Leaked Skylake roadmap suggests September release

[johngwheeler]

Over the last couple of days I've seen a number of links reporting a leaked Intel roadmap for Skylake:

http://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/anton-shilov/complete-intel-skylake-launch-schedule-revealed-chips-to-be-showcased-in-august/

If true, this would indicate Intel intends to release pretty much all of the Mac CPUs in September 2016, including quad-core Skylake-H for rMBP 15 and Skylake Y (core-M) for rMB, with possibly some other CPUs released over the following few months into January 2016

This should certainly give people pause for thought whether it's possible for Apple to release a Skylake rMBP in the October-December timeframe.

No idea, whether this would happen, even if the Intel launch roadmap is true; it will be interesting to see what happens!

 

[Kal-037]

Over the last couple of days I've seen a number of links reporting a leaked Intel roadmap for Skylake:

http://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/anton-shilov/complete-intel-skylake-launch-schedule-revealed-chips-to-be-showcased-in-august/

If true, this would indicate Intel intends to release pretty much all of the Mac CPUs in September 2016, including quad-core Skylake-H for rMBP 15 and Skylake Y (core-M) for rMB, with possibly some other CPUs released over the following few months into January 2016

This should certainly give people pause for thought whether it's possible for Apple to release a Skylake rMBP in the October-December timeframe.

No idea, whether this would happen, even if the Intel launch roadmap is true; it will be interesting to see what happens!

Did you mean September 2015?... Either way I think Apple might do a November or December release (at the soonest) otherwise I think they'll aim for next spring.


Kal.

 

[capitanbuzo]

Did you mean September 2015?... Either way I think Apple might do a November or December release (at the soonest) otherwise I think they'll aim for next spring.


Kal.

Pretty sure he meant 2015. Part of me finds it hard to believe we will see updates this fall. It just seems like there's a lot of other things apple will want to update and that an update then would overlap a bit much for a complete redesign. Plus, I feel that they might want to get more MacBook sales in first.

 

[inhalexhale1]

Did you mean September 2015?... Either way I think Apple might do a November or December release (at the soonest) otherwise I think they'll aim for next spring.


Kal.

My guess would be February. End of summer into the holidays is usually all about the iPhone and iPad.

 

[simonmet]

Sadly I too don't think we'll see another update until January or February now. Apple updated rMBPs in Early 2013 so I think we'll get an early 2016 release with Skylake.

For the rest of the year Apple will probably focus on iPhones, iPads and iMacs.

 

[johannnn]

Don't believe Intels roadmap, they always end up delaying them. Still no Broadwell chip for a 15" MBP, no way a Skylake chip for a 15" MBP is coming this year.

 

[maflynn]

Don't believe Intels roadmap, they always end up delaying them. Still no Broadwell chip for a 15" MBP, no way a Skylake chip for a 15" MBP is coming this year.

Other then Broadwell, did they delay any other chipset since going to the tick/tock release method? Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge/Haswell chipsets?

 

[rekhyt]

Don't believe Intels roadmap, they always end up delaying them. Still no Broadwell chip for a 15" MBP, no way a Skylake chip for a 15" MBP is coming this year.

They're skipping Broadwell.

 

[prism]

Other then Broadwell, did they delay any other chipset since going to the tick/tock release method? Sandy Bridge/Ivy Bridge/Haswell chipsets?

I believe that it is getting exponentially more difficult with each iteration so the past is certainly not a good indicator of the future!

 

[addictive]

Holiday shopping season

I think you can go back and look at previous years for the data but when it comes to releasing new products for the holiday shopping season it would seem to be very rare for to release an updated iteration of one of the MacBooks (Air and Pro included) in November. This is just too late in the year for Apple.

If Apple decides not to put Skylake in its computers in October - and Intel may not make it possible for Apple to do this then we can say with confidence that the new models will likely be announced sometime end of February through to April 2016.

Intel may want to forget about Broadwell but they have R&D costs to recover. If anyone has followed Intel's release schedule over the past few years then long delays are normal.

 

[maflynn]

I believe that it is getting exponentially more difficult with each iteration so the past is certainly not a good indicator of the future!

Perhaps, but so far Intel is on track for Skylake and the first batches of the chips are due out in August with as mentioned the mobile chipsets in September.

 

[prism]

Perhaps, but so far Intel is on track for Skylake and the first batches of the chips are due out in August with as mentioned the mobile chipsets in September.

Says who, and since when is what is being said cast in stone?

 

[Pentad]

You do realize that Apple has done both spring and fall updates to the MBPr line in the past right? The last major one was Haswell. We had an early 2013 15" MBPr running IB and then a late 2013 15" MBPr running HW. The 2013 late release offered numerous updates for the holiday season.

I think that is what we'll see this year (if Intel does release Skylake on time).

Dell, Asus, Lenovo, and others have stated they plan on doing Skylake based notebooks for the holiday season.

I believe that Intel will skip Broadwell H chips at this point and move to Skylake.

-P

----------

Says who, and since when is what is being said cast in stone?

Who said it isn't cast in stone?

 

[Pentad]

Intel may want to forget about Broadwell but they have R&D costs to recover. If anyone has followed Intel's release schedule over the past few years then long delays are normal.

I'm not trying to argue with you but both of these statements are inaccurate:

First, your statement about R&D costs does not apply here. It isn't like Intel is doing a new product..say a VRHeadset. These chips are refinements of a current product line and Intel uses teams to improve these products in stages.

It is no secret that Intel roadmaps 10 years down the road and makes adjustments along the way. To say Intel needs to recoup their R&D in Broadwell is just not right. Intel would just absorb the R&D cost for Broadwell into the continuing line. Their ROI is not dependent that Broadwell HAS to sell X amount of units. I mean its not like they are amortizing it based on product costs.

Your statement would be more accurate it if was applied to the Apple Watch.

Second: Define delay? I doubt you can name a chip that has been been delayed like this before. When hasn't Intel delivered within months of a scheduled target? I'm not talking some minor chip, I'm talking their main cash cow here.

Without Googling it, I can't think of any in recent history: Core Duo, Core 2 Duo, the i7 series which spawned Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge, and Haswell.

The Broadwell delay has been the only major stumbling block that I can really think of. Don't get me wrong, the work that Intel is doing isn't easy.

I just don't think "long delays are normal" is a fair statement against Intel.

-P

 

[Queen6]

Very likely, Intel has made it very clear that the delays associated with Broadwell will not impact Skylake. If so Apple will likely react, new models just before the holiday season is a strong motivator for sales...

Q-6

 

[Freyqq]

I'm not trying to argue with you but both of these statements are inaccurate:

First, your statement about R&D costs does not apply here. It isn't like Intel is doing a new product..say a VRHeadset. These chips are refinements of a current product line and Intel uses teams to improve these products in stages.

It is no secret that Intel roadmaps 10 years down the road and makes adjustments along the way. To say Intel needs to recoup their R&D in Broadwell is just not right. Intel would just absorb the R&D cost for Broadwell into the continuing line. Their ROI is not dependent that Broadwell HAS to sell X amount of units. I mean its not like they are amortizing it based on product costs.

Your statement would be more accurate it if was applied to the Apple Watch.

Second: Define delay? I doubt you can name a chip that has been been delayed like this before. When hasn't Intel delivered within months of a scheduled target? I'm not talking some minor chip, I'm talking their main cash cow here.

Without Googling it, I can't think of any in recent history: Core Duo, Core 2 Duo, the i7 series which spawned Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge, and Haswell.

The Broadwell delay has been the only major stumbling block that I can really think of. Don't get me wrong, the work that Intel is doing isn't easy.

I just don't think "long delays are normal" is a fair statement against Intel.

-P

All the fabs are having trouble right now. I think physics is getting to the point where shrinking the process any further is hard. I wouldn't be surprised if they switch to a tick tock tock model to give them a little more time. Also, looking at NVIDIA for instance, they have improved their gpus considerably over the last 3 gens, all on the same process (28nm). I think they can get more performance out of each node, but they're so use to the easy performance boost every 2 years with shrinking manufacturing process that they don't bother.

 

[Quu]

I'd like Apple to update to Skylake as soon as possible but with their track record lately I have serious doubts about them updating the MacBook Pro again this year.

 

[Codeseven]

They're skipping Broadwell.

That's what I've been reading for what seems like months now. Broadwell was delayed so long it became old news in the shadow of Skylake, why bother. I think that's why we've seen only an 'update' (not even much of a tic) to the MBP to sell a few more before the announcement of a Skylake toc later this year.

 

[Kulfon]

It doesn't matter when. It still pointless to purchase a refreshed MBP now....only waiting for the new chip is the real option for me. I really do not want to be so stupid to get the minor refresh now only to see a major redesign a couple of month later.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

I'd like Apple to update to Skylake as soon as possible but with their track record lately I have serious doubts about them updating the MacBook Pro again this year.

Why lately ? updates every 8-9 month. Next stop - February/March.

 

[Codeseven]

I really do not want to be so stupid to get the minor refresh now only to see a major redesign a couple of month later.

That's how I'd feel if I jumped on this 'update' without at least seeing if anything (Broadwell tic or Skylake Toc) is announced only a couple of weeks from now.

Let's hope that wait time will be clarified at WWDC.

 

[newellj]

It doesn't matter when. It still pointless to purchase a refreshed MBP now....only waiting for the new chip is the real option for me. I really do not want to be so stupid to get the minor refresh now only to see a major redesign a couple of month later.

There's a completely different way to view that. I truly do not want the new keyboard - I tried it for two weeks and hated it. I don't actually think there's a big risk that the next refresh will bring the new keyboard to the 13" and 15" machines, but I bought my 2015 13" rMBP in part as a hedge against that possibility.

 

[Kulfon]

There's a completely different way to view that. I truly do not want the new keyboard - I tried it for two weeks and hated it. I don't actually think there's a big risk that the next refresh will bring the new keyboard to the 13" and 15" machines, but I bought my 2015 13" rMBP in part as a hedge against that possibility.

Sorry, but this is now how I think. I still prefer a real upgrade with Skylake and maybe even 4K screen than no update and an old keyboard. If I do not like it, I will use the external keyboard and a separate LCD for photo editing. Keyboard is of no importance in my case. I do not make my decisions on 2500 USD laptop based on the keyboard.

 

[maflynn]

Says who, and since when is what is being said cast in stone?

I just said intel seems to say its on track, how can that be construed as cast in stone

 

[newellj]

Sorry, but this is now how I think. I still prefer a real upgrade with Skylake and maybe even 4K screen than no update and an old keyboard. If I do not like it, I will use the external keyboard and a separate LCD for photo editing. Keyboard is of no importance in my case. I do not make my decisions on 2500 USD laptop based on the keyboard.

If I have to use an external monitor and keyboard I'll just use a desktop.