Apple Working on Six Mini-LED Products Including New 14.1-Inch MacBook Pro and Refreshed iMac Pro

[talhak]

Why? I genuinely would like to know. It's not that much bigger than 13.3". Everyone is after the perfect aspect ration, but that didn't work out as well for the 16" either.

Could you share your point regarding the aspect ratio of 16"?

My friend has had to get his butterfly keyboard replaced 4 times now, so lucky you to not need that so far! Just make sure you offload it before the keyboard warrantee expires!!!

I'm pretty happy with my experience on 2019 13". My friend as well with his older 13" as well which uses Butterfly keyboard as well. Not everyone experiences issues with butterfly keyboard, especially with the 2nd gen I think.

 

[chucker23n1]

Well maybe they finally learned a little something; Threadripper is pretty good. EPYC is better than Opteron... I guess, anyway. Ryzen always reminds me of ricin ☠ Sledgehammer would have been great.

Ehhhhhhhh

"Opteron" is utter enterprise meaninglessness, just like "Xeon" (and Athlon, and Pentium, and Celeron, and so forth).

"EPYC", though? That just screams "lol, we made a gamer CPU but for your server; want some RGB LEDs with that?". Ew.

"Zen" is cool. "Ryzen", thouh? What is wrong with AMD?

I don't love the Zen-era product names at all.
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<snip>

I just don’t see your naming scheme as really any better.

6-inch iPhone
6-inch iPhone Pro
7-inch iPhone Pro

Is that really easier, simpler or less confusing, for consumers or Apple, than:

iPhone 11
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max

And from a product name perspective, Apple can’t call a 5.8” screen 6”, or a 6.5”/6.7” screen 7”. I guess they could have called the 21.5” iMac a 21” iMac, but they can’t say 22” iMac. iPads aren’t 8” or 13”.

I'm just saying they're gonna do something at some point. There's not going to be an iPhone 21 Pro Max.

As for the screen sizes, I could've sworn there was an Apple product where they did, in fact, round up. Can't think of it right now, though.

Well anyway, maybe Samsung had the right idea syncing the product name to the year. I don’t expect to see iPhone 20 this fall though 🙂

Maybe.

I'm guessing they will indeed just go with 12. But they can't do that for much longer?

 

[nylon]

I'd still love a 15" Air.

 

[jinnyman]

mini LED does yield better display, but even as a '19 16" user, I don't regret it. I'm able to use it right now.

I'd be tempted if Apple comes up with 120hz or 144hz display option though. As for 14", it better have a discrete graphic or go thinner.

 

[jecowa]

Perhaps I'm out of the loop, but just what is the point of continuing the Touch Bar -- and if it is so important, so necessary to the "Apple experience," so popular, so easy to use, then why isn't it available on any of Apple's stand-alone keyboards? Why is it only on the laptops?

It's to get people used to touch keys for a future touch-screen keyboard. Apple wants a larger touch pad, but the keyboard is in the way.

 

[cmaier]

It's to get people used to touch keys for a future touch-screen keyboard. Apple wants a larger touch pad, but the keyboard is in the way.

One good way to have large touch pad and no keyboard is to invent an iPad. They should look into that.

 

[iRun26.2]

Could you share your point regarding the aspect ratio of 16"?


I'm pretty happy with my experience on 2019 13". My friend as well with his older 13" as well which uses Butterfly keyboard as well. Not everyone experiences issues with butterfly keyboard, especially with the 2nd gen I think.

I’ve had my rMB (original butterfly) for about four years and I never had the keyboard replaced.

 

[cmaier]

I’ve had my rMB (original butterfly) for about four years and I never had the keyboard replaced.

So you are overdue.

 

[DanMan619]

I wasn't a Mac user during the previous switch.
Are you telling me that (hypothetically speaking) someone who buys an Intel based Mac computer in say mid to late 2020, has nothing to fear about Apple removing support for them to a jump to Arm based? So someone who buys an Intel one will find themselves, even if the switch happens in 2021, to have continual support and new software written for their Intel Mac, for years to come? Apple and software developers aren't just going to focus on Arm?
Based on the previous switch experience?

More or less, yeah. Apple isn't going to abruptly yank the carpet out from under those people. That'd be like if smartphone manufacturers bricked your 2020 phone when they release the 2021 phone. Like when a new Samsung Galaxy phone comes out, it has Android update support for about 3 years. Each release is this way, so there's always a new phone coming out and a older phone that gets EOL-ed every year in a cascading order. It'll likely be like that on a grander scale.

When Apple moved from PowerPC to Intel, it was about a 6 year process. Almost a decade long transition period from the initial announcement of the move to when Apple actually ended service/parts support for PowerPC products if you include everything. According to the timeline of those events that i looked up:

1. Apple announced the decision to move from PowerPC to Intel in 2005.
2. They announced and immediately released the first Intel Mac products all throughout the first half of 2006.
3. By August 2006, every Mac product had an Intel model to replace the PowerPC model announced and released shortly after (with the exception of Intel based XServe that was not available till the back half of 2006).
4. The October 2007 release of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard was the last release that would directly support PowerPC Macs software.
5. August 2009's release of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard was Macs first OS to be specifically Intel based and could not boot on prior PowerPC Macs. This was also the last Mac OS that had Rosetta, which allowed Intel Macs to run PowerPC coded software through emulation if you really needed the extra time with your PowerPC softwares but also wanted the, at the time, new OS. This was basically the final warning for developers to code their softwares for Intel, for consumers to stay on their current OS indefinitely, or for consumers to find replacement softwares for when the following Mac OS would have no PowerPC software backwards compatibility at all.
6. The July 2011 release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion was the formal total dropping of support for PowerPC based software, both natively and through Rosetta's emulation. This 6 year mark was the true end of the road for PowerPC based software support.
7. Lastly, it wasn't till 2013 when Apple officially marked all PowerPC Macs as "Obsolete" products in their lineup and dropped all servicing and parts support. Meaning anyone still using a PowerPC Mac at that time could not get replacement parts or get repairs/service done by Apple and likely was when 3rd party servicers moved on as well.

So assuming (i'm making a big but logical assumption here) Apple follows a similar transition period time frame. Even if it's slightly more accelerated, because it's 2020 and not the mid 2000's/early 2010's anymore. You could buy the last Intel based Macbook Pro in late 2020 before the ARM Macs come out in let's just say mid-late 2021 for example, and you probably aren't going to be in any real rush or feel pressure to upgrade to an ARM Mac for 2-5 years. New versions of softwares made for your Intel Mac will still come out but will lessen and then eventually stop over that time span. Another 2 or 3 new versions of Mac OS will likely still support the last Intel based Macs (Apple will probably want to migrate people over to their ARM Macs but they will also hopefully know better than to force it too quickly). You'll have time to continue getting use out of your setup while you weigh your options and figure out when will be the best time for you to make the switch/upgrade to an ARM Mac, or whatever else.

 

[Rodan52]

14.1 inch macbook pro????? Take my money!

Perfect, when can I have one? I had thought about 16" but really just a little bit bigger than the 13" would be perfect and still retain the portability.

 

[Pablo.A.Pucci]

All I want is an ultralight Macbook with a scissor switch keyboard. My processor needs are modest and I’d like something very light to carry around.

I worry that Apple expects people like me to just use an iPad but I’m not interested in that.

My guess is that there will be a Macbook Air with new keyboard. In the other hand, Third Gen butterfly keyboard tend to last much longer. I have a 2018 MacBook Pro 15". Apple changed materials and adds a plastic membrane behind the keys. I really like the keyboard. Buy I understand your concern. There was various fails complains in 2016/17 MacBooks

 

[Jury]

I'd still love a 15" Air.

Agreed. The 15” Air price at $1500 will be a hot seller If Apple wants to become top 3 in the laptop market share.

 

[Salty Pirate]

How much extra?

Agreed. The 15” Air price at $1500 will be a hot seller If Apple wants to become top 3 in the laptop market share.

quad core 10th gen intel
16gb ram option.

killer computer. under 3 pounds

 

[ignatius345]

My guess is that there will be a Macbook Air with new keyboard. In the other hand, Third Gen butterfly keyboard tend to last much longer. I have a 2018 MacBook Pro 15". Apple changed materials and adds a plastic membrane behind the keys. I really like the keyboard. Buy I understand your concern. There was various fails complains in 2016/17 MacBooks

What I'm very much hoping for is something even lighter than the current Air if that's possible.

It's not just the reliability issues -- I very much hate the way the Butterfly keyboard feels. I gave it a full month on a Retina Macbook and just never stopped hating it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[cubbie5150]

Agreed. The 15” Air price at $1500 will be a hot seller If Apple wants to become top 3 in the laptop market share.

It's so anecdotal that I know it's ridiculous to state, but I know sooo many people who just want a large'ish laptop screen for a decent price, macOS and don't need all the horsepower. My dad, for example, an Apple user for almost 30 years, is reluctantly looking at large screen Windows laptops. He doesn't want to switch to Windows, but also didn't want to spend full freight for the 16" and doesn't want play keyboard roulette with the 15" MBP's. Something has to give, and it's likely gonna be his loyalty to Apple giving way.

 

[jaychow]

Any mention of an 1080p camera? It would be a shame if Apple have it on a 14.1" first instead of the 16" which costs a lot more.

 

[Darth Tulhu]

I really, really doubt Apple will back out of the TouchBar completely.

I hope they do, but I doubt it. It would be a bigger backpedal than the BS keyboards.

The 16" style is about as good as it'll get.

 

[DesertNomad]

What are the chances we can have six TB3 ports on the new 16" model? Four is not enough.

 

[triton100]

Ahhh the old "Buy a PC if you don't like every crap thing Apple does" argument.

Yep you sure showed me!
/S
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Apple is missing the opportunity to offer a PAID upgrade to not include the POS touch bar, for people like me who don't need to look at a keyboard to type and press function keys.

I'd pay another $300 to not have this garbage on the 16" MBP. The TB is the only reason I haven't bought it.

Hey Tim Cook, do you smell this comment? It's an opportunity for you to milk more money from your customers.

Do you like to self flagellate ? You’re so upset with everything Apple do yet instead of moving onto another company that won’t cause you so much pain and hardship you continue with this self flagellation. Interesting. Psychologists would have a field day with you.

 

[1146331]

Do you like to self flagellate ? You’re so upset with everything Apple do yet instead of moving onto another company that won’t cause you so much pain and hardship you continue with this self flagellation. Interesting. Psychologists would have a field day with you.

What I would like is Apple to build a product worth buying.... they used to do it prior to 2012.

I won't be one of those idiot Apple Fanatics that think Apple can do no wrong and blindly praise everything they do, because I'm not an idiot.

I will bitch until somebody at Apple gets fed up with the tens of thousands of people like me and decides to build a quality product again.

 

[deconstruct60]

What are the chances we can have six TB3 ports on the new 16" model? Four is not enough.

Extremely small probability.

Not really enough PCI-e lanes to properly provision an additional Thunderbolt controller with the expected bandwidth. Not much room on the system either if don't substantively change the case design ( which is highly likely since they just produced this new one. ). There is no copious amount of empty space along the edges of the current MBP 16 design's internals ( https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+16-Inch+2019+Teardown/128106).

If look at the model that the Ice Lake mobile CPU/GPU are projecting they support 4 TB sockets (with more individual backhaul but still four).

from trackpad base to about midstream there is are batteries packed to the edges. The PHYS connectors to the other four TB ports still take the same room. They might be cable to sneak in a USB-C socket but then it wouldn't be symmetrical with the TB sockets in ability ( have to get over Apple OCD ). Apple could juggle space saved by integrated TB controllers to facilitate another port 'socket' for a single, far more simply connected socket.

Almost nobody outside of Apple makes a system with more than two TB ports. Most likely some plain USB 3.1-3.2 are the far more likely consumers for something past four ports. ( and Apple isn't particularly going there. Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 is a far more likely path with the same number of ports present now. )

 

[talhak]

I’ve had my rMB (original butterfly) for about four years and I never had the keyboard replaced.

Great to hear this as an owner of MacBook Pro 13 2019.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Great to hear this as an owner of MacBook Pro 13 2019.

Have there been any complaints about the 2019 keyboard? Maybe it’s just too soon, but is it possible Apple finally got it right?

The Air with the 2019 keyboard has been out 8 months, I don’t recall any complaints about it either but I suppose we need to wait a couple more years before we really know if it’s actually been fixed. Third time’s the charm?

Despite the rumor today, I wonder if the MBA might keep the butterfly keyboard?

 

[whatta]

When is the A14X miniled iPad Pro coming? And why the 11” iPad Pro is missing from the miniled Rumors? Thanks

 

[chucker23n1]

When is the A14X miniled iPad Pro coming? And why the 11” iPad Pro is missing from the miniled Rumors? Thanks

If it is coming at all, probably this fall.

My money is still on they'll skip it altogether and do an A15X iPad Pro next fall. It would be consistent with having an iPad Pro update about every year and a half.