Apple Tested Larger Battery and Gold Color Option on MacBook Pro, Lightning Port on MacBook

[thedommer2000]

I'm confused. Are you saying the 2016 MBP is a step backwards in CPU and screen brightness? I ask because I know for a fact this is not the case.

Maybe I'm misreading, are you saying your usage involves dimming the screen?

yes. I was saying my usage if I am trying to get long hours out of it.

Other than battery (which is not bad really, just not amazing) this Mac is a step forward in nearly every aspect. Those looking for more than 16 gigs will get it next year, and with that probably a bigger battery. So next year this will be basically a perfect laptop. Donglegate is really overplayed, the touch bar is fine, the keyboard is totally fine, touch pad size is fantastic, drive is blazing fast, screen is spectacular (although it needs to be fairly bright, wish they had a setting for killing some of the contrast when its on lower settings to make it easier to read) and Touch ID is so awesome and convenient to have.

People will still complain though... I get why. They wanted perfect and they didn't get it. Although everyone knew they weren't going to get it. We new in August that this would be a bridge machine until Kaby Lake.

 

[moonjelly]

Nope.

There is a difference between replying to a part of a post and selecting two sentences from separate paragraphs put together out of context.

 

[jujufreeze]

There is a difference between replying to a part of a post and selecting two sentences from separate paragraphs put together out of context.

Sorry to rain on your parade but the majority of new mbp owners aren't getting 10 hours of battery life. 5-7 is much more common.

 

[thedommer2000]

10 hours really is if you are doing practically nothing and with the monitor dimmed. The problem is that the monitor needs decent brightness to be comfortably readable because of the contrast. So its a bit of a catch 22. Definitely agree that this is an average 5 - 7 hour machine. The 15 inch anyways.

THAT BEING SAID I STILL LOVE THIS MACHINE DO NOT ATTACK MEE AAAAAHHH

 

[macbookhair]

Was the "key test" cost perchance?

 

[moonjelly]

Sorry to rain on your parade but the fact is the majority of new mbp owners aren't getting 10 hours of battery life. 5-7 is much more common.

That does not rain on my parade at all. I prefer to rely on my own experience and the tests that show what battery life to expect under what conditions. Without the system information collected by Apple across the whole user base I don't see how anyone could say what is most common.

 

[1000]

How about making the body a little thicker so you can put in a bigger battery and some ports people actually use?

Aren't swanky new colours the priority ? WTF are you going to use ports for ????

 

[nt5672]

. . . . No, pretty simply, the money counter perfectly represents the fact that Apple is the master at producing exactly what consumers want. . . . .

Fail. But let me correct that for you. Apple is producing exactly what consumers will, after a lot of marketing, settle for.

 

[pat500000]

I am not a Pro user. Before I retired, I used a Mac at work, but it was for typical office stuff....not high-end creative applications. So, I do not directly feel the impact of delayed release of high end Pro machines.

Rather, I am like the vast majority of Apple's customer base that bought their products for work, school and personal use because they are generally well designed, reliable and provide a solid user experience. For consumers like me, the company has been reasonably responsive. After all, we are not pushing the envelop of technology, so the current line-up of computers are probably not limiting the vast majority of Apple consumers.

The dissatisfaction seems to be largely coming from the Pro users that are pushing the envelop and would like next generation machines. This is unfortunate....but here is the rub: While I believe Apple wants to continue to sell computers to keep consumers in their ecosystem, truly Pro level computers are probably a very small fraction of their revenue stream. Computers are only about 10% +/- of revenue, and Pro level machines are probably only a small fraction of that number.

From a purely business perspective (and this is a business), Apple should be more concerned about selling a quality entry level laptop to college students and families to keep them in the ecosystem......and I think they are vulnerable here BTW....Apple needs to offer an updated $1,000 laptop IMO.

Bottom-line: Revenue and profits drive business decisions and resource allocations within a company. Sad but true.

While I agree with in business, but Tim is not a Pro-user and so this type of trend will continue till someone else comes in.

 

[thedommer2000]

to add to the above comment. When I go ANYWHERE there are MacBook Airs everywhere. That machine was well priced and perfect as an entry level computer. I definitely think apple screwed up killing that off. I get that it sits in a weird spot in their lineup, but it was affordable and with decent power. You will see a lot of potential new users in the apple ecosystem go PC simply because of the cost of entry....a cost that wasn't that bad over the past few years.

 

[Retired Cat]

Very sad article.

The Mac deserves better. After all, much of the software that powers the apps and services used by iPhone and iPad users are created on the Mac. That goes for websites, music, and video as well.

Apple needs to pay attention to what tools creators of products and services need. When Apple falters with the Mac I fear they are hurting the future prospects of iOS devices.

 

[pat500000]

Sorry to rain on your parade but the majority of new mbp owners aren't getting 10 hours of battery life. 5-7 is much more common.

If Apple initially stated up to 6 hrs then it wouldn't be much problem.

 

[Workerbee Redux]

Yet, it continues to sell in record numbers. Huge demand.

Sure, buddy. That's why Schiller gives interviews to justify the lack of RAM and how his Highness posts to employees to reassure them. Because they sell so well.

 

[3N16MA]

Stop with the touch bar and create a touch version of macOS. Im not talking about slapping touch on top of the current OS (Windows version of touch) but creating it from the ground up. An OS designed with touch and trackpad use in mind.

 

[LordVic]

The Mac is now the red headed step child.

The bruises the red-headed stepchild has tends to show at least the redheaded step child gets some attention

 

[niploteksi]

Whenever I go to the university I see about half of the students using Apple laptops. Mostly Macbooks or Macbook Air that is, with the exception of a few (older) Macbooks Pro 13". No idea how many have iPhones but I bet more than half of them. The laptops are used as fancy typewriters and I expect they work well for the purpose. To me it seems that those students would be better of with a cheap Windows or Linux laptop, but Apple seems to be what's trendy at the moment. 10 years ago, you would have to be Sherlock to find Apple laptops there.

One of the students asked me why I wasn't using an iPhone (I have Android) and I responded with I quit buying Apple products when they quit producing any worthwhile computers. The student looked at me like I was a complete alien and I halfheartedly tried to explain that the only reason for me to use Apple computers was because they used to deliver a lot more bang for the bucks combined with Unix and Core Audio.


I've been waiting for years to have a reason for reinvesting in Apple but I think I'm just being nostalgic. To be honest I have absolutely no faith in the company anymore. I was using Emagic Logic when Apple bought it up and for years it was my favourite software and Windows computers were so horrible it wasn't really a viable option. I've been on Windows 10 for a little while now and I can honestly say that it's totally fine. The only beef I have is with drivers and routing, but once set up it's running fine.

From what I have come to realise these past weeks after getting over the "hello again" slap in the face, is that I'm no longer a target audience for Apple. If I come of as whiny it's because for some reason I feel like Apple cheated on me

 

[truthertech]

Whenever I go to the university I see about half of the students using Apple laptops. Mostly Macbooks or Macbook Air that is, with the exception of a few (older) Macbooks Pro 13". No idea how many have iPhones but I bet more than half of them. The laptops are used as fancy typewriters and I expect they work well for the purpose. To me it seems that those students would be better of with a cheap Windows or Linux laptop, but Apple seems to be what's trendy at the moment. 10 years ago, you would have to be Sherlock to find Apple laptops there.

One of the students asked me why I wasn't using an iPhone (I have Android) and I responded with I quit buying Apple products when they quit producing any worthwhile computers. The student looked at me like I was a complete alien and I halfheartedly tried to explain that the only reason for me to use Apple computers was because they used to deliver a lot more bang for the bucks combined with Unix and Core Audio.


I've been waiting for years to have a reason for reinvesting in Apple but I think I'm just being nostalgic. To be honest I have absolutely no faith in the company anymore. I was using Emagic Logic when Apple bought it up and for years it was my favourite software and Windows computers were so horrible it wasn't really a viable option. I've been on Windows 10 for a little while now and I can honestly say that it's totally fine. The only beef I have is with drivers and routing, but once set up it's running fine.

From what I have come to realise these past weeks after getting over the "hello again" slap in the face, is that I'm no longer a target audience for Apple. If I come of as whiny it's because for some reason I feel like Apple cheated on me

So you threw yourself into the arms of Mr. Google who will destroy your privacy and security. Keeping all your most intimate thoughts, every email sent and received, every photo taken or received, every post, every book read or movie watched or song listened to, every document or spreadsheet uploaded, every place you've ever driven or website you ever visited so they could sell access to you and make it available to law enforcement or intel agencies or hackers, or to their other "partners" or simply to sell it all to the highest bidder some day. All that because you felt Apple jilted you? I guess it is all too common to hurt oneself to get back at a former lover.
[doublepost=1482270279][/doublepost]

Fail. But let me correct that for you. Apple is producing exactly what consumers will, after a lot of marketing, settle for.

Got it. The hundreds of millions of people buying Apple products are not as wise as you and lack insight and intelligence.

 

[niploteksi]

I am not a Pro user. Before I retired, I used a Mac at work, but it was for typical office stuff....not high-end creative applications. So, I do not directly feel the impact of delayed release of high end Pro machines.

Rather, I am like the vast majority of Apple's customer base that bought their products for work, school and personal use because they are generally well designed, reliable and provide a solid user experience. For consumers like me, the company has been reasonably responsive. After all, we are not pushing the envelop of technology, so the current line-up of computers are probably not limiting the vast majority of Apple consumers.

The dissatisfaction seems to be largely coming from the Pro users that are pushing the envelop and would like next generation machines. This is unfortunate....but here is the rub: While I believe Apple wants to continue to sell computers to keep consumers in their ecosystem, truly Pro level computers are probably a very small fraction of their revenue stream. Computers are only about 10% +/- of revenue, and Pro level machines are probably only a small fraction of that number.

From a purely business perspective (and this is a business), Apple should be more concerned about selling a quality entry level laptop to college students and families to keep them in the ecosystem......and I think they are vulnerable here BTW....Apple needs to offer an updated $1,000 laptop IMO.

Bottom-line: Revenue and profits drive business decisions and resource allocations within a company. Sad but true.

I'd say you fit the profile for a major part of Apple consumers over the years and I absolutely agree with everything you say. But in the "good old days" both of us had a place in the Apple computer lineup.

Apple will have a problem where the price for their entry level products is as hyped up as their high end products. Just take my situation as an example. Since I'm no longer on Apple computers I see little reason to keep with iOs. And honestly... There's no way I'm buying iPhones for my kids when we aren't in the Apple ecosystem. By buying cheap Android phones I'm going to cut that cost by half... the same goes for the family laptops or desktops. Plenty of huge and popular phone/tech companies have come tumbling down in the past.

Even though I may never again pay Apple for hardware or services I think having Apple around is great for competition and it forces other tech companies to actually try to get better.

 

[moonjelly]

to add to the above comment. When I go ANYWHERE there are MacBook Airs everywhere. That machine was well priced and perfect as an entry level computer. I definitely think apple screwed up killing that off. I get that it sits in a weird spot in their lineup, but it was affordable and with decent power. You will see a lot of potential new users in the apple ecosystem go PC simply because of the cost of entry....a cost that wasn't that bad over the past few years.

I get what you are saying. In 2011 I bought a max spec 13"MBA for business travel. There was nothing in the windows world like it. Everything was either big and heavy with lots of ports, short battery life, loud fan, etc. Or anemic netbooks. I schlepped it all over the world. It works and looks like new. It's more than paid for itself. It still has resale!

But consider, in max spec it was more expensive than the base 2016 13" rMBP and still only has 4 GB RAM [$1799 for the 1.9 GHz i7]. For less than 2011 prices it could be replaced by the base 2016 machine with vastly superior display, SSD, I/O bandwidth, graphics, processor, 8 GB memory, even a smaller footprint.

Apple has a record of price drops for the people who don't have to be first on the block. When the machines refresh in 2017 the base model might become an even better deal.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4512/the-2011-macbook-air-specs-and-details

 

[thedommer2000]

But consider, in max spec it was more expensive than the base 2016 13" rMBP and still only has 4 GB RAM. For less than 2011 prices it could be replaced by the base 2016 machine with vastly superior display, SSD, I/O bandwidth, graphics, processor, 8 GB memory, even a smaller footprint.

Apple has a record of price drops for the people who don't have to be first on the block. When the machines refresh in 2017 the base model might become an even better deal.

Good points! I agree BUT this is one of those situations where maybe they killed it off a touch to soon. A minor spec bump and we could have still kept a reasonably priced entry level model until apple starts figuring out better pricing next year. But yes I get what you are saying. Makes sense.

 

[Phoenixx]

These test runs for iPhone-like features on the MacBook are "part of a broader shift toward making Macs more like iPhones." The critique rests on Apple's inability to see what its more creative and loyal users need desktop and laptop computers for, instead opting to bring features from its best-selling product -- the iPhone -- into the Mac line.

Apple just don't seem to get it; desktop users want a desktop experience. Make the Mac too much like an iPhone, and desktop users will go elsewhere. Microsoft made this mistake with Windows 8.

 

[truthertech]

In the end, dozens of Mac hardware managers and engineers are said to have left for different teams, or left Apple entirely, in the past 18 months. "Some were looking for a less all-consuming work environment, while others felt the future of Mac hardware was unclear in a world of iPhones and iPads."

This is the result of a lack of focus coming from Apple's leadership team. And I don't take the "iOS is the future of computing" vision that Apple is trying to sell.
First, iOS on iPads, especially 12.9 iPad Pro, is a joke.
Second, it's clear that Tim Cook and the gang are purely profit driven. Apple is not product driven anymore, and the touch bar on MacBook is a clear example. It's just a gimmick to justify higher prices to increase Macs profitability.
It's so stupid, this isn't what consumers want. We just wanted a powerful, reliable and sleek machine - simple as is. But of course how can you justify an increase in price?

This whole situation is becoming ridiculous.

Please correct your fake news post. The rumor from an unidentified source, said that "more than a dozen, not "dozens." So, somewhere around 6 or so engineers relocated. But let's examine the rest of the rumor and assume it's accurate.

So, about three engineers wanted to go to other teams and three or so left Apple for other jobs. Out of this tiny number, three or so simply wanted an easier schedule and three or so felt the "future of the Mac hardware was unclear." This is tremendous scoop that BI is paying MG for????? Wow, the pressure on MG must be intense to come up with something as he knows it is the only reason BI brought him on. Ouch. Please don't forget to correct the fake news part of your post.

 

[niploteksi]

So you threw yourself into the arms of Mr. Google who will destroy your privacy and security. Keeping all your most intimate thoughts, every email sent and received, every photo taken or received, every post, every book read or movie watched or song listened to, every document or spreadsheet uploaded, every place you've ever driven or website you ever visited so they could sell access to you and make it available to law enforcement or intel agencies or hackers, or to their other "partners" or simply to sell it all to the highest bidder some day. All that because you felt Apple jilted you? I guess it is all too common to hurt oneself to get back at a former lover.
[doublepost=1482270279][/doublepost]


Got it. The hundreds of millions of people buying Apple products are not as wise as you and lack insight and intelligence.

I hardly threw myself into Googles arms, rather I was pushed there. I wasn't even seduced... I used to consider Android the devil (next after Windows). Also I don't think I have much privacy that I need to keep hidden in those files since I'm not a criminal (but if I was I would turn my phone off before my highway robberies). I find the idea of going forward into the cashless society much more intimidating. I'm perfectly aware that Apple doesn't owe me anything except tax evasions. I've owned many desktops and laptops along with the electronics peripherals and iPods, iPhones and iPads so I wouldn't go as far as call myself a trigger happy "jumper".

I wasn't trying to get back at Apple... I was just lonely. If you think Apple is still the bomb I'm not going to throw a tantrum if you want to keep seeing it.

 

[Max_Walker]

I've seen the new Pro's in the shops & Apple stores. Not exactly pulling in the crowds. Mostly ignored.

 

[calaverasgrande]

colorway?
pretetntiousway.