Apple to Reportedly Launch Thinner MacBook by End of 2015

[Rogifan]

DigiTimes. Why does anyone report what they say?

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A thinner air - really? Wow, its both impressive and sad at the same time. Impressive technically wise but sad since they seem to be so obsessed with thinness. I think a better display, i.e., retina would go a long way instead of slimming the laptop down any further.

No way is Apple going to release a brand new laptop that doesn't have a retina display. Yosemite was clearly designed for retina displays.

 

[thekeyring]

I think the issue is that, at least with the 13" MBPs, "Pro specs" is pushing it.

That's a great point. It's odd, too, that a 13" MacBook Air has the same res (once you take Retina doubling into account) as a 15" Pro.

 

[ValSalva]

Broadwell will be in shops by Christmas. So Intel will offer broadwell to Apple in October/November

I thought the delay was going to be longer. Shorter delay for the low voltage processors that would be in the MBA? Maybe it's the MBP Broadwells that will only be available by the end of Q1 or in Q2 of next year.

The rMBA has probably the following components:
- Sapphire trackpad
- Broadwell processor
- Retina IGZO display

The last two are necessary, if they want to make the rMBA thinner, compared to the current MBA.

Wouldn't it be funny if all the sapphire news/rumors were for trackpads and not iPhone displays? But clearly the volume of sapphire apparently being produced points otherwise.

 

[dilbert99]

What's thinner than Air?

Then name it that.

The Macbook Vacuum, lighter than air with everything taken out (Optical Drive, Ethernet, soldered on ram, no home, end or insert keys...)

On a serious note, I'd love my 15" rMBP to weigh 1kg rather than 2kg

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That's a great point. It's odd, too, that a 13" MacBook Air has the same res (once you take Retina doubling into account) as a 15" Pro.

Not odd, your confusing screen real estate with resolution.

Try displaying a 2560 by 1600 image on both and you'll understand the difference.

 

[thekev]

I for one welcome our anorexic overlords.

 

[albusseverus]

lots of great new products coming in 2014
…that could be reasonably called new categories

yeah, but will they ship?

might be the last year the new apple even foreshadows
unless Tim meant new Macs with lower specs - that's new!

don't need Retina, just an updated 11" Air screen
(the current one came off the ark with russell crowe)
and faster than any previous model, SHOULD go without saying

Yosemite looks fine on non-retina screens.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

True Apple M.O. would be retina display now; chip upgrade in 6-7 months.

I'm all for thinner, but not so thin that you lose all your ports... 2 USB needs to remain the standard on the top line MBA. If a 13" MBA comes to pass I'll be looking at it hard to replace my 15" 2012 rMBA. The screen and graphics keep me away right now. I could live with Intel Iris but only w/ the iterations packed on the Broadwell chip.

 

[Mums]

all i want is 17" retina MBP.

Me too - I just got a new Mac Pro but couldn't get myself to sell my 2011 17" MacBook Pro. Apple may not be doomed but they sure have fallen from grace.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

lots of great new products coming in 2014
…that could be reasonably called new categories

yeah, but will they ship?

might be the last year the new apple even foreshadows
unless Tim meant new Macs with lower specs - that's new!

don't need Retina, just an updated 11" Air screen
(the current one came off the ark with russell crowe)
and faster than any previous model, SHOULD go without saying

Yosemite looks fine on non-retina screens.

1) A new category is a new category --- something Apple does not now sell. If that doesn't come to pass then egg all over the Apple execs for promoting it prematurely. But I don't think that will be the case... these are some of the smartest marketers on the planet. They aren't going to put all their credibility chips on "00," and hope lady luck stops the wheel there.

2) Apple isn't going announce a product in the fall that won't ship in time for Xmas. Tim Cook already tried that w/ the 27" iMac and it not only pissed people off, it pinched Apple's quarterly earnings. He did a mea culpa for that, so presumably lesson learned.

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Me too - I just got a new Mac Pro but couldn't get myself to sell my 2011 17" MacBook Pro. Apple may not be doomed but they sure have fallen from grace.

Earnings growth this year has been sequential; stock is at all time high; anticipation for the upcoming Apple events is strong w/ every major media outlet taking guesses at what Apple will announce. Doesn't seem like much of a fall from grace to me. Maybe a stumble with a quick recover at worst.

 

[Crosscreek]

If Apple uses the M chip from Intel, then they can announce this year. But that is a step down from the U series they currently use.

However, the M series is a fanless chip, and that does jive with the other rumors. Plus it uses less power, which would allow Apple to put a retina screen in the Air and not sacrifice its long batter life.

Apple won't use the Core M in a laptop but they may use one in a low cost Mac Mini.

 

[RightMACatU]

I bought a 13" because the 11" was too small for my requirements. I will have to testdrive a 12" before purchasing.

Also, using the current large bezeld 13" they could squeeze a 14" retina display without increasing overall size. Now that I would go for

 

[Crosscreek]

DigiTimes. Why does anyone report what they say?

MacRumors needed a story for today.

 

[lumencreative]

I wonder whether Apple will follow the lines of other tablet makers and make a 12" iPad with a detachable keyboard to transform it into a 12" Macbook Air replacement.

 

[eezacque]

Who needs a thinner laptop?

The rMBP is already impossible to repair, being a monolithic lump of glue and soldering, and because it cannot properly dissipate its heat, it is not lasting longer than its Applecare. I'd rather see a thicker laptop that lasts, including the decent service apparatus that Apple used to be years ago...

 

[recoil80]

I wonder whether Apple will follow the lines of other tablet makers and make a 12" iPad with a detachable keyboard to transform it into a 12" Macbook Air replacement.

That way they can sell you only the iPad OR the Air.
It's more profitable to keep iOS and OS X apart, so you have to buy and iPad AND a Mac

 

[Crosscreek]

Broadwell Y is probably not going to happen, they're not quite powerful enough especially when they need to push enough pixel for a retina display. Might be fine for a tablet-like device with a specially designed OS for it even with hi-dpi screen but with OS X, I don't think so.

The Broadwell U is scheduled for late 2014 / early 2015 so right in time for a new MBA.

Broadwell Y will push UHD for 1 screen.
http://www.cpu-world.com/news_2014/2014050101_Intel_Broadwell_graphics_enhancements.html

 

[Naimfan]

When will it be thin enough?

The Air already feels flimsy; making something even thinner will only exacerbate that.

 

[demodave]

https://www.macrumors.com/2014/08/27/apple-thinner-macbook-late-2014-early-2015/

Apple will launch a thinner MacBook near the end of this year or early next year, according to a new report from Digitimes. Citing supply chain sources in Taiwan, the report notes that component production has already begun in small volumes. Apple will also reportedly cease production of the 13-inch non-Retina MacBook Pro by the end of 2014.

A report last month claimed that Intel's continued delays of its Broadwell chip may cause Apple to push back the release of its 12-inch MacBook until late this 2014 or early 2015. The 12-inch MacBook is said to include a Retina display and may either be a successor to the MacBook Air or join Apple's current 11-inch and 13-inch models.

A previous report in June stated that Apple would begin production of a 12-inch MacBook Air in the third quarter of this year, with Quanta Computer in charge of assembly. The 12-inch MacBook Air was also described as appearing similar to the 11-inch and 13-inch models, but featuring a Retina display and internal changes to various components.

Article Link: Apple to Reportedly Launch Thinner MacBook in Late 2014 or Early 2015

I've had a button-less trackpad design on my MBP since 2010, how is that novel?

I know that small laptops are of interest to some folks, but a 13-inch MBP seems ridiculous. What I want is a 15-inch MBA. If Apple can come up with a 14-inch MBA, that might get me of the couch. A 12-inch MBA will, by definition be smaller than a 13-inch MBA, where the 13-inch form factor is already disinteresting to me. I like the display area and full-sized keyboard to be on the unit that I schlepp with me, but I want to reduce the schlepp-factor. (Yes, I frequently schlepp my iPad, but I do also like to use a keyboard and to play with spreadsheets, the latter or which I prefer to do on a laptop with keyboard and trackpad or even *gasp* a mouse.)

PS "late this 2014"? Please. EDIT!!!

 

[mtneer]

So what is it going to be - a thinner MacBook Pro? Or a MacBook Air with Retina Display?

 

[ElTorro]

It will be so thin, they will call it MacBook hAir

 

[Simplicated]

Yes, I can see it: Introducing the new Macbook Hair!

It's gonna be Craig who introduces it, replete with jokes about his hair...

 

[krewger]

Thinner than air? - Helium. Introducing the new Macbook Pro Helium, for those of you who just can't stand to be tied down.

Seriously though, no more port deleting, I'm annoyed that I regularly have to use a dongle to get ethernet because the wifi sucks in hotels when I'm on the road for work.

 

[bobob]

Will it be as thin as my Credit card?

Even better... it will be as thin as your remaining credit after you've paid for it!

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I've had a button-less trackpad design on my MBP since 2010, how is that novel?

I know that small laptops are of interest to some folks, but a 13-inch MBP seems ridiculous. What I want is a 15-inch MBA. If Apple can come up with a 14-inch MBA, that might get me of the couch. A 12-inch MBA will, by definition be smaller than a 13-inch MBA, where the 13-inch form factor is already disinteresting to me. I like the display area and full-sized keyboard to be on the unit that I schlepp with me, but I want to reduce the schlepp-factor. (Yes, I frequently schlepp my iPad, but I do also like to use a keyboard and to play with spreadsheets, the latter or which I prefer to do on a laptop with keyboard and trackpad or even *gasp* a mouse.)

PS "late this 2014"? Please. EDIT!!!

1) Who claimed a button-less trackpad was novel? Certainly not anyone quoted in the original article or it's author. The article only said one would be incorporated in the next model.

2) 13" MBA and MBP previously have been Apple best selling laptops. Currently the 13" MBP is #3 and the 13" MBP #14 on Amazon. The 15" (which I use myself) is all the way down at #31). When Apple use to show what computers were selling best on the Apple Store site, sales were similar. If we can extrapolate this generally then it makes perfect sense for Apple to concentrate on the smaller screens. You and I may prefer larger screens, but that is not where the sales are right now. A 17" makes no sense because it's not very portable and a 17" retina would be laughably expensive.

 

[snebes]

A new design but still with an old chip?

Or an announcement followed by production when the new Intel chips are *finally* available?

Or different chips entirely?

Broadwell is coming this year now, but limited. So, more than likely, new broadwell chips.