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

[skaertus]

What does it hurt you if the cMBP is still in production? If Apple is selling enough that they are making money off it, that's good.

As for the rMBP, I can't see the Retina display affecting the initial shpment date unless Apple is changing display technology. What I can see is a supply constraint as Apple can only make so many rMBPs at a time.

And as for no rMBA, I think this is a good thing. If you add a Retina display to the Air, you have to have enough battery to keep it running at least as long as it runs now. And at that point in weight, you may as well get the rMBP is you were getting the 13" I think what the Air needs is 1080P (1920 x 1080).

The fact that Apple is making money out of sales of cMBP may be good for the company and for the shareholders, but it doesn't necessarily affect consumers. So, it's not necessarily good or bad.

As for the battery consumption in the rMBA, I may be wrong, but I don't know how much it would be affected.

There are cell phones featuring 1920x1080 display resolutions and that still get a good battery life. Look at their batteries: they are tiny in comparison to the battery a MBA can handle. The improvement in screen resolution didn't require a huge battery. The Samsung Galaxy S2 had a 800x480 display resolution, and the S4 has 1920x1080. It's five times more. The battery of the S4 has 2600mAh and the S2 has 1650 mAh, but the weight of both phones is very similar.

Toshiba is releasing the Kirabook next month, with a screen resolution of 2560x1440 in a body which is lighter than the MBA. And it still gets good battery life (according to Toshiba). And it comes with Ivy Bridge, which has none of the battery-saving capabilities of Haswell.

I don't swallow this battery excuse. I remember that, prior to the release of the rMBP, people kept insisting that putting a retina display on the MacBook Pro would be impossible due to battery consumption. I kept saying it was possible. Then Apple released it, and it suddenly became possible, and everybody seemed to immediately forget everything they were saying about the impossibility of a retina display on a Mac. Now, people keep insisting on the impossibility of a retina MacBook Air. It's the same story all over again. People have short memory. Just look at last year's posts here at MacRumors forums, and you'll see.

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I see it the other way around. The rMBP is the lesser machine.

May I ask you why?

 

[jamezr]

looking forward to Haswell MBA, will probably get me one of those

Hope they get the issues worked out with Haswell first!
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Haswell-S3-Sleep-Problem-PCN,21896.html

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57578223-92/intel-confirms-usb-bug-in-haswell-chipset/

http://us.hardware.info/news/33893/new-hardware-revision-required-to-fix-haswells-usb-30-issues

 

[KittyKatta]

There, stopped reading right at "analyst". Until there is substantial evidence, I have learnt to turn a deaf ear to analysts' predictions.

He is more right than wrong!

And that should qualify someone to be a dependable source?

I'm pretty sure that anyone in these forums can make an educated prediction about what the 2013 lineup of Apple products will look like and would be "more right than wrong". But that doesnt mean our guesses should be cited as "news".

 

[kobyh15]

Continuing to sell the cMBP means that Apple is not selling near what they thought they would of the rMBPs. The fact that the 13" cMBP is STILL the highest selling notebook is telling on what is important to the consumer. Price is a huge factor. For most people, the hardware is good enough and does not warrant the extra cash for the rMBP. I think Apple made a miscalculation on how popular the rMBP would be. Even the recent price drops haven't helped much. I'd be willing to bet the original plan was to drop the cMBP this year, but now it doesn't make sense because the cMBPs are still selling so well. With Mac sells flattening out Apple can't afford to discontinue them. It's an interesting situation. That is, if the analysts ends up being correct on his projections. Who knows!

 

[ikir]

If apple doesn't announce iOS 7
I will move to android and lose all hope in apple
They have billions and they have no excuses to delay anything. If they disapoint
It's doom for apple

Oh dear, after using Android for 1 month for serious work you will come back anyway, iOS7 or not.

 

[nexusrule]

Disappointing. Very disappointing. No rMBA. Delayed Haswell rMBP. And the cMBP will continue in production. I hope Kuo is wrong this time.

rMBA are not technically feasible yet and only speculators spread rumors about them. Haswell is due for June (from Intel not Apple) so where the delay is? What's the problem with keeping cMBP in production? That people that don't want to pay or haven't more than 2 grands for a notebook will still be able to buy a mac suited for professional work?

 

[Northgrove]

There was me hoping iOS 7 would be the highlight of WWDC...

It would make much more sense for it to be, given that this is a developer conference... I'm quite surprised by these news.

 

[nexusrule]

As for the battery consumption in the rMBA, I may be wrong, but I don't know how much it would be affected.

There are cell phones featuring 1920x1080 display resolutions and that still get a good battery life. Look at their batteries: they are tiny in comparison to the battery a MBA can handle.

Well, if not for the fact that's not resolution that impact on energy consumption but display size More resolution need more gpu that can consume slightly more energy, but a 15'' screen needs more than 10 ten times the energy of a 3-4'' one.

 

[KittyKatta]

I see it the other way around. The rMBP is the lesser machine.

May I ask you why?

I don't feel the rMBP is necessarily the "lesser" machine, but more that its still not Apple's current flagship portable "pro" computer.

The rMBP is a beautiful and amazing machine that is the future of the MacBook Pro line. But, in 2012/2013 then the storage limitations make it a tough machine to recommend. The rMBP has the power for high end gaming or media creation but if you want to actually store your files you'll either need to pay 3x market price for higher SSD options or attach an external hard drive to a machine that is so highly praised for being so "thin".

So to say the cMBP is a lesser machine is a bit off because (for its intended audience) it has the same power as the rMBP but also has the storage/upgrade options that make it much more versatile.

 

[photographypro]

a 17 month laptop shouldn't be obsolete!

Bought my 15" MacBook Pro in November 2011, and the Retina wasn't available. I was disappointed when the Retina came out, until I researched it. No optical drive (I burn DVDs for clients, as well as enjoy watching and copying my DVDs). Non upgradeable drive or memory. Also, while most software has been upgraded to Retina, there is still work to do.

My total investment was under $1950, including tax, and that includes 16GB of RAM, a hybrid Momentus XT 750 GB drive which combines FLASH with a 7200 rpm drive with 6 Gigabit Link Speed. Mine is a Quad Core 2.2 i7. Current non-Retinas are 2.3, and the current 15" Retina starts at 2.4, which processor is only 9% faster than mine, and only 4% faster than today's non-Retina.

If you do both of the above upgrades on a non-Retina today, the upgrades cost about $200 TOTAL, which keeps the price under $2000 INCLUDING the upgrades, and you have a 2.3 instead of a 2.4 processor Quad Core i7.

Try configuring a 15" Retina with 16GB of ram, an optical drive, and at least 750GB of storage. Any modified Retina MUST be ordered through Apple, so you have to pay sales tax. Total price before tax is $3178, and in California it would cost me $3464 with tax.

Is it faster? Yes.

Is it worth over $1500 extra? I think not.

 

[nexusrule]

Continuing to sell the cMBP means that Apple is not selling near what they thought they would of the rMBPs. The fact that the 13" cMBP is STILL the highest selling notebook is telling on what is important to the consumer. Price is a huge factor. For most people, the hardware is good enough and does not warrant the extra cash for the rMBP. I think Apple made a miscalculation on how popular the rMBP would be. Even the recent price drops haven't helped much. I'd be willing to bet the original plan was to drop the cMBP this year, but now it doesn't make sense because the cMBPs are still selling so well.

Don't understand why you think Apple strategy must have to be to discontinue classic macbook pro and leaving retina only just a year after the lunch. They have iPad and iPad retina and it doesn't seem they are looking to discontinue the "classic" one. Phone are a totally different matter, the screen is so small the prices difference doesn't impact like for 10 or 13-15 inch displays.

 

[Bear]

...
I don't swallow this battery excuse. I remember that, prior to the release of the rMBP, people kept insisting that putting a retina display on the MacBook Pro would be impossible due to battery consumption. I kept saying it was possible. Then Apple released it, and it suddenly became possible, and everybody seemed to immediately forget everything they were saying about the impossibility of a retina display on a Mac. Now, people keep insisting on the impossibility of a retina MacBook Air. It's the same story all over again. People have short memory. Just look at last year's posts here at MacRumors forums, and you'll see.?

The rMBP has had hadwaree stripped out of it as compared to the cMBP. Look at the difference in battery capacity between the cMBP and the rMBP. Also, look at the battery size difference between the iPad 2 and iPad 3 to maintain the same battery life.

I'm not saying a Retina Air is not technically feasible, I'm saying it would increase the weight and thickness as there is nothing left to strip out of an Air.

 

[skaertus]

I don't feel the rMBP is necessarily the "lesser" machine, but more that its still not Apple's current flagship portable "pro" computer.

The rMBP is a beautiful and amazing machine that is the future of the MacBook Pro line. But, in 2012/2013 then the storage limitations make it a tough machine to recommend. The rMBP has the power for high end gaming or media creation but if you want to actually store your files you'll either need to pay 3x market price for higher SSD options or attach an external hard drive to a machine that is so highly praised for being so "thin".

So to say the cMBP is a lesser machine is a bit off because (for its intended audience) it has the same power as the rMBP but also has the storage/upgrade options that make it much more versatile.

You have a point. Still, I don't think the cMBP is the flagship model either. It has a TN low-resolution display that is, well, not exactly premium these days. You may say that there is a matte option and all, but the fact is that it is still TN and doesn't have a high resolution. And the preference of an HDD over an SSD is a matter of personal opinion; it's a choice between size and speed, basically.

 

[eltaurus]

what about MAC PRO?

 

[Bear]

Hope they get the issues worked out with Haswell first!
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Haswell-S3-Sleep-Problem-PCN,21896.html

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57578223-92/intel-confirms-usb-bug-in-haswell-chipset/

http://us.hardware.info/news/33893/new-hardware-revision-required-to-fix-haswells-usb-30-issues

Intel has already revised the chipset. Also the issue with the USB on Haswell wouldn't have affected that many people in all likelyhood.

Anyway, the USB issue is fixed and Apple is unlikely to have used any of the defective chipset in upcoming products.

 

[Lefteous]

I want Retina Display iMacs!

And what about a 17 inch Retina MBP? I think 3360x2100 are realistic not 3800x2400.

 

[iDemiurge]

lol. If they make an anti-glare 15" Haswell cMBP I might be tempted to get one.

 

[HurryKayne]

Mac Pro?Hey Apple?..

 

[brendu]

Breaking news: new Mac Pro is actually a 13" retina MacBook Air with dedicated graphics and 10 thunderbolt ports. It will be shown off alongside Mac OS11

 

[Bear]

You have a point. Still, I don't think the cMBP is the flagship model either. It has a TN low-resolution display that is, well, not exactly premium these days. You may say that there is a matte option and all, but the fact is that it is still TN and doesn't have a high resolution. And the preference of an HDD over an SSD is a matter of personal opinion; it's a choice between size and speed, basically.

If I were going to buy a MacBook Pro today, I would be leaning towards a cMBP with SSD. Some people still need the optical drive and if I have to carry an external optical drive with me, that cuts out some of the weight savings of the rMBP and it would add bulk. I can only see a preference for the HD if someone needs a lot of data with them and can't afford a large SSD.

And yes the matte option is good, especially at the resolution that option provides.

Although I will agree that the cMBP is not a flagship model.

 

[stol]

While it is easy to believe that, I believe a good average IQ is needed as well. That will shrink "anyone" down to... something smaller.

Well, yes, I agree, but I think you get my point. This analyst probably has a good average IQ or more, but his "report" just states the obvious. He could have thrown in some arbitrary predictions as well just for the fun of it, but he didn't, so my guess is that he'll be credited with a successful forecast and will somehow be considered a credible source or something.

 

[needfx]

I do expect to be disappointed by the potential rMBP update. I forecast minor spec bumps only.

A price drop like the 13" would be most welcome

 

[mastertang]

what about MAC PRO?

X2

I'm tired of waiting. If it is not even mentioned in passing, I'm done waiting. The only people buying them now must be desperate to get one and can not afford to wait for what is next, if they haven't jumped to another platform already that is... No matter what you put under the hood, the whole of the Mac Pro system is outdated hardware.

 

[jamezr]

Intel has already revised the chipset. Also the issue with the USB on Haswell wouldn't have affected that many people in all likelyhood.

Anyway, the USB issue is fixed and Apple is unlikely to have used any of the defective chipset in upcoming products.

But will Apple take the chance that the issue is fixed before making a major announcement promoting a new revised MBP with Haswell?
Intel will have to give Apple proof positive that the issues have been resolved. Will this push back Apple's adoption and announcement?
Are there other issues with this new chipset? Not sure but we will see soon.....
Did Apple start production with Haswell before Intel fixed the USB issues? Will they have to start production again?

 

[SouthernEFI]

I think this is slightly off, but close. Apple's laptops at this point are confusing, at best.

I would suspect that Apple keeps around the MacBook Air line and the Retina MacBook Pro line, while dropping the non-retina MBP. Both the MBA and rMBP would see Haswell Chips.

There's no need for the non-retina MBP, as the 13-inch MBA is just as fast, if faster, than the 13-MBP. This will be especially true with the Haswell chips if the regular 13-inch MBP continues on with a platter HD.

I Suspect that we'll see the MacBook Air be non-retina, and the "retina" display become the distinction between "Pro" and "non-Pro". In this scenario, the lineup would look something like this:

11-inch MacBook Air (Haswell): ~$999
11-inch MacBook Air (Haswell): ~$1099
13-inch MacBook Air (Haswell): ~$1199
13-inch MacBook Air (Haswell): ~$1399

13-inch MacBook Pro (Haswell, Retina): ~$1499
13-inch MacBook Pro (Haswell, Retina): ~$1699
15-inch MacBook Pro (Haswell, Retina): ~$1999
15-inch MacBook Pro (Haswell, Retina): ~$2299

Just a guess, but from a clean product lineup perspective, this seems to make the most sense to me.

[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]

On the MacBook Pro side, Kuo is reversing his earlier predictions suggesting that 2013 would see Apple discontinue the non-Retina MacBook Pro lineup and shift consumers to the slimmer and more expensive Retina line introduced at last year's WWDC. Kuo believes that continued strength of non-Retina MacBook Pro models, particularly the 13-inch line, have led Apple to continue producing the non-Retina lineup for the time being.Kuo believes that the updated versions of the non-Retina MacBook Pro could begin shipping very soon after WWDC, but that the new Retina MacBook Pro models will begin shipping somewhat later due to production bottlenecks on the displays.

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