Waiting for the 2018 MBP

[afir93]

I dont understand this, why? the Apple Pencil is for the iPad and not the Mac.

Because it would be nice and convenient making drawings and sketches right on the Mac when that's device you're working on, instead of having to switch over to the iPad, making the drawing there, then exporting/syncing it over to the Mac and import it there into your document or workflow?

There is a large variety of third-party drawing pads out there that you can connect to a Mac or PC and that allows you to draw with a special pencil on a surface similar to a trackpad, allowing you to draw precise shapes and lines right on your computer. Having a built-in solution (the giant trackpad of the MBP) that only requires the Apple Pencil would be very convenient. Apple has a pencil product, the MBPs have a giant drawing pad for your fingers, it makes sense in my eyes to put 1 and 1 together and allow the trackpad to register pencil inputs.

As a personal example, I am a student and I'm typing a lot of lectures on my MacBook (using only the iPad isn't really an option for software reasons), but my lectures involve a lot of drawings that I usually have to add later after the lecture/at home because I can't properly do them on my MBP, at least not in the middle of a lecture. I do have an iPad Pro but there's no way I want to pull both my iPad and my MacBook out in an already crammed lecture room. If I could just pull out an Apple Pencil and use it right on my MacBook trackpad within the lecture to quickly do these sketches, that would be an ideal solution for that.

Now of course this is nothing I absolutely need, I manage just fine without it, but it's an anecdotal example of where the device switching only for making some drawings can be a nuisance, and I'm sure there are many other workflows where that's even more of an annoyance. If you personally have no need to use an Apple Pencil on a Mac, that's fine, the primary device for it would continue to be the iPad, but from a consumer point-of-view there's no reason why we shouldn't also have that option on the Mac.

 

[afir93]

Could it be due to the exchange rate? Price is unchanged in the US.

Actually didn't consider that, that's most likely it. Just noticed the price for the base model went down by 50€ and assumed Apple generally lowered them (it was most likely just in the EU then).

I hope that means the prices of the MBPs will go down here aswell in the next iteration. Might make the wait for a new model even more worth it.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Now Casey Neistat with a keyboard problem..


what am i supposed to do when the space bar stops working. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING WITH THIS F⚠️CKING KEYBOARD https://twitter.com/CaseyNeistat/status/982430762640314370/photo/1


These keyboards need to be completely scrapped..
I don't know how anyone can be in truly honest denial of this keyboard/switch reliability problem at this point.

 

[afir93]

Now Casey Neistat with a keyboard problem..


what am i supposed to do when the space bar stops working. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING WITH THIS F⚠️CKING KEYBOARD https://twitter.com/CaseyNeistat/status/982430762640314370/photo/1


These keyboards need to be completely scrapped..
I don't know how anyone can be in truly honest denial of this keyboard/switch reliability problem at this point.

I don't think the butterfly keyboard itself need to be completely scrapped, but Apple needs to sit down and figure out how to make it more reliable. Or maybe they have done that already and we'll see it in the next months with the upcoming models, one can hope. Fingers crossed for a butterfly keyboard v3 this year.

It's a good thing I would presume that famous YouTube personalities like Casey Neistat are reporting these issues aswell. The more bad press and coverage the keyboard problem gets, the more likely Apple is to shift its attention to the issue (hopefully).

 

[turbineseaplane]

I don't think the butterfly keyboard itself need to be completely scrapped, but Apple needs to sit down and figure out how to make it more reliable.

I think that's totally a fair take.

My personal preference would be that they just save lots of time and energy by going with basically the Magic Keyboard in there.

It's plenty thin, has a touch more travel to hopefully appease those that hate the butterfly feel and it is proven to be supremely reliable with tried and true scissor switches.

Also, using a MKB in laptops would bring back desktop/laptop keyboard parity, which was how they were rolling for quite a while through most all of the Unibody era.

 

[Gata]

I don't think the butterfly keyboard itself need to be completely scrapped, but Apple needs to sit down and figure out how to make it more reliable. Or maybe they have done that already and we'll see it in the next months with the upcoming models, one can hope. Fingers crossed for a butterfly keyboard v3 this year.

It's a good thing I would presume that famous YouTube personalities like Casey Neistat are reporting these issues aswell. The more bad press and coverage the keyboard problem gets, the more likely Apple is to shift its attention to the issue (hopefully).

I think the butterfly switch is sort of a reflection on Apple's larger decision to make asinine engineering decisions and compromising functionality in order to make their laptops even thinner.

Phil Schiller said that adding DDR4 support would compromise battery life after they literally decreased the Macbook Pro's battery by 25% in order to accommodate the thinner design.

Being in need of a laptop, I want to buy a new Macbook Pro once they get the Coffee Lake upgrades, but some of Apple's design decisions have made me doubt that buying one would be a good idea.

 

[stevemiller]

The tent pole feature will be a nice one actually, and that will be more cores.

if it comes to fruition I will definitely be pleased, as a meaningful performance bump is really the only feature i'm truly craving from an upgrade at this point.

 

[Hitrate]

I think the butterfly switch is sort of a reflection on Apple's larger decision to make asinine engineering decisions and compromising functionality in order to make their laptops even thinner.

Phil Schiller said that adding DDR4 support would compromise battery life after they literally decreased the Macbook Pro's battery by 25% in order to accommodate the thinner switches.

It truly is a "think different" kinda company

 

[turbineseaplane]

It truly is a "think different" kinda company

You can't spell "think different" without "thin"
lol

 

[meme1255]

I am still convinced that the battery capacity reduction is worse than Apple has expected - They have the terraced battery technology in the MacBook, although for some reason they could not use it (yet?).

 

[afir93]

I am still convinced that the battery capacity reduction is worse than Apple has expected - They have the terraced battery technology in the MacBook, although for some reason they could not use it (yet?).

I hope you're right – because if it's worse than they expected, then they have hopefully worked out the issues they had with the terraced design in the meantime and are shipping it in future models (there were some rumors that Apple had unexpected issues when prototyping the design in the 2016 MBPs and had to backpaddle shortly before launch to the classical ones).

Assuming we get at WWDC 2018 release, Apple would have had ~20 months to finish the terraced design for the MBP. If they originally had plans for it with the 2016 MBP, that should be more than enough time to iron out these issues.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Assuming we get at WWDC 2018 release, Apple would have had ~20 months to finish the terraced design for the MBP. If they originally had plans for it with the 2016 MBP, that should be more than enough time to iron out these issues.

I don't know - It's probably been frustrating for Apple.

Now that they have the terraced design likely ready to go, they still can't make it even thinner because of the need for USB-C ports on the side..

This has completely ruined Ive's dream of shipping the "MacBook Pro: Are you sure it isn't just a metal clipboard?"

 

[c0ppo]

Terraced batteries bring their own issues and problems. Some MB suffer from rapid battery degradation. I think that this is one of the main reasons that they didn't use terraced batteries, but then again, who knows...

All I know is that I'm expecting a new MBP with more cores. I want one. Using Lenovo P51 is great, but I simply love MacOS way more then Windows. And considering the route apple is going, this may be my last MBP ever. Because when they redesign MBP, they will make it even thinner, and do some more compromises... Because todays Apple is all about form, function doesn't interest them at all.

But we shall see. Even when they come out with new Intel chips, I will wait 3-4 months before purchase. My company won't purchase me one, since they banned all MBP purchases due to keyboard failures. So I will pay it with my own money. Not a problem. But only if they fix this mess of the keyboard. And possibly introduce 15" without that gimmicky touchbar.

I know, it won't happen, they will push TB for as long as they want. But one can dream...

 

[turbineseaplane]

@c0ppo I also echo concerns that I may be on my last MBP (my 15" 2015).

I honestly wish I could just put macOS on a new Thinkpad.

 

[haydn!]

I have a feeling the terraced battery was never intended for the MacBook Pro. The additional space left in the chasis was deliberate to help with heat re-distribution because of the thinness.

I'd love to be proved wrong.

 

[Gata]

I have a feeling the terraced battery was never intended for the MacBook Pro. The additional space left in the chasis was deliberate to help with heat re-distribution because of the thinness.

I'd love to be proved wrong.

The Macbook Pro also doesn't really have a tapered design - so it wouldn't benefit from a terraced battery anyway.

 

[UBS28]

So when is this new 15" MBP coming. I'm obviously not buying the current ones with their faulty keyboards.

 

[afir93]

So when is this new 15" MBP coming. I'm obviously not buying the current ones with their faulty keyboards.

The general consensus is that the announcement will happen at WWDC, maybe even earlier but I wouldn't count on that. Given that Intel's relevant chipset is officially announced and that other laptops with these CPUs are rolling out within the next 1-2 months, it's very unlikely that WWDC passes without an announcement.

 

[TheralSadurns]

So when is this new 15" MBP coming. I'm obviously not buying the current ones with their faulty keyboards.

Oh the new MBPs?! You ask when they are coming?!
Next Tuesday! It's just gonna be a press release, though!

 

[afir93]

Oh the new MBPs?! You ask when they are coming?!
Next Tuesday! It's just gonna be a press release, though!

Do you have any source for that statement or is it just speculation?

 

[Naimfan]

Do you think it’s a possibility, ?Apple goes back to ‘no touchbar’ option?

While a lot of people would LOVE that, it's impossible to see Apple having the "courage" to do it. Never mind the fact it's a frippery that actively interferes with a lot of people's workflows, Ive and company have too much hubris to admit the mistake by offering an MBP without it.

 

[Falhófnir]

Now Casey Neistat with a keyboard problem..


what am i supposed to do when the space bar stops working. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING WITH THIS F⚠️CKING KEYBOARD https://twitter.com/CaseyNeistat/status/982430762640314370/photo/1


These keyboards need to be completely scrapped..
I don't know how anyone can be in truly honest denial of this keyboard/switch reliability problem at this point.

They also absolutely need to launch a proper centrally coordinated replacement programme for it and stop charging for out of warranty top case replacements over this issue - it’s breathtaking that they think a customer should be on the hook for hundreds of $/£/€ because of an issue that has arisen from a design choice they made. Most people who buy these computers won’t be aware of the potential issue so I think that’s really unfair. They have every reason to be very generous in waiving charges over this issue imo.

Do you have any source for that statement or is it just speculation?

I think that was tongue firmly in cheek

 

[TheralSadurns]

Do you have any source for that statement or is it just speculation?

I was just being sarcastic. Since no one here knows. And every few pages we are reiterating that we have no clue. And every few pages someone comes along and asks this question.

 

[afir93]

I think that was tongue firmly in cheek

I was just being sarcastic. Since no one here knows. And every few pages we are reiterating that we have no clue. And every few pages someone comes along and asks this question.

Oh never mind then, I missed that Late at night here.

To be fair, users who don't follow the topic as much as we here do might be scared off when they come here only to see 153 pages of 25 posts each and are just looking for a good prediction on the release. Yes this has been answered many dozens of times here in this particular thread, but with all the other talk and speculation it gets buried quickly.

Would be funny if you randomly turned out right though with that sarcastic prediction. Intel's chips are announced so in theory it could be every week now.
[doublepost=1523142348][/doublepost]

They also absolutely need to launch a proper centrally coordinated replacement programme for it and stop charging for out of warranty top case replacements over this issue - it’s breathtaking that they think a customer should be on the hook for hundreds of $/£/€ because of an issue that has arisen from a design choice they made. Most people who buy these computers won’t be aware of the potential issue so I think that’s really unfair. They have every reason to be very generous in waiving charges over this issue imo.

This. The keyboard issue is very comparable to the Staingate issue that many MBs/MBPs suffered from over the years (display coating randomly coming off the display and leaving horrendous stains), with the big difference being that Apple has an out-of-warranty replacement program ongoing for the Staingate problems. You just bring it in, the people in the store confirm that it's that issue and the screen is replaced for free, no matter the age/warranty status of the device. Otherwise the screen replacement would also cost many hundreds of $/£/€ for the customer, but Apple does it free of charge because they messed up and openly admit to it.

With the keyboard issue, Apple rather seems to rather sweep the issue under the table and hold the customer responsible if he is out of warranty. If Apple admitted the issue and made a similar out-of-warranty replacement program like with Staingate, then the keyboard issues wouldn't be that big a big deal. The worst about the keyboard situation right now is the high cost that comes with out-of-warranty failures that the customer has to pay.

 

[hajime]

It truly is a "think different" kinda company

Apple should change its name to Rotten Apple.