirPods, TV & iPad and doesn't have any issues with hundreds of millions of people using them is hard. I work on a mac all day every day and its a great platform for a developer.

Everyone seems to think that their "perfect" mac is THE perfect mac. Everyone wants outdated ports instead of TB3, everyone wants a heavier, thicker laptop with the old keyboard. No, thats what you want. People were complaining that Apple hadn't updated the look/chassis of the mac for years before the new one came out and surprise surprise they are complaining again.

There are some things I would change but overall I still think its the best combination of hardware and software out there at the moment. Give me 32gb RAM, the option to have physical keys instead of the touchbar and I will be very happy.

People just love to complain about Apple whilst still using their products and telling us how amazing company X is or product Y. Well if its that amazing go and use it. I am getting a bit bored of my iPhone, its a great phone but I don't think there have been any updates to excite me for a while and the new google assistant looks amazing.

 

[obiwan]

It will be a spec update, the keyboard issues will probably be fixed, Apple will have a fix by now that will be rolled out ready for the next Mac’s. Don’t forget they also said that a “small number” of people were having issues we don’t actually know the amount of keyboards that have failed. I don’t see Apple turning away from the butterfly keyboard but advancing it and making it better.

I have a theory that Apple deliberately made the tactile keyboard on their MacBook Pro's fail, so they could introduce an all new totally flat touch bar keyboard. Then they can claim that they 'innovated' because traditional tactile keyboards are prone to mechanical failure.

 

[Schnegg]

Really nice to hear. So we can hope for an updated MacBook lineup.

 

[CWallace]

- 32GB of RAM

Intel Coffee Lake chipsets are still limited to 16GB support so this won't be possible.

I’m still surprised that, 3 years after debut, Apple isn’t able to sell the MacBook at $999.

Oh they could, just not at the margins they want. Guessing Intel and other suppliers have been holding firm on their prices requiring Apple to hold firm on theirs.

 

[Mainsail]

Probably because the Mac is no longer the primary means by which people enter the Apple ecosystem.

That honour now belongs to the iPhone. Most people get an iPhone first, then eventually transition to a Mac as well if they want the whole integrated experience. As such, there really is little reason for a cheap Mac desktop to exist to appeal to PC “switchers”. That use case just isn’t relevant in today’s context.

I think you raise a good point. Our family entered into the Apple world when our kids got MacBooks for their middle school laptop program. But, that process is changing. Today, most schools use Chromebooks or tablets. There really is no need for kids to lug around more expensive laptops with desktop operating systems.

The consumers first experience with Apple tends to be the iPhone and iOS. Also, I think Apple firmly believes that the iPad is the new entry level computer for most people. The consumer is already familiar with iOS, and the iPad is a natural transition for many folks. So, the entry level Mac is no longer the gateway to the Apple ecosystem.

I would love to see Apple release more frequent updates to their entry level MacBooks and Desktops, but that’s just not the direction they seem to be going. Instead, it looks like:

• IPhone and iPhone X
• IPad and iPad Pro
• MacBook and MacBook Pro
• IMac and iMac Pro

The iPad and iPad Pro replace the entry level Mac. Of course, you can argue the iPad could never replace a laptop, and that might be true for some people. However, for routine everyday stuff that over 80% of the consumers normally do on an entry level Mac, the iPad is probably more than sufficient......especially when paired with a physical keyboard. Bottom-line: Apple might not feel the need to invest the effort into an entry level Mac and MacBook.

 

[vindo]

It's a real shame that the touch-bar generation of MBP has been a commercial success. Because it unfortunately means more of the same. Fair play to Apple, I'm don't begrudge them succeeding here. But for many like myself, it was fairly horrifying seeing all their time and talent going in to developing a machine that is clearly intended to be used for web browsing and social media posting. We've long known that they hold the opinion that most people don't 'need' a computer. This was really that attitude put into practice for the first time in their Macintosh line.

And then you had this complete red herring situation with the ports. Which almost everybody focused on, and yet it was probably the only are in which they showed any kind of technological foresight. The specs certainly weren't designed with an eye on the future! It took absolutely all the heat off the main problem- these machines are now to be used in coffeeshops, not in studios. Because that's what people are buying them for, that's what people use them for.

Here's the biggest difference: Gaming.

Windows laptops need to have pro features. They need power, they need excellent screens, they need UI. Because people game on them. They might not use them in the way that us niche users use MBPs, but they damn well use that power, they need those screens, and they want innovation. It's an intense race between multiple companies, and Apple is not involved at all.

It's a real shame that Apple missed the boat on PC gaming, because a residual effect would have been powerful, portable Macs. They simply aren't in this market today.

 

[Erasmus]

Everyone seems to think that their "perfect" mac is THE perfect mac. Everyone wants outdated ports instead of TB3, everyone wants a heavier, thicker laptop with the old keyboard. No, thats what you want. People were complaining that Apple hadn't updated the look/chassis of the mac for years before the new one came out and surprise surprise they are complaining again.

You do see the irony here... don't you??? You love your MBP so everyone else should stop whining?

You do realise that the people who complain about an old looking MBP are not the same people who complain about the thinness obsession?

How many non-hub USB-C/TB3 devices do you have? If you want to use a normal USB flash drive, how do you do it?

I also get tired by people here who hate everything Apple does simply because it's Apple. But equally annoying are the people who defend every decision Apple makes, and can't see that some of them thoroughly alienate large swathes of their user-base.

 

[GalileoSeven]

"Underpowered and overpriced" has been a hallmark of Apple computers, especially the laptops, since time began. I'd be surprised if whatever MBA replacement they come up actually has specs that justify its pricepoint (I bought my 11" for either $799 or $899, can't remember, but that actually was worth its price - even if the specs were stretching it a tad bit).

Building such a machine isn't hard, Apple's actually done that a time or two already. Just quit with the gimmicks, turn a bit more attention back to QC/QA (so there aren't any keyboard-like problems) and apply the MBA formula to another machine/form factor in the pipeline.