Notebook Refresh to Be Highlight of WWDC, Non-Retina MacBook Pro to Continue?

[smirking]

Personally, I prefer the cMBP over the rMBP.

Yup. Me too.

I like the Retina in my iPad4, but really don't care on my laptop. I'm much more interested in the general size of the display more than the size of the pixels. I'm clinging to an old Apple Cinema 30" and I hope it keeps ticking for a long time.

 

[69650]

This is actually very good news and I pray Kuo is right.
I was thinking about trading in my Mid-2012 Air for current base version 15" cMBP with Hi-Res Antiglare, but after this report I will probably keep my little buddy for a couple of weeks longer and then buy mid-2013 cMBP. With Hi-res antiglare, obviously.

I am still not very keen on retinas. Yes, the screen is amazing, but tell me one more thing Retina can do, that cMBP can't do cheaper. Don't worry, I'll wait...

Are you sure they are going to keep the antiglare option after the refresh?

They might drop the 15" MBP altogether and just keep the Retina version on the 15" model.

They've done it before. Just keep the 13" MBP as a cheap entry level machine for those who don't want to pay the extra for the Retina MBP.

 

[entropi]

Same here mostly. I like it in the iPad, but really don't care on my laptop. I would much rather have a bigger screen instead of smaller pixels. I'm clinging to an old Apple Cinema 30" and I hope it keeps ticking for a long time.

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Yup. Me too.

+1

let's keep the air thin & efficient, retina isn't needed...

 

[numbersyx]

Can't believe that the MBP is going to be "the highlight" of WWDC. Doesn't accord with Schiller's statement about seeing what's next for the operating systems.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a new report forecasting that the product highlight of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), which kicks off on June 10, will be the introduction of new models of the company's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines based on Intel's latest Haswell processors.

We will see the Haswell MBP and rMBP models in Q3/Q4 2013. MBA in Q4/2013 - Q1/2014. 802.11ac support in OS X 10.8.4 exists probably just for internal prototypes and/or for future versions of OS X 10.8.x. OS X 10.9 is delayed, so i think the first Haswell hardware comes with OS X 10.8.x, not with 10.9.

Contrary to our previous projection, we now think Apple will continue to make the MacBook Pro alongside the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro because the 13" MacBook Pro remains the most popular product in the MacBook line. Also, there is still demand in emerging markets, where Internet penetration isn't advanced, for optical disk drives.

The reason is probably the cost of the rMBP, not the optical drive, which users can replace with cheap >= 8 GB thumb drives.

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Yes, to OEMs.

Your source?

 

[69650]

Can't believe that the MBP is going to be "the highlight" of WWDC. Doesn't accord with Schiller's statement about seeing what's next for the operating systems.

The MBP is not going to be the highlight of WWDC. The highlight will be the first glimpse of iOS 7 and OSX 10.9. But you won't be able to buy them straight away. It will be "available this fall" as usual.

The MBP update, etc will just be add ons to the presentation. They can't just talk about software for 2 hours without announcing any hardware updates.

 

[diazj3]

I have never ever updated or changed the battery, the RAM or the HDD of any personal laptop in my life. Very very very few people do those stuff.

I loved this one... it seems the logic behind it goes something like this: "anything that I haven't seen for myself must be either fake, or very very VERY rare... therefore, stupid or unnecessary..."

seriously? you do realize there are other kinds of users out there, right?

On the other hand, everybody I know that has a Mac has either upgraded their RAM, hard drive, or both a some point, or had the need to repair a noisy fan or optical drive out of warranty on their own. So, to each their own...

I hope the cMBP option stays permanently. I don't understand this desire by some of it being discontinued.

 

[iChrist]

So my two cMBPs aren't obsolete then?

Yes. Big clunk old macbooks are quite silly now a days. I laugh when I see them. Really, even rMBP needs body design update, current look with black keys is old.

Unfortunate, macbook air will remain with fuzz low resolution screen. So, hard to win with anything in their line up.

 

[69650]

The reason is probably the cost of the rMBP, not the optical drive, which users can replace with cheap >= 8 GB thumb drives.

Please tell me where you can buy software applications on thumb drives? What Kuo was saying is that in emerging markets they don't have the same level of broadband penetration as in the US so many people still require an optical drive to install software because they don't have the option to download it. External optical drives are all very well but many people prefer to have everything built in on a portable machine.

 

[tendoboy1984]

How could Apple be having problems making a Retina display for the MacBook Air? They crammed one in the iPod Touch, so a MacBook Air with Retina shouldn't be an issue.

 

[JohnDoe98]

If they do, they might as well drop the 13" rMBP. Right now, the 13" of both have are pretty much the same.

Are they cannibalizing their own sales this quickly?

Well it has been reported that with Haswell there will be a variety of different GPUs based on the CPU being used. The MBA uses a 17w TDP and the 13" rmbp uses a 35w TDP. That could be the difference between the GT3 and GT2 version of the Intel GPUs. But I don't know the details so if anyone knows if the 35w will also be GT2 then please share.

Also I doubt Apple cares too much about cannibalizaing sales. A 13" rmba and 13" rmbp would be very close in terms of price. For those who need a slightly stronger CPU and more peripheral slots, they can go for the rmbp, every one else would go for the rmba.

The other option is to dump the MBA line and just make an 11" RMBP (and then rename the MBP line MacBooks). So my guess is their production lines will depend on what Intel offers in terms of graphics performance. That might start to make a big difference.

 

[Rogifan]

When are people going to get that analysts and Wall Street don't give a crap about software. When's the last time any of these analyst predictions talked about software? All they care about is hardware (minus MacPro).

Not sure why people are doubtful about iOS being announced at WWDC. The announcement specifically said WWDC would be showcasing the latest versions of iOS and OS X.

 

[handsome pete]

Yes you're correct but I'm not sure you understand how marketing works in the tech industry. Tech companies create the demand not the consumers. There was no demand for tablets before the iPad. There was no demand for HD TVs before the industry launched HD TVs. Tech companies create new technologies and new products and people see them and want them.

I wonder how many people are still sitting at home watching their old SD TVs versus how many people went out and bought a new HD TV even though they didn't actually need a new TV. Apple have been masters at creating demand for products that didn't previously exist and nobody was asking for beforehand.

I don't see the adoption of 4K being any different unless it doesn't capture the imagination of the public like 3D hasn't so far.

But you can't make a blanket generalization like that regarding new products and technologies. You're completely ignoring the thousands of failed products that go along with the successes. I don't doubt that we'll eventually see widespread adoption of 4K and up resolutions, but there is absolutely no demand for it at this point. You'd be surprised how many people still have SD tvs. And the leap from SD to HD was a pretty big one. 4K doesn't offer much of an improvement considering most people are viewing on 60" screens and below. I imagine the adoption mirrors more 3d rather than HD. The masses aren't going to be rushing out for this given the minimal content, especially since it will be a while until the cable companies can provide it.

 

[AppleHater]

How could Apple be having problems making a Retina display for the MacBook Air? They crammed one in the iPod Touch, so a MacBook Air with Retina shouldn't be an issue.

The priority should be 256gb SSD at a mainstream price where you don't compare the price twice to HDD. Apple will sell tons of MBA with 256gb SSD at $999 including to me. While ratina display is nice, I'll take a better battery life over it and notebooks are for getting things done and not staring at the screen like I do when I use my iPad.

 

[lcmazza]

I get the difference, but do not feel the reduction of storage is a viable reason for choosing.



If you were saying that if it were to have exactly the same HD spec (in terms of space for the same price) in the rMBP as there is in the MBP then I would agree. I would just use the USB Superdrive.

But you are not so I do not agree.

Huge storage space is not always that important when you're over 512GB.
You should know that SSDs are very expensive, so you shouldn't expect miraculously low prices or the same prices of 10 year old technology. Don't be naive.

 

[69650]

How could Apple be having problems making a Retina display for the MacBook Air? They crammed one in the iPod Touch, so a MacBook Air with Retina shouldn't be an issue.

I think it probably has more to do with the costs involved. If the retina screens cost more then Apple would have to put the price of the MBA up to maintain the same margin. Maybe they think that would adversely affect the sales too much.

It could also be that they want to keep the retina screens for their flagship MBP-R product just a little while longer to encourage people to keep buying the more expensive (and presumably more profitable) models.

Often these decisions have just as much to do with hard headed business realities as they do with the technologies and what's possible.

Having said all that I'd quite like a Retina MBA. If they do announce it and don't put the price up too much I plan to buy one straight away. I've always believed that the iMac & 13" MBA is probably the best home/away combo to get. It doesn't cost much more than a decent spec MBP-R.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

Please tell me where you can buy software applications on thumb drives?

And where can i buy applications for OS X 10.8.x on DVDs/CDs?

 

[Peace]

You can buy Mountain Lion on a thumbdrive.

 

[diazj3]

Man, laptops are for fast work on the go. If your are photographer you will take your rMBP for a trip, weekend work or something like that. Its not suposed to be a work station for professional users and if you need it for work station, well buy the highest end model and upgrade all components to fit your need.

Says who? you? most pro users I know are perfectly happy using their MBP as their main workstations with pro displays and thunderbolt drives, specially after QuadCore processors became available and SSDs more affordable. Not everyone needs a Mac Pro, you know? I have both, and seldom use the MP anymore - only for very heavy work.

Because it is the cheepest one.

I have used just 3 times the optical drive in the last five years, to make a copy of some important data, because I didnt had flash drive at that moment or cloud storage. I dont want optical drive. In fact, i dont want any mecanical elements in my laptop except the fan.

Price is not the only consideration. Upgradeability plays a major role for pro users.

So, buy a MBA or a rMBP. Why is this an issue for you? You have the choice. I don't see how the cMBP is limiting your options, or why discontinuing it would benefit you in any way.

 

[Imhotep397]

Since they're not trying to force performance sucking retina displays down every current and potential Apple laptop customer it would be nice if they would re-intro the 17" model.

 

[yeah]

For all of you that are complaining that the MacBook Air can't get a Retina Display because of battery issues...


Read this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22191650

 

[palmerc2]

I just want a retina MBP that can have the ram and hard drive manually upgraded....aka a cMBP with a retina display.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

I have both - a non-retina matte high res MBP from 2011 and a retina MBP from 2012 (one from work, the other is my private machine) Actually I prefer the non-retina high res matte display over the retina display.

Call me crazy but - if they release a cMBP with the Haswell Chip and a matte display I might get one of those instead of the retina version.

 

[Stef82]

tomorrow morning arrive my new rMBP 13 refurb payed 1380 €, I wanted to wait haswell, but unfortunately my old macbook white 2008 died 2 weeks ago. now, I'm very conflicted because I think it will be perfect with haswell but I fear that the new models will be available in June pr later and then I should stay a few months without mac. and then for 1380 € a rMBP 13 2.5 256mb I do not think I can easily find it. Help!!! My use is lightroom, ps, develop (java & android eith eclipse, jboss and sql server) and i would try some video editing; i think hd4000 is enaught to these application

 

[B...]

For all of you that are complaining that the MacBook Air can't get a Retina Display because of battery issues...


Read this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22191650

Right, and potentially more combustable batteries with many safety issues would be great in Apple's line! Seriously, the tech is just not there yet for retina on a MacBook Air without IGZO displays or the like.