Waiting for the 2017 MBP (Kaby Lake / Cannonlake / Coffee Lake??)

[TheOkeland]

Just to be clear

- Coffee Lake is the 8th gen based on 14nm structure. I expect it to be available in 2nd half of 2017
- Cannonlake is the shrink to 10nm and not before 1st half 2018

But to me it is not clear when the mobile chips will be released by intel, hence my question.

Intel is expected to launch the Coffee Lake CPUs in August. But this will be only the public announcement.
Maybe the first CPUs will be shipped in September, but likely Intel won't be able to produce enough CPUs so that they could be featured in a MBP. I suppose we won't see a MBP with Coffee Lake CPUs before early 2018, not to mention that Cannonlake is expected to feature only dual-core CPUs.
From marketing perspective an update in June/July would be a good spot. Enough time after the last release, and enough time to update the MBP in Q2 2018 again.

When we will see Cannon Lake CPUs? Maybe Apple delays an update in 2018 to Q3 or updates the 13" model and the 15" model separately. But no matter how they are planning, an early update to Kaby Lake would be a wise decision.
Yes, maybe they won't get as much money from the current MBPs as they expected, but they would be able to close the gap between them and the other OEMs, who have Kaby Lake in their lineup already.

 

[TheralSadurns]

Btw. What about AMD Zen

 

[JamonBull]

Intel is expected to launch the Coffee Lake CPUs in August. But this will be only the public announcement.
Maybe the first CPUs will be shipped in September, but likely Intel won't be able to produce enough CPUs so that they could be featured in a MBP. I suppose we won't see a MBP with Coffee Lake CPUs before early 2018, not to mention that Cannonlake is expected to feature only dual-core CPUs.
From marketing perspective an update in June/July would be a good spot. Enough time after the last release, and enough time to update the MBP in Q2 2018 again.

When we will see Cannon Lake CPUs? Maybe Apple delays an update in 2018 to Q3 or updates the 13" model and the 15" model separately. But no matter how they are planning, an early update to Kaby Lake would be a wise decision.
Yes, maybe they won't get as much money from the current MBPs as they expected, but they would be able to close the gap between them and the other OEMs, who have Kaby Lake in their lineup already.

I agree. I think this is the most likely scenario. It would also make sense for Apple to show off new MacBook Pro's around the same time as the macOS 10.13 unveiling at WWDC, which will undoubtedly present new and improved Touch Bar functionality.

 

[maflynn]

It would also make sense for Apple to show off new MacBook Pro's

I normally would agree but the past few years Apple has steered away from unveiling hardware at their developer conference.

 

[MrGuder]

I normally would agree but the past few years Apple has steered away from unveiling hardware at their developer conference.

Yeah but there is always a chance they could go retro and pull a fast one, in reality it would only take 5 mins at the most to discuss an updated touch bar and processors on the mid 2017 MBP along with how it works with 10.3.

It will be really telling at the WWDC...a mid update to the 2017 MBP would show to me that sales were not what they thought for the 2016 release and change is in order to show they are listening to the customer. If we hear nothing that will show me they are fine with the 2016 and updated hardware and touch bar are not necessary for a mid refresh. Either way Apple is not hurting financially to make any update, they could possibly wait till 2018 for an update on the MBP and throw there resources in another product.

 

[DHagan4755]

Since a revised MacBook should already have been announced, I'm going to make the assumption it will join the MacBook Pro in an across the board Kaby Lake notebook update. I'm thinking this will happen in about 10 minutes of stage time at the beginning portion of WWDC.

 

[EnesM]

MagSafe won't come back, at least not in it's previous form. There are some great dongles out there now that replicate the functionality - I'd love Apple to add something like the Snapnator directly into the power connector/cable.

In terms of what I'd like to see:

• Non-Touch Bar 15" model
• The UI lag eliminated - it's really not acceptable on a machine thats meant to be top-end
• A <£2k entry price for the 15" model in the UK as the current models are over-priced, even by Apple's standards

What UI lag?

 

[Dave245]

Since a revised MacBook should already have been announced, I'm going to make the assumption it will join the MacBook Pro in an across the board Kaby Lake notebook update. I'm thinking this will happen in about 10 minutes of stage time at the beginning portion of WWDC.

Or at an October event along with the new iMac's, makes more sense.

 

[MrGuder]

Or at an October event along with the new iMac's, makes more sense.

Any earlier than Oct will show a dire need to save the brand.

 

[maflynn]

Any earlier than Oct will show a dire need to save the brand.

Not for nothing, but so far Cook has stated he's been happy with the sales figures, so regardless of how many of us feel, I don't think they're going to rush anything out the door.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Not for nothing, but so far Cook has stated he's been happy with the sales figures, so regardless of how many of us feel, I don't think they're going to rush anything out the door.

And thats a good thing. Lets hope they overall improve the machines and not just add new CPUs.

 

[maflynn]

And thats a good thing. Lets hope they overall improve the machines and not just add new CPUs.

While there's a number of things I don't like about the new MBP, I can work around those, but the keyboard is one that I cannot work around. I'm hoping Apple does improve the keyboard somehow.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

While there's a number of things I don't like about the new MBP, I can work around those, but the keyboard is one that I cannot work around. I'm hoping Apple does improve the keyboard somehow.

It won't get thicker that is for sure. I hear reports of quality issues. I hope Apple at least resolves those.

 

[haydn!]

What UI lag?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/2016-15-mbp-ui-lag.2016332/

 

[boombox15]

So what are the actual odds of a new MacBook Pro being announced on June 5 at WWDC? Greater than 50%?

 

[MrGuder]

So what are the actual odds of a new MacBook Pro being announced on June 5 at WWDC? Greater than 50%?

The 8 ball says "check back later"

 

[kiranmk2]

I guess it depends if Apple have sorted out the new battery design and fixed the iffy gen 2 keyboard. If so then there is no reason not to release a KL update soon so they can boast about longer battery life and further improved keyboard. Why leave a very dull update until later in the year when other manufacturers will be gearing up for Coffee Lake?

 

[MrGuder]

Does anyone know the particulars about the MBP update that Apple did at the WWDC back in 2012? For instance what was the updated hardware that Apple released mid year 2012, new processors? This might give us an indication about what was going on in the tech world at the time and if it's similar to today.

 

[gifo]

Well it was the retina MacBook Pro wwdc. Announced and ready to ship same day (only 15 if I remember correctly).
Updated version of the "classic" MacBook Pro and Air with sandy bridge.
And all the lineup (except for classic mbp 13 I think) got usb 3.0

 

[maflynn]

Well it was the retina MacBook Pro wwdc.

Here's a list of hardware announcements. I posted this in another thread but I was able to dig it out. The link has the list up to 2014 and I added the last two entries.

Source (up to 2014)

• 2004 New Cinema Displays
• 2005 Announcement of going to intel
• 2006 Mac Pro
• 2007 No hardware
• 2008 iPhone 3G
• 2009 Macbook pros, and iPhone 3Gs
• 2010 iPhone 4
• 2011 No hardware
• 2012 MBA and rMBP
• 2013 New Mac Pro and MBA refresh
• 2014 No hardware
• 2015 No hardware
• 2016 No hardware

 

[navaira]

2017: ...

...no, even I can't say "watch bands" anymore. Horse beaten to death, resurrected, beaten to death again, resurrected again, turned into a zombie vampire, then STILL...

...yet it's probably going to happen anyway.

 

[MrGuder]

Emojis and watch bands have both been beaten to death over the past several years and placed too high on Apples list of important announcements.

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Here's a list of hardware announcements. I posted this in another thread but I was able to dig it out. The link has the list up to 2014 and I added the last two entries.

Source (up to 2014)

• 2004 New Cinema Displays
• ...
• 2014 No hardware
• 2015 No hardware
• 2016 No hardware

I am writing this on one of those 2004 Cinema Displays. Bought mine in 2007, 23" and still great.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I think they are not gonna reveal anything hardware related because it takes away from the conferences core focus, which software development. Also, Tim Cook started this thread to create mega quarters. He wants to make shareholders happy with impressive numbers in Q4 and Q1. This fall will be interesting, updated MBP, iMac, iPhone, iPad.

 

[itsamacthing]

If you look at the MBP refresh cycle, you can get the feeling that the cycle slowed as they refined the last model. They might release a new MBP addressing refinements sooner than later...I am hoping within 100 days.