Hardware-Free WWDC Sets Stage for Busy Second Half of 2016

[Marx55]

Apple should use Intel Kaby Lake microprocessors this year 2016 and Cannonlake next year 2017.

All products should have latest standards, including Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1 Type-C (reversible) generation 2 and SDXC with extra pins supporting maximum read/write speed (300 MB/s).

Last but not least, Macs with Intel 3D XPoint (Optane) SSD technology booting in about 2 seconds and SUPER-ULTRA-FAST would be AWESOME.

 

[_mdavenport]

Macs

Anyone know where I can get this wallpaper? Is this a stock Apple wallpaper? Forgive my ignorance...

 

[Dydegu]

I'm (still) ready.

 

[sudo1996]

Or they are working on it and don't want to rush out a product line before it's finished. Patience is going to be a virtue here as frustrating as it is, id rather have a new Macbook Pro announced when ready than have one rushed out.

What's there to deliberate on? Just stick a new CPU and new RAM in there. People have been manually upgrading their Mac Pros to newer CPUs too.
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What the hell do I recommend to a college student looking to buy a Mac? Hard to recommend a 3 year old macbook pro...

The rMBP was refreshed in 2015, so it's not 3 years old.

 

[Mr Fusion]

Wow.
If I were you, I would wait until December. Past december start switching to Windows/Linux.

I wouldn't. His business is losing ground and waiting half a year for a slightly thinner trash can isn't going to help him.

I agree with the OP the apologists need to take a hike. Apple's product line is inexcusable and reeks of a company desperate to follow Sony down the rabbit hole. Zero vision, all about maximizing iDevice profits till they run dry then Tim & Friends can take their golden parachutes to retirement on a job: Done.

 

[waitandwait]

Apple: There's only one way to go here. Do the great design, but in an Agile or kaizen way. This thing where you leave the computer industry for a couple years at a time will destroy the greatest customer loyalty ever seen by a computer company.

I have read numerous replies in different forums expressing their disappointment, anger, sadness over Apple's apparent betrayal towards Mac users. I hope and believe Apple are reading these forums.

Yes, I will buy a Microsoft or Dell if the new Macs are not introduced by early July. I won't care whatever Macs they are introducing anymore. Apple is just destroying whatever loyalty Mac users have. They are so stupid to introduce just 3 devices in the first six months and attribute falling revenue to a slowing economy, when iphone/ipad/Mac users are hesitating to upgrade or switching to another company because they abandoned their mac users.

 

[IlluminatedSage]

It's beyond frustrating being an Apple customer for Mac computers. When you need them.... its all old or underpowered computers. Hell, the Mac Pro is essentially 2 1/2 years old from when it came out.

WTF? Computers need an update minimally yearly.

It's sad that apple is really run by accountants who want to stretch margins and profits by continuing to use older parts and refusing to re-invest into updates to logic boards and parts.

Just crazy that Apple doesn't do modest updates, even the last Mac Mini update was a speed setback.

When Apple does this kind of stuff.... it is pretty obvious they are hurting sales. Even if sales in comparison to the PC market are decent. FUBAR!

 

[SSDGUY]

I think the iPhone 7 and new Apple Watch will launch alongside each other in September, new Macbook Pro's will probably follow in an October event especially if they plan on updating the whole Mac range, they could hold a special Mac event in October.

An updated phone and watch with updated macs trickling in later? Total snoozefest.

 

[patseguin]

Are they ever going to update the Mac Mini again or is that a dead product? It would be a great solution for me where I don't need a display but want more horsepower than my 5 year old MBP.

 

[ProjectManager101]

It makes sense, new hardware before return to school and before Christmas. Usually Apple leaves the most needed device for January, once everybody spent in Christmas they release an upgrade for January so you have to buy again.

 

[Dave245]

An updated phone and watch with updated macs trickling in later? Total snoozefest.

In your opinion, not everyone will agree.

 

[Seraph301083]

mac pro...probably 2017. It really came out in January 2014. That would make a 3 year cycle.

Which is ridiculous, preposterous and an insolence at the same time.
But who cares as long as the iPhone sees a yearly update to the newest tech like clockwork.

 

[SSDGUY]

I have read numerous replies in different forums expressing their disappointment, anger, sadness over Apple's apparent betrayal towards Mac users. I hope and believe Apple are reading these forums.

Yes, I will buy a Microsoft or Dell if the new Macs are not introduced by early July. I won't care whatever Macs they are introducing anymore. Apple is just destroying whatever loyalty Mac users have. They are so stupid to introduce just 3 devices in the first six months and attribute falling revenue to a slowing economy, when iphone/ipad/Mac users are hesitating to upgrade or switching to another company because they abandoned their mac users.

Exactly. As a loyal Mac user since 1992, their consistent lackadaisical attitude toward their computer user base in recent years makes this customers less enthusiastic about their consumer line-up, i.e. phones, iPads, watches, etc. I don't see Apple as the cutting edge company they used to be. Therefore any cultish following I had for the brand is certainly waning, along with my excitement for an upgraded phone. (Hell, iPhones turn into slugs with every iOS update anyway, why bother?)
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In your opinion, not everyone will agree.

Oh, they will, once they come to their senses!

 

[canadianreader]

if next mac mini is as horrible as the 2014 one I surely will switch to hackintosh

 

[nt5672]

We run on Macs at the office (well, about 80% of the office), we're over 100 people here; we currently have a ban on Mac purchases, they're deemed too pricy for the hardware level. It sucks because I need a new rMBP, and many others here do too, but I understand why we chose not to buy Macs right now - no idea why Apple can't update the MBP line already, the hardware exists and is available.

They got like 5 engineers that can be trusted to commit things to hardware and they are working on Chinese iPhones and Cars. You don't need no stinking Mac because Apple has an iPad and can sell it for the same price as a Mac.

 

[Black Magic]

What the hell do I recommend to a college student looking to buy a Mac? Hard to recommend a 3 year old macbook pro...

I don't see how the current crop of hardware couldn't handle anything most folks need. A college person will use Office, maybe XCODE, and possibly some graphic design apps. The MacBook Pros current and past offerings can handle those tasks with ease.

I think many folks are stuck in the 1990's where hardware specs were the key differentiator for sales. Let's face it, Skylake will give you maybe 15% performance boost? Is that really something to get excited about? I can see if we are talking about GPUs and battery life because Apple really skimps to maximize profits there.

If I'm missing something or misinformed, please fill in the gaps for me.

 

[YMark]

Apple is going the way of RIM (Blackberry)...... resting on laurels.

 

[shaunp]

What the hell do I recommend to a college student looking to buy a Mac? Hard to recommend a 3 year old macbook pro...

Depends what that student does. I've just ditched my 2013 15" rMBP, mainly because of the weight (i carry a lot of camera gear too), but partly because it was getting to the end of it's Apple Care and I'd depreciated it in my accounts anyway - time for a new one. I wanted a lighter 15" with much, much more RAM for the VM's I have to produce for my other day job, but that didn't arrive at the WWDC. So to cut a long story short I got a 13" rMBP. it's £100 more expensive than the Mac Book for the i5 model (2.9Ghz, 8GB, 512GB SSD), but it's much faster, has a better keyboard and a better trackpad. Okay so it's 1/2KG heavier, but I can live with that. The Air didn't come into it because the screen just doesn't cut it.

So far I'm really impressed. It's light and for every day stuff it's great. I've just done an import with Photo Mechanic and it's all good. Just running a Lightroom import of 150+ photos and building 1:1 previews and the performance is fine - the machine is still responsive while I'm doing this. I was concerned that 8GB RAM might not be enough, but that's fine too.

So to go back to your question the 13" rMBP is a very nice machine. Okay it's not Skylake, but you probably won't notice the difference and unless you specifically need USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt 3. it's a great little machine and there's no reason to wait for Skylake, etc if you don't already have a laptop. I bought it with the intention of it being the my temporary laptop until Apple release another high-end one, and then it replacing the ageing 11" MB Air that is the family laptop. So far I want to keep it though. See if my work requires me to have anything faster as I don't want the extra weight or bulk of the 15" rMBP.

 

[zombierunner]

Q4? of what December?

 

[nt5672]

I think the delay is to switch to ARM. We'll see...

I think you are on to something here. I think someone in charge mandated a change to ARM for Macs and it is just not working out. So now Apple is stuck without anything to sell.

 

[man02195]

Are they ever going to update the Mac Mini again or is that a dead product? It would be a great solution for me where I don't need a display but want more horsepower than my 5 year old MBP.

and go back to putting quad core i7 in the mac mini (2012 was last year with quad i7)

 

[rboerdijk]

Lets hope for a 1 port, deep blue Macbook Pro, with two gigs of ram, no head phone jack, and also available in 14K gold

You don't need any ports at all !

 

[man02195]

Depends what that student does. I've just ditched my 2013 15" rMBP, mainly because of the weight (i carry a lot of camera gear too), but partly because it was getting to the end of it's Apple Care and I'd depreciated it in my accounts anyway - time for a new one. I wanted a lighter 15" with much, much more RAM for the VM's I have to produce for my other day job, but that didn't arrive at the WWDC. So to cut a long story short I got a 13" rMBP. it's £100 more expensive than the Mac Book for the i5 model (2.9Ghz, 8GB, 512GB SSD), but it's much faster, has a better keyboard and a better trackpad. Okay so it's 1/2KG heavier, but I can live with that. The Air didn't come into it because the screen just doesn't cut it.

So far I'm really impressed. It's light and for every day stuff it's great. I've just done an import with Photo Mechanic and it's all good. Just running a Lightroom import of 150+ photos and building 1:1 previews and the performance is fine - the machine is still responsive while I'm doing this. I was concerned that 8GB RAM might not be enough, but that's fine too.

So to go back to your question the 13" rMBP is a very nice machine. Okay it's not Skylake, but you probably won't notice the difference and unless you specifically need USB 3.1 or Thunderbolt 3. it's a great little machine and there's no reason to wait for Skylake, etc if you don't already have a laptop. I bought it with the intention of it being the my temporary laptop until Apple release another high-end one, and then it replacing the ageing 11" MB Air that is the family laptop. So far I want to keep it though. See if my work requires me to have anything faster as I don't want the extra weight or bulk of the 15" rMBP.

i think the issue is spending $1,499 on outdated technology when the new version (chips, thunder3, faster sad, oled bar, etc) will be available in X months, and could/should available June 30th, 2016

 

[Johnny907]

I feel your pain. I do too need to get a MBP for work in the next 2 weeks. I am looking to get a used one with Applecare to keep me going until they finally announce updates and then sell it. It's sucks they take forever to keep hardware options somewhat current with the latest tech.

I was actually in the process of looking at used ones until Best Buy put the model I wanted on a one day sale. The price difference was maybe a hundred dollars, and I have 45 days to take it back in which maybe the new model will be released. New MBP's in July? Eh, one can dream.

 

[tl.Mob]

The article says:

Meanwhile, the Mac Pro is long overdue for an update, having been last refreshed with its current trash can design in December 2013. Possible updates could include Intel Skylake processors, AMD Polaris graphics, and USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 3. Similar updates could also come to the iMac lineup, but Apple may wait until Intel Kaby Lake processors launch in late 2016.

However, the CPU information is either vague, or simply incorrect. A MacPro would never have a Skylake or Kaby Lake processor as those are consumer level (i.e. iMac level) processors. There are no Skylake (let alone Kaby Lake) EP processors coming out in 2016.

The enterprise segment is using Broadwell-EP right now, with a June 2017 possibility of Skylake-EP. It seems unlikely that Apple will unveil a new MacPro with Broadwell-EP since that socket is well over halfway through its lifecycle. This is not simply a nomenclature nitpick as it reflects the actual timing we can expect from future MacPro releases.

So, it looks like the next real possibility of a MacPro refresh is going to be late 2017, probably with what happened last time around with limited production pushing the real release date into 2018.

I hope no one here actually wants to use a MacPro for anything demanding.