I'm somewhat disappointed with the 2012 redesign of apple products...(MBP included)

[cntwtfrmynwmbp]

For the last decade, a lot of Apple products looked really revolutionary to me when they were introduced. I remember seeing the iPod or the iPhone, the Macbooks/Macbook Pro's and the iMac for the first time, and I was thinking: Wow, I've never seen something like this.

At this point I'm somewhat disappointed with the "redesign" of Apple products in 2012. There is a new thinner MBP that has a retina display, but from a design perspective, the MBP looks pretty much the same for the last 4-5 years. Pictures of the new iPhone suggest that it will have a bigger screen but will not look to different from the current model.

Part of the problem is that Apple products look really nice already and there is not much room for improvement. Nevertheless I hope for more design surprises in the future as 2012 was no surprise at all.

 

[jamesjingyi]

It's cuz they are still mourning and recooperating from the death of Steve :',( (RIP Mr Jobs).
Expect a lot more in 2013 or late 2012 (hopefully). They should be releasing a new iMac (however no new design I don't think) and the iPad Mini (should) rock this world. the iPhone 5's back looks a lot different from the 4 and 4S. I would also expect a new MBP 13" design in 2013 with Retina display and there are apparently "New things for pro customers in 2013" (Best word for word quote ever).
So don't be disappointed, just look forward to late 2012 to 2013 as the Post-Jobs Era

 

[joer80]

Change for the sake of change is dumb.

 

[urkel]

Change for the sake of change is dumb.

And we all know Apple would never do that...

 

[Alameda]

I agree. Ever since the introduction of the unibody MPB, every new Apple computer and tablet looks the same.

 

[Blackberryroid]

The MacBook Pro's design is perfect already. If it looks horrible compared to newer PCs, or Jony Ive finds something that could inspire him for a radical and completely new design, the next MacBook pro will be the redesigned model.

 

[sweetbrat]

So you've said it looks nice and there's really no room for improvement, but you still want a new design. Not because it will add more functionality, but because you just want a different look. I'm curious, what do you want them to change? What do you think it should look like?

 

[dusk007]

I would say the problem is that is a very minimalistic design to begin with. There isn't much to change that would look a little like deliberately making it only look different. For what purpose, would they do that?
They can an will make it thinner as technology allows but that is about it.

I think that is the same problem with their design patent lawsuits. Too much minimalism and anything based on the same tech will look similar unless it is deliberately blemished.

In theory they could dump the whole machined aluminium and go for carbon which would be way better for wifi reception and lighter too. But they loose a lot of recognize-ability along the way, also while carbon is lighter at the same strength it needs more volume which would mean thicker notebooks.
People are wondering about that liquid metal for years but I suppose it is just not ready for big metal machining yet. Might never be. With some resources being expensive and in tight supply they might never think it is really worth it compared to Aluminium which is while energy intensive at least not in short supply.

Anyway the design would still be the same. The color tone would change a little. The only thing really changing (regardless of metals) that I can imagine is that they slim down the bezel as so many other companies try. Maximizing screen space while minimizing the size is the only thing that really helps. A keypad might too but Apple won't change its policy there.

 

[clyde2801]

It's not a bad design. What do you expect, make the MBP's thinner with asbestos bottoms?

 

[maflynn]

For the last decade, a lot of Apple products looked really revolutionary to me

Consider this, prior to the unibody design. Apple was using the same laptop design for their MBPs since the G4 PowerMac.

The MacPro looks the same as the G5 PowerMac.

The iPod has largely been the same design.

Apple is not about producing revolutionary updates, but evolutionary updates, i.e., small steps to improve the product

I was not expecting to see a major redesign of the MBP given that they just went to the unibody design a few years ago. Apple is all about making small changes, not ginormous leaps

 

[cntwtfrmynwmbp]

So you've said it looks nice and there's really no room for improvement, but you still want a new design. Not because it will add more functionality, but because you just want a different look. I'm curious, what do you want them to change? What do you think it should look like?

I've said there is not much room for improvement, not no room at all. I have no idea what it should look like. This is the task for the Apple design team not for me I wish they would surprise me again like they did the last decade with all their revolutionary looking products.

The only thing really changing (regardless of metals) that I can imagine is that they slim down the bezel as so many other companies try. Maximizing screen space while minimizing the size is the only thing that really helps.

That would be a start.

 

[retinarob]

Apple's major improvements and innovations come when they enter a market, and from there you see incremental improvements on their (re)design of that product.

Be excited about the new markets Apple is going to be entering. Like Television. Once that happens, for an avid Apple user it will probably change the way we use all of our other Apple products.

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Magsafe2.

It needed to be thinner.

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I agree. Ever since the introduction of the unibody MPB, every new Apple computer and tablet looks the same.

It's also the strongest design that they have come up with. I'm sure when they figure out a cost effective, stronger, new material/design they will implement it.

 

[DTKblaster]

From a design perspective, bezel thickness reduction would be at the top of my list. Having an almost edge to edge display would be staggering, and would made a much bigger impact than many people realise.

Keyboard design could be innovated; in the current rMBP key travel has been reduced during the design squeeze. This could be improved through a very simple mechanism which retracts the keys while the screen is being lowered, allowing for much taller keys in the same space.

While on the subjects of keyboards, Macs seem to have something against the delete key, but it is undeniably a very useful key to have, not just for windows compatibility. If you have noticed, currently a very short tap on the power key on the rMBP does nothing, with only a more deliberate press being accepted to bring up the shut down menu. This light tap could be repurposed into delete without needing any keyboard redesign, keeping with apple's simplicity.

While not really a design thing, LTE/HSPA is a major omission on portable laptops theses days, especially now that speeds and coverage are shooting through the roof.

 

[Alameda]

Many consider the 1957 Chevy as the perfect design, or a pair of Levi's. Apple products, like it or not, are fashion statements. Apple knows that they will refresh the unibody design, they've got cages after cage of squirrels busily working at one design after another.

Look at iPhone: Design-wise, you could easily say that iPhone 1, 3, and 4 are all minimalist, functionally-equivalent designs.

 

[jamesjingyi]

While on the subjects of keyboards, Macs seem to have something against the delete key, but it is undeniably a very useful key to have, not just for windows compatibility. If you have noticed, currently a very short tap on the power key on the rMBP does nothing, with only a more deliberate press being accepted to bring up the shut down menu. This light tap could be repurposed into delete without needing any keyboard redesign, keeping with apple's simplicity.

Use this:
http://pqrs.org/macosx/keyremap4macbook/
For the eject key but it doesn't work perfectly.

 

[urkel]

Many consider the 1957 Chevy as the perfect design, or a pair of Levi's. Apple products, like it or not, are fashion statements.

The people here who are defending that things have stayed the same are the same people who will praise it when Apple does things different. This is probably the most annoying thing about Apples most vocal fans. They only know what they want after Apple tells them. (Oh I bet you miss that thumbs down button right now...)

 

[vsighi]

For the last decade, a lot of Apple products looked really revolutionary to me when they were introduced. I remember seeing the iPod or the iPhone, the Macbooks/Macbook Pro's and the iMac for the first time, and I was thinking: Wow, I've never seen something like this.

At this point I'm somewhat disappointed with the "redesign" of Apple products in 2012. There is a new thinner MBP that has a retina display, but from a design perspective, the MBP looks pretty much the same for the last 4-5 years. Pictures of the new iPhone suggest that it will have a bigger screen but will not look to different from the current model.

Part of the problem is that Apple products look really nice already and there is not much room for improvement. Nevertheless I hope for more design surprises in the future as 2012 was no surprise at all.

All apple products are superb dude, specially the new 2012 rMBP been the most beautiful computer they have ever made. Everything inside has been reinvented.
It’s simply the best computer they ever made man...but you can always go to Louis Vuitton and add some accessory if you want some change

--

 

[acosmichippo]

The people here who are defending that things have stayed the same are the same people who will praise it when Apple does things different. This is probably the most annoying thing about Apples most vocal fans. They only know what they want after Apple tells them. (Oh I bet you miss that thumbs down button right now...)

Yeah, anyone who has a different opinion than you is clearly a sheep.

Apple should change the look of their products with every refresh. A company sitting on billions of dollars of cash can afford to completely redo their manufacturing line every 6 months. Honestly, who really cares about minimizing overhead?

 

[CausticPuppy]

I don't know how it would be possible to take a design that's already minimalist, and then make it look completely different, while still being minimalist.

The rMBP is already as minimal as current technology allows-- it could be even thinner and lighter were it not for the battery requirements. The Air is still a step ahead IMO, though the constraints don't allow for as much processing power.

Apple is already there with some of their products, not so much with others, but updates are coming.

Macbook Air: I believe this is the eventually form factor for all their notebooks, but it would require a significant change in battery (and significant change in thermals) for something as powerful as a macbook pro to fit in the thin wedge shape. Mac notebooks will look like the Air until the day comes when notebooks aren't really a thing anymore.

Mac Mini: it's an aluminum square. I wouldn't expect a significant redesign. I suppose they could make it even tinier by going with an external power supply again.

iMac: they could get rid of the "chin" and maybe re-introduce a height adjustable stand (yes!!) but it'll still basically look like a giant screen. The next major redesign will probably make it way thinner than we're expecting.

Mac Pro: not exactly "minimalist" right now. It actually looks cluttered compared to the rest of the line. Definitely could change significantly when it's updated. But will expandability be sacrificed?

iPhone: essentially it's a glass rectangle - aside from changes to materials and dimensions, a dramatic redesign of something so simple doesn't seem likely.

iPad: the opportunity for a dramatic redesign is even less. From here on out, the dramatic changes will be inside. Who knows, maybe they could make an oval iPad.

 

[NewbieCanada]

Me think wheel need new shape. Me tired of round - Grod, circa 3500 BC

Apple specializes in minimalist design of devices that are intrinsically rectangular in shape. There isn't a whole lot you can do to change them.

 

[CausticPuppy]

Me think wheel need new shape. Me tired of round - Grod, circa 3500 BC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hs1wcvhguM

 

[DTF]

Yeah, anyone who has a different opinion than you is clearly a sheep.

Apple should change the look of their products with every refresh. A company sitting on billions of dollars of cash can afford to completely redo their manufacturing line every 6 months. Honestly, who really cares about minimizing overhead?

One of the many reasons they have the billions in cash is because they don't do stupid things like completely retool their product line every 6 months.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

And we all know Apple would never do that...
Image

While you may not like the appearance of the "new" MagSafe connector, it is functionally superior in terms of more quickly disconnecting from the machine if someone yanks on it.

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Part of the problem is that Apple products look really nice already and there is not much room for improvement. Nevertheless I hope for more design surprises in the future as 2012 was no surprise at all.

You summarized it right there, except I would maintain that it is not a problem. Apple's designs are almost perfect for the intended application - it's difficult to improve on "almost perfect", which is why their products have had relatively similar designs for a while. Change for the sake of change is against Apple's philosophy.

 

[sofianito]

One of the many reasons they have the billions in cash is because they don't do stupid things like completely retool their product line every 6 months.

They have billions of cash because there are many sheeps who buy systematically their products whether they are good or bad...

 

[sweetbrat]

Keyboard design could be innovated; in the current rMBP key travel has been reduced during the design squeeze. This could be improved through a very simple mechanism which retracts the keys while the screen is being lowered, allowing for much taller keys in the same space.

I'm curious about how you imagine this would function. The keys could be taller and retract down when the screen is being lowered. Ok...but that height has to have somewhere to go. As the keys retracted (or even as they're pushed while someone is typing) the bottom of the key moves downward, into the base of the machine. I would think that having taller keys would mean you'd need a thicker computer so the keys would have a space to retract into. Am I missing something?

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The people here who are defending that things have stayed the same are the same people who will praise it when Apple does things different. This is probably the most annoying thing about Apples most vocal fans. They only know what they want after Apple tells them. (Oh I bet you miss that thumbs down button right now...)

There's only so much that can be done. Unless you plan on changing the shape of the computer, which would be silly, what can you do? You can change the material it's made of, but in most cases that probably won't seem like a major change to people, and could cause the computer to need to become thicker, and would change the heat dispersion. It's a possibility for the future, I suppose...maybe when liquid metal is ready. You can change things like the width of the bezel, or the shapes of the corners, but these are still relatively small changes. People asking for a complete redesign tend to want it to look completely different, but it's a computer. There's only so much room for change, and a large portion of that is little things, not a major redesign. People now are complaining that the retina MBP wasn't a big enough change, but they redesigned huge portions of that machine.

You can call me a sheep if you want, that's fine. But it's really not about defending Apple. Any very well-designed product can run into a problem like this. It doesn't mean people stop trying to improve it, it's just that the improvements become smaller and smaller over time.