Speculating the next generation MacBook Pros

[Coswyn]

Apple called the iPhone 4 "the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone." It's a radically refined product that runs laps around previous version with almost every feature.

With that in mind, in what ways do you think Apple will take a "leap forward" with their next MacBook Pro line-up? What sorts of features do you think it will gain and/or lose over the current models?

Be creative and take liberty with your speculation, but try to be as realistic as possible - try to go beyond mere personal preference to imagine the decisions that Apple would make for the benefit of all users.

 

[Lunchb0x8]

Not a real lot can be done, I mean sure, faster CPUs, more RAM, bigger HDDs and all that, but this is expected.

I think, the thickness might be reduced (depending on hardware advancements etc).

Perhaps an upgrade to support Blu-Ray (meaning Blu-Ray drives in our MBPs).

Improved power/resource management to allow for more to be done with less (essentially what keeps happening anyway, but why can't I want it to keep happening?).

I would like to see a better integration of Exchange on the mail app, similar to iPad and iPhone mail.

Well, that is all I can think of, but most of my ideas are probably the basics that will happen anyway.

 

[DesmoPilot]

- hopefully start using IPS displays instead of these damn TN things (though I would miss laughing at the people who keep returning MBPs 5 or 6 times because they expect a perfect screen from a TN display)

- hopefully better graphics options; please no more nVidia rebrands Apple. For the amount we pay its pathetic and slightly patronizing that you continue to offer us nVidia rebrands

- USB 3? not really a big deal though

- better I/O options please and thank you

- get rid of the damn mini displayport and replace it with something not retarded; it serves nothing but annoyance and forces us to buy your damn overpriced adapters

- high resolution screens on the 13" along with a matte option; 1280x800 is annoying

- kinda tied in with the above; but I'm sick of glossy displays, they need to die

- remove the optical drive; with the space saved by removing the optical drive they could do amazing things

 

[OzExige]

Not a real lot can be done, I mean sure, faster CPUs, more RAM, bigger HDDs and all that, but this is expected.

I think, the thickness might be reduced (depending on hardware advancements etc).

Perhaps an upgrade to support Blu-Ray (meaning Blu-Ray drives in our MBPs).

..........................

Well, that is all I can think of, but most of my ideas are probably the basics that will happen anyway.

Sorry but Blue-Ray won't happen - Steve's not into it.

His comments (admittedly a while ago) about licensing for Blue-Ray
'is a bag of hurt'
is now just an excuse, you see no optical drive before you see BR.

 

[turugara]

Quad core
One can dream

 

[Coswyn]

I can't say that all of these will happen in the next iteration, but I think they're likely (some more than others) somewhere down the line...

Likely :

- At D8 (All Things Digital) Steve Jobs mentioned, in so many words, that the disc drive will eventually be phased out. I think it's likely that we'll see one if not all of the MBPs lose their SuperDrive eventually. This will make room for improve performance specs (better CPU, GPU, possible more RAM, etc) and/or a larger battery and a more efficient cooling system.

- A high-resolution antiglare display option for the 13" MBP.

- IPS display for better viewing angles.

- USB 3.0.

Less likely :

- Slightly more chamfered edges around palm rest (likely to extend the full rim) to address complaints about sharp edges.

- A larger/wider touchpad.

 

[newmacnooby]

you say get creative.... well here i go.

i would loooove to see a huuuge trackpad with screen... yep kind of replacind the trackpad for something like an ipod touch display that be wicked.

 

[apple.gr]

May I ask except the IPS panel and Better Graphics why all the other changes like the RAM or better CPU or USB 3.0 are so important at the moment?

 

[mark28]

May I ask except the IPS panel and Better Graphics why all the other changes like the RAM or better CPU or USB 3.0 are so important at the moment?

USB 3.0 is important yes. It's much faster than firewire, you can use external 7200 rpm that will be even faster than your laptop internal hard drives with USB 3.0. Manufactures are making UBS 3.0 devices now.

Better CPU and more RAM is ofcourse better for those of use who are power users.

Did you buy a i5/i7 MBP just for checking mail and surfing websites? Might as well gotten a very cheap laptop and install Linux on it if you're too scared about virusses with Windows doing surfng and checking e-mail.

I certainly could use it. I'll probably sell this MBP when the Sandy Bridge quad core CPU's arrive and buy that one again ( and this one I'll keep for a long time ). By then, the MBP will probably have Fermi GPU's instead of old outdated cards that are rebranded.

 

[iSpoody 1243]

nothing except a small cpu bump
the next update will most likely not use a quad core.
quadcore wil only really make it to the mbp is when most of the imac line use it.

 

[kasakka]

If they finally get resolution independent scaling working in 10.7, we will start seeing Macs with higher resolution displays, like 1680x1050 or 1920x1200 on the 13". Hopefully they retain the 16:10 size instead of hopping for the awful 16:9 that is of no use with anything but movies.

Lightpeak will hopefully replace many of the current ports, with legacy hardware possibly supported by various adapters.

Optical drive will most likely get dropped at some point and offered as a small and elegant external device. Hopefully of the BluRay variety. This will make it possible to shrink the size of the laptops, possibly shrinking display bezels as well.

 

[tim100]

- hopefully start using IPS displays instead of these damn TN things (though I would miss laughing at the people who keep returning MBPs 5 or 6 times because they expect a perfect screen from a TN display)

- hopefully better graphics options; please no more nVidia rebrands Apple. For the amount we pay its pathetic and slightly patronizing that you continue to offer us nVidia rebrands

- USB 3? not really a big deal though

- better I/O options please and thank you

- get rid of the damn mini displayport and replace it with something not retarded; it serves nothing but annoyance and forces us to buy your damn overpriced adapters

- high resolution screens on the 13" along with a matte option; 1280x800 is annoying

- kinda tied in with the above; but I'm sick of glossy displays, they need to die

- remove the optical drive; with the space saved by removing the optical drive they could do amazing things

the iphone almost has the same res as the 13

 

[McMoronic]

Wishful speculation

A 13 inch netbook style MBP sans optical drive would be awesome. Hi-res, USB 3.0, 7200 or SSD should have been standard fare by now considering what we're paying for our MBP's. BluRay seems to satisfy a niche market, the CD is no longer a standard of portability and thus, imho bluray discs are not going to and have not yet gained mainstream popularity. With a reasonably fast internet connection and a roomy external, mkv files are the way to go instead of lugging around bluray movie collections around.

 

[Hellhammer]

-USB 3.0.

Not before 2011 when Intel adopts it to their chipsets. Currently, it needs a dedicated controller chip. Only few laptops have it

 

[iMacmatician]

Not before 2011 when Intel adopts it to their chipsets.

Probably not even in 2011?

 

[Hellhammer]

Probably not even in 2011?

Ohh COME ON INTEL DON'T BE A SISSY! LOL! Does it support LightPeak then?

 

[mark28]

Ohh COME ON INTEL DON'T BE A SISSY! LOL! Does it support LightPeak then?

Intel is obviously not doing it because they want to introduce Light Peak which is made by Intel.

But why wait for Intel, they can put a USB 3.0 from NEC in the laptops

 

[xXFLuffeeXx]

Personally, the only steps forward that I would ever think there could be for the entire Mac lineup would be to make a gaming lineup. iMac 21.5" with ATI Radeon 5750, MacBook Pro with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285M SLI , MacBook 13" with 330M, Mac Mini with GTX 285M, Mac Pro is all right I guess.

 

[murdercitydevil]

I don't see apple doing anything revolutionary ever again with their computers. The next update of MBPs will probably be nothing more than a spec bump. The new "generation" will probably be underwhelming as usual. I'm not being pessimistic, just realistic. I mean, I really really doubted that Apple would be gay enough to honestly put the 330M in the 2010 MBP, yet here we are.

 

[sjinsjca]

o A dual disk architecture with the system and programs on an SSD and user data on a fast conventional hard disk would mean a quantum leap in performance. This would be easily implemented, and costs are approaching feasibility. There are some fascinating new technologies to compete with flash RAM emerging in the next couple years, which will further propel prices downward.

o USB 3 and that fiber optic thing Apple has going with Intel

o WiMax

o A Retina Display!

 

[philipt42]

I mean, I really really doubted that Apple would be gay enough to honestly put the 330M in the 2010 MBP, yet here we are.

"Gay enough"? Really? This is the twenty first century, don't use gay as a slur.

 

[xXFLuffeeXx]

"Gay enough"? Really? This is the twenty first century, don't use gay as a slur.

I think free speech is accepted. There's a lot more offensive things people could say than some slang terms, or even as a substitute for gay.

 

[Hellhammer]

Intel is obviously not doing it because they want to introduce Light Peak which is made by Intel.

But why wait for Intel, they can put a USB 3.0 from NEC in the laptops

Dedicated controller chips costs extra money and uses power and space.

LightPeak is still years away from being the standard. Transaction from USB to LP isn't one night thingy. I really hope LP is going to happen soon but I'm sick of Intel being the brake. USB 3.0 has existed so long already

 

[philipt42]

I think free speech is accepted. There's a lot more offensive things people could say than some slang terms, or even as a substitute for gay.

Yes, there are more offensive things. No, that does not make it okay. Just like racial slurs aren't okay.

Anyway, back to the mbps

 

[Coswyn]

I was a bit concerned about the rhetoric from Jobs about the death of the personal computer, saying at D8 that they will be the trucks of the automotive market, that they will always be around but far less common than the new devices. He mentioned that there's no certain time period before we see a significant decline, but alluded to the possibility of it happening 5+ years down the road. I don't think he believes the iPad (at least in anywhere near its current state) will take the reigns, but he did seem to push the tactile/touch medium.

Anyone concerned that we might not see another radical redesign of MacBooks as with the shift to the unibody? I'm sure Apple will continue to upgrade them to feed a market that clearly demands them, but I wonder if they will make a major investment to take them to another level given the bossman's feelings of the fate of the PC.