Well, that's one opinion. Apple apparently doesn't see a huge market for the computer you're dreaming of. If they did ... they'd be making and selling it.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple's Sub-Notebook 'Delayed' Until 2009, iPhone Colors in 2008?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Well, that's one opinion. Apple apparently doesn't see a huge market for the computer you're dreaming of. If they did ... they'd be making and selling it.
The MBA already weighs about as much as an msi wind, or acer eeepc 901/1000.
Where are they going to go ? Apple don't do 'cheap' and that's predominantly what the eee pc's are.. inexpensive additional computers.
If Apple release a smaller, netbook which is lighter than the air at anything close to $599/699 irrespective of performance it will impede MBA sales, and at that price I imagine it will also impede MacBook sales too.
I fail to see where a Mac Netbook would sit within the current range and reach a viable target audience without jeopardizing already existing hardware sales.
edit::
No point to sub notebooks ? Are you kidding me. The sub notebook / netbook market looks set to explode into 2009 with every manufacturer jumping on board. We have Acer's Aspire One, the many Eee PC's, HP 2133, MSI Wind and its many different rebranded clones and soon Dell's Mini Inspiron E, Lenovo's newly announced netbook range and many many more to come.
This market will probably see the biggest growth of all this year, so much for a dying market.
However that doesn't change the fact that at the moment it's hard to find a gap in Apple's hardware both is performance and price where this would fit without damaging existing hardware sales.
Not necessarily, they could be essentially making people choose.
At the moment they generate a lot of revenue from additional upgrades that people buy for their iMac's when purchasing.
If Apple made a regular desktop as suggested, they would lose this extra revenue.
By making people choose, iMac or Mac Pro, they are probably selling more Mac Pro's than would probably be sold if there was a desktop Mac.
Likely:
New iPods - September (duh)
New MacBook, MacBook Pro - September
New iPhone - Mid 2009
Mystery New Product(s) - September
Unlikely:
Mac Tablet - Multi-touch is nice for some things, but I couldn't imagine using it for everything.
iPhone nano - The only reason why the iPod nano is "nano," is because it's thin. The iPhone can't get any thinner without losing necessary components. (The iPod touch would be much thicker if it had to accommodate all the extra chips/mic/speakers). Reducing the height would only make the device thicker, and sacrifice usability (imagine Safari on a smaller screen!), and effectively make it "un-nano."
Mid-range notebook/desktop - An $800/$900 laptop would cut into MacBook sales ("Why pay $200-$300 more?") unless it was significantly underpowered. An $800 all-in-one would eliminate the need for the Mac Mini, (which also makes money off of keyboard/mouse/display sales.)
That's just my take on this.
New iPods - September (duh)
New MacBook, MacBook Pro - September
New iPhone - Mid 2009
Mystery New Product(s) - September
Unlikely:
Mac Tablet - Multi-touch is nice for some things, but I couldn't imagine using it for everything.
iPhone nano - The only reason why the iPod nano is "nano," is because it's thin. The iPhone can't get any thinner without losing necessary components. (The iPod touch would be much thicker if it had to accommodate all the extra chips/mic/speakers). Reducing the height would only make the device thicker, and sacrifice usability (imagine Safari on a smaller screen!), and effectively make it "un-nano."
Mid-range notebook/desktop - An $800/$900 laptop would cut into MacBook sales ("Why pay $200-$300 more?") unless it was significantly underpowered. An $800 all-in-one would eliminate the need for the Mac Mini, (which also makes money off of keyboard/mouse/display sales.)
That's just my take on this.
I want to see the new MBP designs. I already have a Macbook and if I' going to upgrade, it should be worth it. I might even get that 17 inch one just to make it a significant difference than what i already have. Though 15" is nice and I might just go with that, there's a 30% chance I'll go for the biggest one
Nevermind maybe I'll just get the 15. Since it could signicantly cheaper for my budget anyway. I'm just really curious to see it since August is going to wind down soon.
Nevermind maybe I'll just get the 15. Since it could signicantly cheaper for my budget anyway. I'm just really curious to see it since August is going to wind down soon.
Are you stupid? The word to use is stupid; dumb is improperly used here.
Anyway, I am pretty sure they are stupid for phrasing it that way, because they probably meant a new version/generation with more memory, or some minor improvements. Apple is concentrating on keeping far ahead with the iPhone, so don't be surprised if there is a new revision every 6 months until they work out all the tech properly.
iPhone is obviously a super hot market. That product will be the prime development for a few more years. It has been for the past year+ as Apple has set aside any major improvements to their computers and monitors.
Exactly. If they can successfully sell the lines they have now (and they DO), why would they consider a cheaper destop model that would interfere with their own sales? This was my point!
"Jobs ignored all of us..."
No, he 'ignored' a tiny niche market.
FWIW, I've had zero problems with Leopard and don't personally know anyone else who has.
This "Jobs is a meanie and Apple sucks" stuff gets pretty old.
Anybody else tired of the "sub-notebook" term? That's what people called the MBA, but obviously it's a notebook computer. It's just really compact. I get "ultra portable" because of the weight and size. But the only thing I know that's a "sub-notebook" is the desk that mine sits upon.
I also must wonder how bored Apple is getting to go from making the iPhone to whatever these products are that are extremely niched. I sometimes worry that they're trying to fill too many cracks but not fully paying attention to the entire darn wall. Why they can create all this new stuff and not put a frickin' Blu-ray Disc drive in one single Mac blows my mind.
I also must wonder how bored Apple is getting to go from making the iPhone to whatever these products are that are extremely niched. I sometimes worry that they're trying to fill too many cracks but not fully paying attention to the entire darn wall. Why they can create all this new stuff and not put a frickin' Blu-ray Disc drive in one single Mac blows my mind.
If this new subnotebook is the Macbook Air but with a smaller screen, if I've read these forums correctly, damn near no one is going to like it, however, if it's a Macbook with a smaller screen, there might be some people who will be pleased.
Reading Wikipedia's list of computer size categories, the article on subnotebooks and its comparison of subnotebooks might clear up the confusion.
BEST one I've ever heard!
They are probably purposely avoiding Blu-ray to try to take attention to the iTunes Store.
Also note that this is just an analyst, and I don't think analysts have been reliable at all.
And if it's an iPod touch with a bigger screen and more functionality, there might be some people (education ) who will be pleased.
Consider the source.
UBS hasn't had a stellar track record of late, and I'm always a bit suspicious of "analyst predictions" from organizations that make money based on the markets.
My new philosophy is this: When it comes out, I'll believe it. Until then...
UBS hasn't had a stellar track record of late, and I'm always a bit suspicious of "analyst predictions" from organizations that make money based on the markets.
My new philosophy is this: When it comes out, I'll believe it. Until then...
Me either. If they were going to go after that market, they would have done it when they released the Air (which is Apple's response to that same market).
IMO Apple's message lately is that any laptop smaller than the Air is not really usable so let's not even try because it involves too many compromises. They intend to fill this category with touch devices like the rumoured tablet it seems.
I'm not saying they are right (or wrong), but that's my impression of Apple's plans based on what they have said and what they have released.
I get the theory about not doing Blu-ray to focus on the iTunes Store...except Apple offers ZERO HD movies for sale. The reason why is they take up way too much space (rentals go bye bye soon, so that's not a big issue). Apple can try to force this video download stuff on everybody, but they shouldn't do it at the expense of us with BDs we want to use on a computer!
A financial analyst at UBS Investment Research publishes his outlook for Apple's product line in 2008 and 2009, as reported by AppleInsider.
The analyst Maynard Um also cites "industry checks" to confirm that the MacBook and iPod will see updates later this year. Both Apple notebook and iPod updates have been widely expected in the coming months with some signs pointing to a September launch.
Um also claims there will be a "first half of 2009" launch of the a Mac "sub-notebook". Talk of an Apple sub-notebook has died down since the release of the MacBook Air, which has partially filled that need in Apple's product line. However, there remains a small but vocal group of individuals who want Apple to release a true sub-notebook with screen sizes smaller than the 13" screen that the MacBook Air houses. Um believes another "sub-notebook" was originally intended for launch in 2008 but has been delayed until 2009.
Finally, the analyst points to additional iPhone colors to be launched in time for this year's holiday season as well as a brand new iPhone in the first half of 2009.
Article Link
This is all fine, good, maybe even fabulous depending on point of view...but still not a peep about an update to apple's four year old monitors...I wonder some days if they'll just eventually drop the line and start selling another label like NEC or Samsung or something...
Not just that, but Apple really wants to be a consumer commodity company these days. They don't want to make a product that the user can open up and replace drives, add expansion cards, etc., because this would be a support headache for them. Apple's target market has changed and they don't care about catering to the type of customer who made up their original base at this point.
Choosing...
If they are going to bring a new iphone out every year or now 6 months then perhaps they should have not chosen AT&T for the only provider. Maybe they should have OEM'ed the time wholesale from AT&T and done their own subscriptions and rate plans.
And knowing a new one is what 5 to 9 months out, should people wait now and buy that one? I can't 'upgrade' equipment until February (after being told September earlier) so perhaps I will wait. The iphone is expensive and more so with the $200.00 premium that people like me are forced to pay.
Bad move, Apple... I'd buy one. I have the right plan, just not the right provider. What purpose does penalizing people that want to 'upgrade equipment' do? Well besides piss them off... And I bought my phone a week before the first iphone came out!
If they are going to bring a new iphone out every year or now 6 months then perhaps they should have not chosen AT&T for the only provider. Maybe they should have OEM'ed the time wholesale from AT&T and done their own subscriptions and rate plans.
And knowing a new one is what 5 to 9 months out, should people wait now and buy that one? I can't 'upgrade' equipment until February (after being told September earlier) so perhaps I will wait. The iphone is expensive and more so with the $200.00 premium that people like me are forced to pay.
Bad move, Apple... I'd buy one. I have the right plan, just not the right provider. What purpose does penalizing people that want to 'upgrade equipment' do? Well besides piss them off... And I bought my phone a week before the first iphone came out!
Pardon me if this had already been said, I didn't read past the first page, but
a sub-notebook? That would potentially have even less features than the Air would correct? I don't think that's a high enough market to target... but then again I didn't think the Air was either..
I think Apple needs to redesign the Macbooks, update the Mac Mini, and they'd be ok.
a sub-notebook? That would potentially have even less features than the Air would correct? I don't think that's a high enough market to target... but then again I didn't think the Air was either..
I think Apple needs to redesign the Macbooks, update the Mac Mini, and they'd be ok.
A new iPhone in 2009?
I was going to buy a 3g iPhone but settled for a 16gb 2.5g in the end, since I didn't want to start an 18 month contract on a phone that only recieved a minor bump over it's predecessor (minor for me since 3g coverage isn't great out here).
I would put my money down for a better speced version in 2009 though.
I was going to buy a 3g iPhone but settled for a 16gb 2.5g in the end, since I didn't want to start an 18 month contract on a phone that only recieved a minor bump over it's predecessor (minor for me since 3g coverage isn't great out here).
I would put my money down for a better speced version in 2009 though.