New MacBook Pro Models Coming at WWDC, Suggests Leaker

[SteveW928]

Why do they always say that while WWDC focuses on software, there is a chance of hardware. Nearly every WWDC had hardware, as far as I remember.

Yes, the focus of the overall conference is software and developers. But, the keynote is more a public media event which often includes a preview of the new OSs on the way, but really is there to promote upcoming Apple stuff, sometimes even heavily hardware-oriented. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that the WWDC keynotes which didn't have hardware (or very little) were filled with silly software demos and antics, because Apple didn't have anything better to show off. Hopefully that isn't the case this year (those WWDC keynotes were painful! Remember when emoji were about all Apple had?).

 

[cmaier]

Why do they always say that while WWDC focuses on software..

Because they want to sound smart despite the fact that all they know about WWDC is what the initials stand for?

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Nearly every WWDC had hardware, as far as I remember.

Nearly every? Isn’t it more like 50/50?

 

[Fomalhaut]

Checks out. Your comment is both wild, and a guess.

That's a bit harsh! I think @MacBH928 's comment is reasonably informed. If you have a massive working space with 4 monitors, you are clearly "not mobile" with that set-up, so why would you accept the compromises inherent in a laptop computer?

I understand that some people need to take their computer to multiple work sites, but arguably there are better workflow options (external drives, NAS, cloud storage) if you really need to work on the same material in multiple places, *and* maintain some mobility.

It depends on your workload I expect. I would imagine that if you are using 4 monitors, you are running pretty intensive software (or doing a multiple of applications that require a lot of screen real-estate). Those workloads *imply* (but don't guarantee) the need for a beefy workstation machine.

Another reason for using a laptop could just be budget. After buying the four monitors, you don't have enough money left for the workstation / desktop computer

 

[Stephen.R]

If you have a massive working space with 4 monitors, you are clearly "not mobile" with that set-up, so why would you accept the compromises inherent in a laptop computer?

You're clearly "not mobile" any any external display on a monitor (those dinky 15.6" 1080p "portable monitor" aside). The same logic applies to one or four. Why have a laptop at all. The answer is because it's still usable without the monitors, but they can increase productivity when you're at a desk.


That's all regardless though. The original comment I replied to was about how people claimed the TB3 MBP's were "future proof" - and I pointed out that those machines are still very viable in terms of connectivity, 5 years later - whether that's 4 displays, or a bunch of different devices, that may have no even existed at the time the machine was designed/produced.

 

[psiddle]

This is literally false. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Worldwide_Developers_Conference look here for evidence of all the countless times Apple has released hardware at WWDC. You will eat your words.

"literally?"

 

[UltimateSyn]

"literally?"

Here's some help:

 

[chucker23n1]

Here's some help:
View attachment 1783114

Here's some more help: your use of "literally" in "This is literally false" is unusual.

 

[chucker23n1]

That's a bit harsh! I think @MacBH928 's comment is reasonably informed. If you have a massive working space with 4 monitors, you are clearly "not mobile" with that set-up, so why would you accept the compromises inherent in a laptop computer?

Stephen.R is on this weird trip to inform everyone that Apple's choice to provide four Thunderbolt ports was exactly the correct one, that everyone is dumb to suggest use cases where it's not a great choice, and that any other port would be a worse product.

 

[Stephen.R]

Stephen.R is on this weird trip to inform everyone that Apple's choice to provide four Thunderbolt ports was exactly the correct one, that everyone is dumb to suggest use cases where it's not a great choice, and that any other port would be a worse product.

No trip. I just like being able to use a product I spend several thousand dollars on.

You want HDMI? Great. Good for you. I have zero use for HDMI ports. If adding that HDMI port takes away a port I can and do use currently, and gives me a port I can't use, that is literally worse. Do you understand how that works?

I've also never once said your use case of connecting a HDMI device is dumb. Not once. I've also never dismissed your need or want to use a HDMI device.


Please stop making posts where you misrepresent what I've said.

 

[UltimateSyn]

Here's some more help: your use of "literally" in "This is literally false" is unusual.

used for emphasis or to express strong feeling while not being literally true.

 

[chucker23n1]

No trip. I just like being able to use a product I spend several thousand dollars on.

Nobody's denying you that.

You want HDMI? Great. Good for you. I have zero use for HDMI ports. If adding that HDMI port takes away a port I can and do use currently, and gives me a port I can't use, that is literally worse. Do you understand how that works?

I do. And yet you don't give anyone else the same courtesy. Strange.

I've also never once said your use case of connecting a HDMI device is dumb. Not once. I've also never dismissed your need or want to use a HDMI device.

You have in fact repeatedly dismissed the use case.

 

[Stephen.R]

I do. And yet you don't give anyone else the same courtesy. Strange.

Great false equivalence there.

A TB3 or even regular USB-C port, will absolutely drive your HDMI device.

A HDMI port will drive.... a HDMI device.

You have in fact repeatedly dismissed the use case.

No, I have not. I've repeatedly tried to make you understand that "I want this to be a little bit more convenient than it is now" is not the same as "I want this to remain possible".

 

[Arthur75]

I'm with Stephen R on this one.
Although to be honest, as I use my MBP almost always plugged in (in clamshell mode with a 4K desktop display), One TB3/USB-C port is always used for power, leaving only 3 available, and as one is taken for the display, only two left, which is not much !
The situation will in fact be the same for the new ones with magsafe.
So yes indeed would definitely have preferred 4 TB3.
(ok, could use the HDMI port for the display for the new one )

And somehow I find this move (also true for the card reader), quite "unapple".

 

[cmaier]

Stephen.R is on this weird trip to inform everyone that Apple's choice to provide four Thunderbolt ports was exactly the correct one, that everyone is dumb to suggest use cases where it's not a great choice, and that any other port would be a worse product.

Still trying to figure out how you support 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 using a 40Gbps TB port.

 

[Stephen.R]

Still trying to figure out how you support 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 using a 40Gbps TB port.

As I've answered you before (seriously, this is like the third time)

Don't it as a thunderbolt port?

DisplayPort 2.0 goes up to 80Gbps and is qualified for use over USB-C via DisplayPort Alt-Mode.

If the HDMI Forum doesn't care to update their Partner Specification for HDMI Alt Mode to support the newer versions (last update I can find is reference to 1.4b), then you obviously will need to wait until someone makes an active adapter to take a DisplayPort signal and convert it to HDMI...


Oh look, someone already did: https://www.sabrent.com/product/DA-...r-8k-60hz-4k-120hz-with-dsc-function-da-uch8/

 

[chucker23n1]

Still trying to figure out how you support 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 using a 40Gbps TB port.

Have you tried Zombo.com? You can do anything with Zombo.com. Anything at all.

 

[DeepIn2U]

You don't know what fab means. PRODUCTION. It went into PRODUCTION, as in being made for the product, in April. Just like TODAY the A15 is going into production for an iPhone being released in 90-100 days (all previous rumors pointed to iPhone 13 coming early in September, and now the fab date corresponds, yet again).

That means fabrication it is not always translate into production it means creating something as in creating a way for a single one or thousands doesn’t matter fab is actually used for both

 

[DeepIn2U]

Chip design occurred the years before. Manufacturing took a few months.

The announcement has absolutely no bearing on the schedule of the M1.

Exactly what I stated above the announcement doesn’t define how long it took to produce the chips in mass production I’ve been seeing this from the very beginning but you’re only quoting the most recent quote

 

[DeepIn2U]

It takes 2 months for hot lots to arrive from fab. 3 months for production lots.

Sounds about right I didn’t say five months originally somebody else in the debate earlier said three months or less

 

[cmaier]

Sounds about right I didn’t say five months originally somebody else in the debate earlier said three months or less

Yep. I’ve taped out a whole lotta chips. Almost without fail - 2 months for hot lots. We start testing them with great haste, so if there’s a problem we can stop the presses. If not, a month later we start getting production silicon. If there is a problem, depending on whether it can be fixed by touching only one or two mask layers, it adds a month or more. (Luckily that’s very rare - with today’s EDA tools, you can be pretty confident that you’ll be in the ballpark of what you expect in terms of performance, and functional failures are very rare.)

 

[Philip_S]

I thought Apple ditching magsafe for USB-C charging is for the better. This means no more expensive proprietary Apple only charger. All Apple needs to do is put USB-C ports on both sides of the laptop for versatile charging locations.

The USB-C ports on the side I most often use for power, and the one in my brick, are starting to get noticeably worn and unreliable, more so than my magsafe port on my previous MBP, which was twice as old when I replaced it (and that only used one port, not two). I probably make more connections than most people, because I move around a lot but use some very power-hungry apps, but its not great.

I had no problem with the Touch Bar. It was different and innovative. They could have tried improving it before deciding to scrap it. Maybe move it above the function keys.

I agree: it was a good concept that never really got used as well as it should have been, and apple seem to have lost interest in it.

I've owned/used a number of MagSafe equipped Mac laptops. Sure, it worked OK. The cables are quite prone to wear though, and due to it's nature, a damaged cable means replacing the whole charger, not just the cable. It also means you need a separate, dedicated charger. If you travel with several modern devices, you can quite likely carry just one charger and possibly a couple of different charge cables (i.e. USB-C to Lightning/etc).

The lousy plastic they used (also used for early lightning cables) and the poor design that made the cables vulnerable to crushing aren't inherent parts of the magsafe concept, and they could make both ends detachable. Having USB-c PD as an option for is a good idea, but magsafe was a better concept for power.

 

[chucker23n1]

Having USB-c PD as an option for is a good idea, but magsafe was a better concept for power.

Not universally.

USB-C means a much bigger variety of power adapters, including ones built into hubs and docks, especially since Apple was apparently unwilling to license MagSafe to third parties (why?).

USB-C also means you can plug it in from either side. One of the big benefits with the four-port arrangement is that it virtually doesn't matter what you plug something into; it'll work. (With all the downsides that come with that. And also, alas, not on models that only have two ports.)

 

[Stephen.R]

The lousy plastic they used (also used for early lightning cables) and the poor design that made the cables vulnerable to crushing aren't inherent parts of the magsafe concept,

Cheap plastic isn't inherent no. But any cord that is repeatedly coiled and uncoiled - particularly when you need to fit it into a relatively tight space like a laptop bag/case, is eventually going to see signs of wear. Braiding and cable relief will help, but if you think "ah this time they'll never wear out", I've got some bad news for you.

A USB-C charge cable is $19, even at Apple prices. A retailer I commonly buy work equipment from has 1M charge cables from the equivalent of $5. The same brick that will change my MacBook Pro can also charge my iPad with the same cable, charge my phone and watch (admittedly with different cables - c'mon USB-C iPhone!);

And that charger could be the Apple one, or it could be one from e.g. Anker, with multiple ports so they can charge simultaneously.


The only upside to MagSafe is that it "breaks away" if tugged, and that is available in specialised USB-C charge cables if you want it.



When USB-C is a thing, a vendor-specific charging port is a solution looking for a problem.

 

[miq]

Dude, I love my 15" 2015 MBP too, just superior to the jokes they have released 2016-2018, but if the 2021 MBP still doesn't satisfy you, what's your plan and what do you miss? Intel won't come back, same for USB-A, but everything else though looks great. I know a lot of 2012-2015 owners who finally gonna upgrade, including myself.

Can't wait for the WWDC. I was about to leave the ship and get a XPS 15 instead. Luckily I kept patient.

Btw they keyboard (labeled 'magic') since the 16" MBP is pretty similar with the ones of the 2012-2015 MBPs.

It's not that it doesn't *satisfy* me, I just can't justify the inevitably high asking price for what I use mine for.

I know the newer keyboards are *similar* but they aren't the same, I much much prefer the softer, 'pillowy' feel of my 2015. The heft and thickness of the device adds to the overall quality feel. The glowing logo, while gimmicky, is still IMO a nice feature. Jury's out on ports - whilst I love the wide selection of ports on my MBP, I agree that USB-C is the way forward and would almost trade the area ports on this 2015 for four USB-C ports. One big advantage the 2020+ models have is the quality of the speakers - mine are incredibly tinny and basically unusable for music listening.