how is the MBP 'nearing the end of a cycle'?

[mrklaw]

what timing does macrumors use for working this out? New sandy bridge machines were just released at the end of Feb - barely 5 months ago. If people start holding off on buying after only a few months of a new model coming out, nobody will ever buy one.

Crazy..

realistically do you see an update before next year and Ivy Bridge? Maybe just a small processor bump?

 

[sjinsjca]

People pull all sorts of rumors and opinions out of their arse.

As you say, the machines were just updated, and they're awesome. I doubt Apple is much concerned with a few rapturous fanbois gripping their cash in hopes of some phantom refresh they imagine is coming.

What we may see is a high-end Air model that starts to encroach on MBP CPU specs territory, and featuring the speed benefits of the SSD as a standard feature. It will likely be smaller, lack an optical disk, run like stink and cost dearly.

 

[JronMasteR]

The last refreshes took over 300 days. I expect it to be the same this time. I think the next refresh is going to be with Ivy Bridge, that means early 2012. There can be a slight processor upgrade in october or more ram...
Apple has to update other products later this year. Like iPhone, iPod, MacPro's, MacMini's... So another MacBook Pro refresh seems unlikely