Apple to Announce New MacBook, MacBook Pro, and Possibly MacBook Air at WWDC

[544263]

So the only two options, as you see it, are:

Care to explain how exactly how I am able to use my MacBook productively, if it is merely a "fashion accessory"?

As far as I can tell, I have been using it perfectly happily, and productively, for a couple of years now. In which case it cannot be merely a "fashion accessory".

Hope this helps.

a) You are answering to the wrong person, somebody else wrote the macbook is a fashion accessory.
b) I've been working fulltime on mac for 9 years, too. I've owned multiple Macs and i think it's absolutely OK to pay a premium for quality. I totally understand the joy you are talking about and i haven't even been questioning that. Being productive instead of fiddling around was exactly the reason for me to buy a mac. Nevertheless, I think the price/value on the top-of-the-line 15" 2016 MBP is disappointing and insulting. Quality-for-Premium != Overpriced.
c) Regardless the price, I do think the touchbar is a toy. I would pay a premium to not have it. I also don't like the one on Thinkpad X1.

Getting a MBP with the same amount of ram and ssd space, its CPU is only 20% faster than my 4 year old MBP2012, for 5000 euro ... nope, just didnt make sense to me. That price is 40% more expensive than the previous highend model. No matter if i/o is faster or not (i expect a new macbook model to be faster than it's predecessor thats why i buy a new computer). Of course there are and should be benefits in every new model ... but unlike previous models this time you also have major drawbacks ... paired with an insane price increase.

The decision might be totally different for others. - I did mine, you did yours. There will be thousands of people with either opinion. Nothing wrong about that. Bottom line: there are professional non-apple alternatives, even for long-year Apple fans like i was.

Live with it.

 

[Tozovac]

Really are people still going on about this. Sorry but i don't agree, Apple has grown since the death of a steve Jobs, they have now topped $800 billion, the iPhone is as popular as ever and Mac sales have grown.

There's a difference between more and more people buying Apple products and thinking their UI/hardware is best-in-class (which I used to think) vs. more and more people continuing to buy Apple products because they're pretty deep into their ecosystem and/or think Apple is still a slightly better option than the competition even if way too focused on appearance & minimalism in their UI & hardware than on functionality (which is how I think now...for now...and thus still buying Apple products). Just imagine how much more successful they might be today if they had retained Steve Jobs' focus on the use/experience instead of focusing on their overly-simplistic & uniform appearance?

 

[Guy Clark]

The new MacBook Pros are faster than the old MacBook Pros. In what way where they "reduced to a fashion accessory"?

USB-C, TouchBar, Poor Build, Thinness at the expense of longevity.

I have a 2013 15" Retina MacBook Pro complete with all ports and useful keyboard and still going strong bet the latest ones won't see it past three years with the lack of ventilation.

 

[LordVic]

I guess my point was to the people who are acting surprised that Apple won't see something the way they see it, because that's how Apple's always been. It's good to be aware that that's one of the main reasons you probably shouldn't plan on buying all of your tech from them.

Oh, don't take me as saying "APPLE IS EVIL BECAUSE TEHY DONT GIVE ME WHAT I WANT !1!1!!!!!!11!!". I recognise that Apple doesn't currently have a solution that I like and I'm willing to look elsewhere.

One day, I'll get the machine I really want. I'd hoped Apple would be the one to deliver, but that's not likely the case anymore.

To be fair, the new 2016 MBp COULD be close. but a few little things has me scratching my head.

If I had my choice on what the Macbook Pro 2016.5 could be:
i7-7700HQ CPU
16GB RAM (i dont need more, but I know many who do)(32GB option BTO?)
2 x Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C
1 x USB-A
1 x SD
Touch Screen
Standard Key travel keyboard with full Fn key and ESC key, in addition to the touchbar above that row.

with a Thunderbolt 3 Docking station that includes standard PCI-E dock for expansion of whatever PCI-E device I want (including GPUs) and capable of powering 3x displays.

In honestly, they're not far from this. if they delivered this, even in the 2016 chassis, I think the conversation over the 2016 would have been entirely different.

it would give me the power when i'm at home to dock and have full desktop computer power, but also beable to undock and still have portable work power. While maintenance a single computer system, instead of needing a full desktop computer just to game, and a laptop for portability.

 

[The Game 161]

least june 5th will be more than just software. going to be a packed event. guessing it lasts even longer than normal.

 

[ignatius345]

Bloomberg suggests Apple is thinking about refreshing it with an updated processor, which would mean the MacBook Air could stick around for at least another few years as a low-cost notebook option. Sales of the MacBook Air "remain surprisingly strong" due to its affordability.

God, I hope they don't ruin the keyboard.

 

[Lone Deranger]

Screw minor updates. How about a lower bloody price point? The pricing of the MacBook Dongle et al. is through the roof, even by Apple standards.



(yeah yeah, I know... fat chance)

 

[ignatius345]

wouldn't that just be the MacBook

Yes, a MacBook with a better keyboard, larger battery, usable ports and a Magsafe connector.

 

[Dozer_Zaibatsu]

I wouldn't be too sure. Apple just recently was awarded a patent for a magsafe with USB-C

If you mean this thing? I like the idea. I especially like the idea that Apple would find a way so that their previous mag-safe adapters are still usable in the future. For a company that struts about like Mick Jagger when they talk about how much they care about the environment, a small adapter that would keep electronics usable well into the future would be a very nice thing.

I also like the new USB-C adapters for another reason, though. With previous adaptors, if the ends of the wire got bent and/or frayed, that was it. (Pet rabbits, anyone?) You had to pony up another US$80 for an adapter. With the newer model, the rabbits can chew away, and you'll be out a cable that will cost -- when things get standardized -- $15 or so.

 

[MrGuder]

If this doesn't happen we are going to have 20 pages of angry customers lol

 

[Tozovac]

God, I hope they don't ruin the keyboard.

The deciding factor for me in 2014 between a 13" Pro & 13" Air was the add'l battery life of the Air for when I'm on the go. I'd make that same choice today too and I would definitely not go with the tiny MacBook (that wasn't available in 2014) even if its battery life outdid the Air, due to the too-small size and reduced usefulness. If Timmy ever wakes up and starts thinking more about function than fashion, putting a stop to Jony's minimalism/thinness design contests and adding a millimeter for increased battery life all around, then I may consider a Pro next time.

Though I'm really thinking of upgrading to a 2012 (or whatever year) MacBook Pro with retina graphics but also replaceable RAM/HD/batteries.

PS-I'm unsure why I quoted you!

 

[calaverasgrande]

they expect us to wait another year (minimum) for a new Mac Pro. And the laptops get yet another update in the interim.
Apple is lucky that Windows is such a dog or I would be long gone.

(fingers crossed for Adobe CC on Linux)

 

[Tozovac]

Apple is lucky that Windows is such a dog or I would be long gone.

My point exactly. I know of many who think like me & you. There may come a time where Jony minimalizes Apple laptops to be wafer-thin 2-hour-battery no-USB port pseudo-computers with a minimalist black & white screen.... And since today's Apple equates innovation with reduce/remove/minimize, perhaps then his only next innovation will be to go to "Apple 8.5x11 Paper & Pencil" (but with virtually forever battery life after you buy the $79 Apple Eraser dongle attachment for the pencil)!

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ook-air-at-wwdc.2045958/page-20#post-24586477

 

[flyinmac]

The Macbook Air is dead. Its not coming back, there is no reason with the 12" Macbook and the 13" Macbook Pro both being smaller than it.

They could just rename it so that it still has a place in the line up.

MacBook Rotund

 

[Lone Deranger]

Not sure I'll be even able to watch this year's WWDC keynote, after last years cringe-fest. First time I turned off a live keynote event midway through in disgust.

 

[jwdsail]

Just get rid of the god-awful keyboard, let me buy a thicker MacBook Pro that isn't horrible to type on for anything longer than tweets and Facebook, for the love of God...

Sigh

Charging $4000+ for a laptop w/ the worst KB I've ever used (client's MBP, confirmed all my fears I had after working on other customer MBs) is downright criminal.

Ready to be disappointed.. Not sure what I'm going to do.. my 2012 MBP is on it's last legs.. May break down and find a Hackintoshable Windows laptop w/ a KB I can tolerate...

 

[Feenician]

USB-C, TouchBar, Poor Build, Thinness at the expense of longevity.

I have a 2013 15" Retina MacBook Pro complete with all ports and useful keyboard and still going strong bet the latest ones won't see it past three years with the lack of ventilation.

Apart from your dislike of fast and flexible ports and the touchbar all I see is unfounded speculation (won't make it past three years/thinness at the expense of longevity) that you cannot possibly back up unless you can see into the future.
[doublepost=1495054554][/doublepost]

i wonder how you can even ask that question, those things have been discussed allover the internet.

a) no function keys on the higher spec'd machines, many users think the touchbar is a toy and even annoying (so do i)
b) almost no ports
c) degrading software quality (we get useless gimmicks instead)
d) ridiculous price point
e) ongoing GPU problems (personal experience: 2007 macbook died after 1,5 yrs, multiple 2011 after 2-3 yrs, soon after releasing late 2016 macbook GPU problems have been reported AGAIN)
f) no magsafe anymore
h) not repairable anymore
i) (almost) not upgradeable anymore
j) no more sd card slot

a) The touchbar can be made function keys at any time, or even all of the time
b) 4 ports is almost no ports?
c) What does that have to do with the new MacBook Pro? It's the same software whether you have a 2015 or a 2016
d) Subjective
e) So, ongoing problems make the new one a fashion accessory? I don't think you've though this out.
f) no MagSafe makes it a fashion accessory? No
h) Something against the letter g?
i) *shrug* like they were really upgradable last year
j) a connector fixes that

Reaching pretty hard there.

 

[GeneralChang]

Just get rid of the god-awful keyboard, let me buy a thicker MacBook Pro that isn't horrible to type on for anything longer than tweets and Facebook, for the love of God...

Sigh

Charging $4000+ for a laptop w/ the worst KB I've ever used (client's MBP, confirmed all my fears I had after working on other customer MBs) is downright criminal.

Ready to be disappointed.. Not sure what I'm going to do.. my 2012 MBP is on it's last legs.. May break down and find a Hackintoshable Windows laptop w/ a KB I can tolerate...

I don't think I realized that keyboard preference differed as widely as headphone preference until Apple released the rMB. It's so interesting how polarizing these kinds of preferences can be.

 

[544263]

Apart from your dislike of fast and flexible ports and the touchbar all I see is unfounded speculation (won't make it past three years/thinness at the expense of longevity) that you cannot possibly back up unless you can see into the future.
[doublepost=1495054554][/doublepost]


a) The touchbar can be made function keys at any time, or even all of the time
b) 4 ports is almost no ports?
c) What does that have to do with the new MacBook Pro? It's the same software whether you have a 2015 or a 2016
d) Subjective
e) So, ongoing problems make the new one a fashion accessory? I don't think you've though this out.
f) no MagSafe makes it a fashion accessory? No
h) Something against the letter g?
i) *shrug* like they were really upgradable last year
j) a connector fixes that

Reaching pretty hard there.

This is getting really ridiculous. Yes ... your computer is the best. bye.

 

[00Diablo]

it says it all about the direction of this company that my quad core MacMini from 2012 is still their most advanced 'entry level' desktop. What is even worse is how they drop hints at returning to their 'Pro' roots and yet do not deliver in any way at all.

 

[mi7chy]

Latest Macbooks with gimmick bar are already a flop but this announcement is nail in the coffin. Hope Apple come up with something competitive otherwise devices like Surface Laptop will obsolete many of the Macbooks.

 

[robeddie]

What is the newest MacBook pro with easily upgradeable HD & memory & batteries?

2012 13inch and 15
inch non-retina models

 

[GeneralChang]

Latest Macbooks with gimmick bar are already a flop but this announcement nail in the coffin. Hope Apple come up with something competitive otherwise devices like Surface Laptop will obsolete many of the Macbooks.

You do realize that this rumor says all they're doing is updating the CPU in the MBP to Kaby Lake, right? It's likely to remain virtually unchanged otherwise.

 

[Gav.Winters]

The rate of MacBook innovation is so slow I'm not even going to watch this year. A Touch Bar and something else worthwhile within 12 months won't happen.

 

[johngordon]

a) You are answering to the wrong person, somebody else wrote the macbook is a fashion accessory.
b) I've been working fulltime on mac for 9 years, too. I've owned multiple Macs and i think it's absolutely OK to pay a premium for quality. I totally understand the joy you are talking about and i haven't even been questioning that. Being productive instead of fiddling around was exactly the reason for me to buy a mac. Nevertheless, I think the price/value on the top-of-the-line 15" 2016 MBP is disappointing and insulting. Quality-for-Premium != Overpriced.
c) Regardless the price, I do think the touchbar is a toy. I would pay a premium to not have it. I also don't like the one on Thinkpad X1.

Getting a MBP with the same amount of ram and ssd space, it's CPU is only 20% faster than my 4 year old MBP2012, for 5000 euro ... nope, just didnt make sense to me. That price is 40% more expensive than the previous highend model. No matter if i/o is faster or not. Of course there are and should be benefits in every new model ... but unlike previous models this time you also have major drawbacks ... paired with an insane price increase.

The decision might be totally different for others. - I did mine, you did yours. There will be thousands of people with either opinion. Nothing wrong about that. Bottom line: there are professional non-apple alternatives, even for long-year Apple fans like i was.

Live with it.

Well, you kind of did. Someone asked about the "fashion accessory" thing:

In what way where they "reduced to a fashion accessory"?

And you went on to list several things in answer to that question.

Incidentally, I don't work full time on my MacBook - I work full time on my iMac. But use the MacBook when I'm travelling. or taking the day out of the office, or meeting clients etc.

I get that people's needs and circumstances will vary, I just think reducing the MacBook to a "fashion accessory" is a nonsense. Noted that it wasn't you who said that originally though.