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What Will Apple Do With The MacBook Name?

Maserati7200

Maserati7200

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 17, 2009
909
3
11230, Midwood, Brooklyn, NY, USA, North America
As most of you know, the plastic MacBook is still in production and still gets minor updates from Apple, although Apple has dropped the Black one. While the design of the plastic MacBook is still an excellent product (after 2 years I still love mine, and I'm keeping it until its death) with an excellent design, performance, portability, value, and connivence. What do I mean by that? Besides the Mac Pro, it is currently the easiest to upgrade. It still has a removable battery with extremely easy access to the HD and RAM. And I believe the plastic MacBook still has a strong market, otherwise Apple would have discontinued it by now.

But as good as a product may be, it will never last forever. The MacBook will certainly get an overhaul sometime. It cannot simply stay this way, and Apple cannot drop it, because then there would be no "MacBook" in the line up. Your choice would be the Air or Pro.

Now, I've heard rumors (which I don't believe) that the MacBook might become a tablet of some sort, but I don't buy that, because it wouldn't be a MacBook. If Apple releases a tablet, I wouldn't count on it being called a MacBook.

Realistically, I see one of three things happening:
A) Apple keeps the same general design, but uses Aluminum (not unibody), possibly an LED backlight, and maybe a little thinner.
B) Apple sticks with plastic but changes the design slightly, and possibly offers more colors such as black.
C) Apple changes the design slightly, but uses Aluminum body (not unibody), possibly an LED backlight, and maybe a little thinner.

What do you guys think?
 
I don't really see the benefit of making a macbook out of aluminium without using CNC technology. They already have the tools ready to make a CNC computer case; it wouldn't cost them anything more to make it, whereas a non-CNC AlBook would mean they have to re-tool another entire manufacturing plant.

The reason they only offer the macbook in white plastic is because plastic is cheaper than aluminium, and it's cheaper to buy masses of white than less quantities of more colours.
 
Scarlet Fever said:
I don't really see the benefit of making a macbook out of aluminium without using CNC technology. They already have the tools ready to make a CNC computer case; it wouldn't cost them anything more to make it, whereas a non-CNC AlBook would mean they have to re-tool another entire manufacturing plant.

The reason they only offer the macbook in white plastic is because plastic is cheaper than aluminium, and it's cheaper to buy masses of white than less quantities of more colours.
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This product is not going to last forever without changing. When Apple decides to redesign the MacBooks, what do you think they would be like?
 
Speaking from a marketing and economics standpoint, I would guess a smart move to be the introduction of a larger model, perhaps 15", in order to compete in today's low-end notebook market. That or drop the current 13" down to 12" and bring in a 14". Still plastic, still white. Perhaps a slight advantageous tapered look and feel (semi-Air shaped) keeping in mind the cracking issues. Very hard to say but fun to speculate....kinda why I joined this forum. -GDF
 
I agree with you that the white macbook still has a very strong market that white finish is like a trademark signature everyone loves the design and it does the job that is why i will be purchasing a white macbook :D
 
Why would they ever get rid of the name MacBook? They stuck with PowerBook for 15 years (1991-2006), so who's to say they won't stick with MacBook for the next 15?
 
Looks like my prediction will come true.

At the same time Apple will release the TABLET in 2010, I believe the Macbook will disappear and all that will remain will be the Macbook Pro lineage.

Another possibility would be the plastic Macbook will go away, Apple could rename the entire notebook like.

After all, it went from Powerbook ( G4 ) to Macbook ( Intel ).

We could very well see a new generation of notebooks with a new CPU and a new name as well as the Tablet!!!!

WHEN CAN I ORDER MY TABLET ????????????

I already have a place to mount it on my motorcycle!!!! :D
 
harcosparky said:
After all, it went from Powerbook ( G4 ) to Macbook ( Intel ).

We could very well see a new generation of notebooks with a new CPU and a new name as well as the Tablet!!!!
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Yeah, you know what? Call me when P.A. Semi comes up with a chip that can compete with ANYTHING that Intel offers in the mainstream. This isn't happening.

It's exactly what Apple wants–the ability to control absolutely everything from hardware manufacturing and architecture design to third-party software–but it isn't happening.
 
Tallest Skil said:
Yeah, you know what? Call me when P.A. Semi comes up with a chip that can compete with ANYTHING that Intel offers in the mainstream. This isn't happening.
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Sound like the Intel chip was a problem with sucking the life out of batteries.

This from the front page of macrumors.com

The report notes that considerable delays in the tablet's development have been due to decisions regarding the device's processing technology. While Apple had initially envisioned the tablet to run using Intel's Atom platform, sources hint that dissatisfaction over battery life led Apple to reconsider its decision and ultimately purchase chipmaker P.A. Semi in order to move forward with its own ARM-based chip designs. P.A. Semi's role in delivering chips for the forthcoming tablet was rumored earlier this month based on VentureBeat sources who claimed that P.A. Semi's team had been divided into two parts, one for iPhone/iPod and one for a tablet, upon Apple's acquisition of the company in early 2008.
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noodle654 said:
I see PowerPC coming back!! I can feel it!!

However, it wont happen. Ever. Period. Done.
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I'll buy a new Apple laptop when one of two things happens - My 12" G4 finally kicks the bucket, or they finally bring the PowerBook G5 out of their development labs. You've got to know there's some dedicated, mildly insane engineer down there still designing it :p
 
Given the rebranding of the aluminum MacBook, I'd say the name is here to stay. Especially now that Apple is not making in-house chips (or so we think) the need to change and update the name is not so necessary.

The tablet will likely have the MacBook name, the iPod Touch got the iPod name even though it was nothing like any of the others. Although, I'm sure we will have a fair amount of users referring to it as the iTablet.

As to what they will update - that's covered in numerous other places. Your different posts are confusing.

If your point was to say that inevitably Apple will have to update its product line, then congrats you get a golden sticker.
 
thegoldenmackid said:
Given the rebranding of the aluminum MacBook, I'd say the name is here to stay. Especially now that Apple is not making in-house chips (or so we think) the need to change and update the name is not so necessary.

The tablet will likely have the MacBook name, the iPod Touch got the iPod name even though it was nothing like any of the others. Although, I'm sure we will have a fair amount of users referring to it as the iTablet.

As to what they will update - that's covered in numerous other places. Your different posts are confusing.

If your point was to say that inevitably Apple will have to update its product line, then congrats you get a golden sticker.
Click to expand...

But a tablet is not a book, so why would it be called Macbook?
 
MacMini2009 said:
But a tablet is not a book, so why would it be called Macbook?
Click to expand...

That depends on how they market it - market it as partly competition for the silly Kindle and simlae eBook devices and it will be a MacBook. :)

It also depends on which OS they put on the tablet and where in the line up they aim to position it. If it's going to use proper Mac OS X then something like MacBook makes sense, but if they are going to use the iPhone OS then it makes more sense to follow those names, iPod TouchPro perhaps or the long established nickname of iTablet (iPad is probably too close to iPod).
 
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