Quanta Said to Manufacture Apple's Upcoming 'Inexpensive Notebooks' in September Quarter

[Greymacuser]

When Apple says "inexpensive", you know it'll cost 3X more than the average non-Apple entry-level laptop.
Plus, how will Apple make something "inexpensive"? How much more can they strip away from their laptops? They already have no ports, upgradability, etc. Will it be a folded piece of cardboard with a really shiny Apple logo on it?

 

[lakerchick4life]

Question, so I was planning on getting the 2018 macbook pro 13 inch this month since I have my birthday coupon to use..this talk of another macbook pro will that be replacing the one just released or will they be releasing one to replace the 2017 model that does not include a touch bar?

 

[PickUrPoison]

I think the iMac Pro was only released to “shut” some mouths regarding pro users. I highly doubt they will keep it, once the new “modular” MacPro is released next year...

I strongly disagree. Some of the demand for Mac Pro began migrating to the iMac even before iMac Pro, as high-end iMacs became capable of taking on workloads that were once Mac Pro territory. And while some iMac Pro customers are just using it as a stop-gap until the Mac Pro is released, others are buying it on its own merits.

Far from being discontinued after the 2019 Mac Pro is introduced, I think iMac Pro will outsell it on an ongoing basis (after pent-up demand is satisfied).

 

[Dave245]

Question, so I was planning on getting the 2018 macbook pro 13 inch this month since I have my birthday coupon to use..this talk of another macbook pro will that be replacing the one just released or will they be releasing one to replace the 2017 model that does not include a touch bar?

It’s not a MacBook Pro, it’s a budget laptop that will either replace the Air or be a rebranded MacBook Air. If you’re in need of a MacBook Pro or just want the MacBook Pro now would be a great time to buy as they were updated not long ago.

Personally i’m waiting until September - October to see what’s happening with the MacBook Air and 12” MacBook but then I will be updating to either one of those or the 13” MacBook Pro. But that’s because I already have a Mac that still works for the moment so I can wait, if you need now then buy now is my advice.

 

[ignatius345]

I'd love to see a return to a black case, even if it was plastic, so long as it was high-quality stuff.

 

[Naaaaak]

It’ll be funny if these new laptops actually have a decent keyboard.

Don’t get your hopes up.

 

[lakerchick4life]

It’s not a MacBook Pro, it’s a budget laptop that will either replace the Air or be a rebranded MacBook Air. If you’re in need of a MacBook Pro or just want the MacBook Pro now would be a great time to buy as they were updated not long ago.

Personally i’m waiting until September - October to see what’s happening with the MacBook Air and 12” MacBook but then I will be updating to either one of those or the 13” MacBook Pro. But that’s because I already have a Mac that still works for the moment so I can wait, if you need now then buy now is my advice.

Yeah I'd wait til September but my birthday coupon is only good til August 31st then it just goes to waste so obviously want to use it..it will deduct the sales tax so its worth something. So they will only be updating the Macbook Air, NOT the pro series? I figured they wouldnt wouldnt make sense to update something they literally just updated a month ago

 

[Rogifan]

Have you seen the price of the 12.9” iPad Pro? There’s a reason the 12” rMB is $1299. Large retina screens are expensive.

The $999 model might get a retina screen, but it would hardly be “criminal” if it didn’t. Retina is no more a requirement for a $999 entry level 13” notebook than is a 256GB SSD.

If you were the product manager, which would you rather have as your entry level model: a 1920x1200 IPS at $999 or a $1,099/1,149 retina?

What do sub-$1000 Windows PCs use?

 

[Tozovac]

People also voice the same complaint about the design of the iMac. In all three cases (pun intended) you could say the excellence of the current designs—some would call them timeless—makes possible and even encourages their extended longevity. Is/was there any real need to change, or is it just change for the sake of change?

Yes, people want smaller and thinner and bezels that aren’t so thick, I get it. But it isn’t as if there’s really anything “wrong” with the current designs; it’s more that we’re just tired of them.

Your last sentence hits the nail on the head of the issue. Customers are tired of a too much of a good thing. iPod has a great click wheel? Too bad here's touch screen where you can't skip or stop w/o looking at the device and also you have to click 2-3x to do what used to take 1 click or spin. Laptop is nice and functional, light, and affordable? Too bad, here's a thinner, more expensive, more dongle-needy laptop with a buggy keyboard. Like your iOS and apps that's doing the job for you just fine? Too bad, here's a radically reinvented change for the sake of change iOS with a new UIx for navigating thru apps, mostly because it's different and new.

Change is unavoidable but truly smart & useful change is done by so few really talented designers who don't let 1 aspect of a design get over-prioritized, those of which I wish Apple had more of.

 

[Dave245]

Yeah I'd wait til September but my birthday coupon is only good til August 31st then it just goes to waste so obviously want to use it..it will deduct the sales tax so its worth something. So they will only be updating the Macbook Air, NOT the pro series? I figured they wouldnt wouldnt make sense to update something they literally just updated a month ago

That makes sense, yea they will be updating the 12” MacBook possibly the MacBook Air unless they remove it and replace it with the rumoured new 13” budget laptop. Also due updates this year is the iMac, there will not be any more updates to the MacBook Pro since they were updated just a few weeks ago.

If I were you I would buy now and use that coupon if you’re looking at the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.

 

[tipoo]

So this will be the 999$ 12" MAcbook with the latest Intel 4.5W cpu but in fashion Apple way, the base model will have 128 SSD

Yeah, imo it would kind of kill the appeal if once you get to a reasonable SSD and RAM, you're up to the 13" rMBP price anyways.

 

[Rogifan]

True, but UIx aspects of today's flat and dumbed-down "Fisher Price my first computer-looking" OSX keep grafting on quite a few cues from the flat, low-contrast, overuse-of-light-blue-text-on-white cues currently throughout iOS vs. how OSX looked during Mavericks and prior.

I don’t know what you mean by dumbed down. What does faux linen, green felt, wood grain, leather, glossy buttons/icons have to do with a UI being dumbed down or not? I can do more on my iOS devices now than I could with iOS 6 and prior. And none of my devices look like a Fisher Price toy. Not sure what you’re using. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[lakerchick4life]

That makes sense, yea they will be updating the 12” MacBook possibly the MacBook Air unless they remove it and replace it with the rumoured new 13” budget laptop. Also due updates this year is the iMac, there will not be any more updates to the MacBook Pro since they were updated just a few weeks ago.

If I were you I would buy now and use that coupon if you’re looking at the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.

Yeah I am going to be waiting another week..I have the 150 student coupon code as well for best buy, going to use that as well..BHPHOTOVIDEO has the laptop for 1699.99 but best buy still has it for 1799..so will wait til Sunday to see if they drop the price..just not sure if I can get best buy to price match, PLUS use the student coupon and birthday coupon. I just misunderstood since I saw people here post about the macbook pro touch bar thought maybe they were updating that too..really wish apple would fix this issue regarding the crackling sound..not sure what is going on with that or if that is something so widespread I should hold off til its fixed

 

[code-m]

I think the iMac Pro was only released to “shut” some mouths regarding pro users. I highly doubt they will keep it, once the new “modular” MacPro is released next year...

People have been saying that about the iMac for years, I remember similar ideas when the G4 Cube and then MacMini were released. I still don’t understand the requirement for an iMac considering USB-C is here. How many times does a user replace a standalone monitor, keyboard, mouse compared to the GPU, RAM, CPU, SSD, etc. The entire iMac concept in this day and age is wasteful and not eco-friendly and this is coming from a company who strives to do better in this regard.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Question, so I was planning on getting the 2018 macbook pro 13 inch this month since I have my birthday coupon to use..this talk of another macbook pro will that be replacing the one just released or will they be releasing one to replace the 2017 model that does not include a touch bar?

The 2017 non-Touch Bar. The current 2018 13” MacBook Pro starts at $1,799, and the new rumored 13” machine will start at $999. So it’ll be less “pro” than the current Pro.

What form that “less pro than the Pro” takes is the subject of much debate. How does Apple take the 2018 MBP and de-feature it to take $800 off the selling price? My opinion:

1) No Touch Bar
2) 15W CPU instead of 28W, so lower performing CPU and GPU
3) No Thunderbolt 3 ports
4) Retina/P3 display optional
5) Entry level dual-core
6) 16GB RAM, and larger SSDs not configurable on the entry level model

 

[eagerwu]

never gonna happen...These new macbooks will replace the nTB and the 13" macbook air

However the prices of these machines didn’t add up.

 

[Mainsail]

I bought my MBA in 2014, and it is hands-down the best computer I have ever owned. My son is a High School senior, and his MBA endured the middle school laptop program plus HS....going on 7 years old.....works like a charm.

Honestly, Apple does not need to overachieve with this new entry-level notebook......just don't screw up a good thing. For example, here are some simple MBA updates:

1. Replace existing display with IPS 1080p HD display
2. Replace internals with Routine Updates: e.g. Processor & SSD
3. Replace the existing thunderbolt 2 port with a thunderbolt 3 port

Keep: Awesome battery life, MagSafe, other MBA ports.

Nice to have: If possible, reduce the bezel......but, don't sweat it if this measurably reduces battery life due to smaller capacity in the lower case.

Price it at the magical $1,000 entry point, and then watch people line-up to buy it.

 

[Gameboy70]

"I don't see why the Air even exists anymore"

> Proceeds to list three of the many important things that people look in an Apple laptop (On top of the great battery life)

Irony can be so elusive.

 

[asiga]

This "low-cost" MacBook is very unfortunate. It practically obliterates the hope I had for an ultralight MacBook with a decent screen size (>14inch) which obviously wouldn't be low-cost (the mix of a big screen with very light weight is expensive).

This means I'll have to either carry the 1.80kg 15inch MBP (too heavy for my always on-the-go use), or continue using a you'll-lose-your-eyes 13inch MBA, or surrender and buy the newer 15.6inch Acer Swift 5 when it's released (weighting about the half of the 15inch MBP while providing an almost 16inch display).

The new MacBook line looks very, very unfortunate. The new Swift5 is going to have everything I need except MacOS, while no MacBook is going to come close to it.
[doublepost=1534190022][/doublepost]

MacBook - 12" and 13"
MacBook Pro - 13" and 15"

I disagree here... the MacBook should be 12'' and 14''. (or larger... if Acer and LG can release 15-inchers at half the weight of a 15'' MBP, why couldn't Apple achieve it with an even better design?). It's absurd that iPhones are larger and larger, while MacBooks smaller and smaller. What's up here? Don't we Mac users deserve large screens or what?

 

[lakerchick4life]

The 2017 non-Touch Bar. The current 2018 13” MacBook Pro starts at $1,799, and the new rumored 13” machine will start at $999. So it’ll be less “pro” than the current Pro.

What form that “less pro than the Pro” takes us the subject of much debate. How does Apple take the 2018 MBP and de-feature it to take $800 off the selling price? My opinion:

1) No Touch Bar
2) 15W CPU instead of 28W, so lower performing CPU and GPU
3) No Thunderbolt 3 ports
4) Retina/P3 display optional
5) Entry level dual-core
6) 16GB and larger SSDs not configurable on the entry level model

Yeah as long as its much less powerful than the 2018 pro model than I will get it this month..to me the touch bar looks really cool..the only concern is this issue with the crackling sound Ive been reading so much about. I will be getting mine from best buy not sure if those are less likely to have it..I will also get later on(For black friday) the new imac desktop if one comes out Ive always wanted a desktop mac

 

[TheMacDaddy1]

$999 for a new Macbook Air. It comes with a Retina screen, 1 USB-C, a horrible keyboard, with a keyboard condom, 8gigs/256gig NON-Upgradble, no mag safe and no extended power cord.

That model wont be in stock so you will have to get the $1499 with 16gigs of RAM and a 512gig SSD.

Where do I not sign up?

 

[Tozovac]

I don’t know what you mean by dumbed down. What does faux linen, green felt, wood grain, leather, glossy buttons/icons have to do with a UI being dumbed down or not? I can do more on my iOS devices now than I could with iOS 6 and prior. And none of my devices look like a Fisher Price toy. Not sure what you’re using. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Therein is another issue, the immediate jumping to "how did green felt make it a good design" statement.

I don't miss green felt and fresh linen.

Compare an iOS6 calendar app to iOS7-11 and see the immediate difference.

Compare iOS5 or 6's iTunes/Music app to iOS7-11 and see the immediate difference and improvement before.

Same for the gawdawful iOS10 or 11 podcast app that was just an abomination. Sure the analog tape-looking iOS6 app was silly. But damn was it well organized and easy to use. I could never get the iOS10 or 11 (I forget which one was the abomination) to do what I wanted without frustration so I deleted it and moved to a 3rd party app.

Fisher Price look = any OSX after Mavericks. Yosemite and beyond went flat, low-contrast, somewhat borderless, and used a non-Apple-looking font which to me looks like how a baby computer OS would look, or what could have been expected in 1993, not 2013.

 

[PickUrPoison]

What do sub-$1000 Windows PCs use?

Not particularly relevant, since we’re talking about Macs. Apple products are expensive. The retina/P3 display is expensive, and it’s not all about resolution.

But if you think Apple is going to sell a 13” retina 8GB RAM/128GB SSD machine for $999, the onus is on you to differentiate it from the same config that sells for $1,799 in the MBP. The Touch Bar isn’t worth $800, right?

 

[Acronyc]

I have a feeling Apple will get rid of the nTB MBP, which is too bad as I am a bit partial to this model. I have the 2016 nTB (16/512) and it is everything I need in a portable Mac (my needs are modest) but without the touch bar, which is something I really don't need. I think maybe Apple meant for the nTB MBP to be the successor to the MacBook Air but they just didn't sell enough of them due to the price. If they were able to lower the price I bet a lot more of them would have been sold. We will see what happens.

 

[VictorTango777]

However, the other alternative might be an updated nonretina machine at a lower price: bear in mind that most of Apple's competitors offer 1080p entry-level options: even "premium" ranges like the Dell XPS13 start out at 1080p before moving up to 4k.

It doesn't matter how Apple's copy writers try to spin it - retina or not, a TN display panel looks like crap compared to an IPS panel. A premium laptop manufacturer still selling laptops with TN screens is disgraceful. Maybe they will try to spin it as "integrated privacy screen"?