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where do you picture apple products a year from now?

jefhatfield

jefhatfield

Retired
Original poster
Jul 9, 2000
8,803
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will the operating system be a version of os x?

will G3 processors still exist in the ibook or will it have a G4?

will there be a G5 powerbook?

will the G5 desktop reach 3 ghz?

will apple make a cell phone or pda?

how about lower prices on some items like the 17" inch imac, the ipod, or the entry level G5?

will the 14" inch ibook survive? how about the titanium exterior on the tibook...could it go to aluminum?

....thoughts?
 
I think Apple/IBM will deliver on the 3GHz in 12 months promise, it is VERY important they do so, because this will show that both Apple & IBM are going to develop the G5 at a steady rate, somthing that was missing with Moto for years.
I think (or hope) that a G5 PowerBook will be either shipping, or have been announced with a shipping date pending.
We will still have OS X, and maybe a new improved G3 in iBooks.
 
Re: where do you picture apple products a year from now?

We'll be using Mac OS X.3.3 (what other alternatives are there?)

Eithe the iBooks will use much faster G3s from IBM, or the iBook line will be discontinued and the nîche will be filled by the 12" PB.

I'm sure we'll have a G5 PowerBook in a year, yes. (The G4 is going nowhere right now, and Apple knows it).

The desktop might reach 3 GHz next autumn or winter.

There will be no Apple-brand cell phone. Probably more collaboration to integrate phones with iApps, though.

With faster G5s, entry-level G5s will become more attractive. 2 GHz might be entry-level in a year.

Either the iMac gets a new price, or the line will be abolished for a new concept. I really like the design, but it doesn't sell well right now. And you know why? I can pick up a 1.25 GHz G4 and a nice 17" TFT for EUR 200,- to EUR 300,- less than the 17" iMac. And Apple knows about it.

The iPod might get cheaper, but there's not much reason since it is selling well. I won't buy one, though (too expensive for me), unless it gets really good recording features.

The 14" iBook will survive as long as it sells well, I guess. So far I think it still sells o.k.

In a year, we finally might have a new 15" AlPB. :)

....thoughts?
Click to expand...

No, not really thoughts. More like rambling guessings :).
 
one year from now, i can see the G5 announced at 3 ghz and i also believe this is important for apple...and the entry level G5, hopefully at 2 ghz would sell like hotcakes if it was priced at $1599 usd ;)

but i think the G3 in the ibook will be a thing of the past...ibook will go to G4 because of altivec and the fact that os x is optimized for altivec...and to top that prediction off, i see the entry level G4 ibook keeping the $999 dollar price tag (usd) and coming with a combo drive...the faster model will have a slightly speedier processor, more ram, and superdrive for two hundred more, and for three hundred more at $1499, a dual processor G4 ibook for the ultimate model (how is that for a rambling guess? ;)

and in one year and beyond, i see future versions of the mac operating system priced under a hundred dollars

...on the corporate front, i can see apple doing something with dean kaman and segway and going in on some high tech joint venture
 
hopefully so cool, awesome and incredible that i can't picture it myself right now, but when it's out, i'd want it.
 
Re: where do you picture apple products a year from now?

Originally posted by jefhatfield
will the operating system be a version of os x?
Click to expand...

Yes.

Originally posted by jefhatfield
will G3 processors still exist in the ibook or will it have a G4?
Click to expand...

Not sure about that. The G3 seems to still have potential. I could imagine Apple splitting up with Motorola and therefore go for IBM chips only. Hence, G3 for iBook and if available faster (seriously faster) versions for iMac/eMac (although it would look like a down-grade at first glance) and G5 for the pro line.

Originally posted by jefhatfield
will there be a G5 powerbook?
Click to expand...

Yes. But it was just announced.

Originally posted by jefhatfield
will the G5 desktop reach 3 ghz?
Click to expand...

Yes.


Originally posted by jefhatfield
will apple make a cell phone or pda?
Click to expand...

a) No. But perhaps more intense cooperation with Sony/Ericsson (QT for cellphones, etc.).
b) No.

Originally posted by jefhatfield
how about lower prices on some items like the 17" inch imac, the ipod, or the entry level G5?
Click to expand...

iMac, G5: about the same.
iPod: (hopefully) smaller price, due to less expensive mini-HDs.

Originally posted by jefhatfield
will the 14" inch ibook survive? how about the titanium exterior on the tibook...could it go to aluminum?
Click to expand...

I thought the 17" & 12" TiBooks are already AlBooks...therefore, yes.
As for the iBook I'm not sure. I think the most attractive "feature" of the iBook was/is its small form factor. Therefore, I never liked the 14" iBook and would never buy one.
 
Re: Re: where do you picture apple products a year from now?

Originally posted by Doraemon
Yes. But it was just announced.
Click to expand...

Huh? The G5 PB was just announced? Where?

If the rumoured G3 with Altivec really materializes, I think Apple will market it as a G4... most people wouldn't care anyway.
 
Re: where do you picture apple products a year from now?

Originally posted by jefhatfield
....thoughts?
Click to expand...

An even stronger line-up of Apple software, along with a higher profile for Apple software in marketing campaigns, plus more Windows versions of certain money-making apps. First iTunes (as announced), then I guess iChatAV with the iSight bringing in extra dosh.

iTMS has garnered so much positive media coverage that new Apple software may now also receive as much coverage as new hardware announcements do already.

Also, I expect to see Apple products pictured in season three of 24, which goes out in 2004 in England. Man, I love that show.

MARK
 
G5 will be at 3GHz

G5 xserve, also at 3GHz

pb's will be G5's, probably at the speeds the towers are at now, and the 15 will of course be alu

ibooks will probably have that G3 with altivec, basically a G4

imacs will be G5's(or not too far off), probably at the speeds of the current towers

emacs will stay the same outside of small speed bumps here and there(if motorola can actually produce something faster) and it will probably have a price cut or two

ipods won't change, but maybe there will be more peripherals and accesories for them

itunes will be international, and on windows

displays may or may not get updated, they could really use it so it matches the G5 tower, but OLEDs aren't that far off, and if they were to wait untill they can make a viable OLED cinema display to update them, i wouldn't complain

there will probably be a revision or two of panther by then

i doubt there will be any new products, im sure there more concerned about getting a G5 into an xserve, then a powerbook, and then an imac for now
 
By this time next year I expect to see dual G5s running at least 3-3.4 GHz. I see PowerBook G5s. I see either a beefed up G3 iBook or G4 iBook. I expect to see monsterous G5 Xserves. I expect to see 4G iPods with possibly 60 gig HDs and full Airport connections. I expect to see 16 gigs as a BTO option on desktop systems. I expect to see talk of OS X 10.4 or OS X 10.3.6 perhaps. I expect to see Apple's market share up a good point or so. I expect to find Apple Pro wireless keyboards and mice. I expect to see a big ass 30" LCD sitting next to those dual G5s. I expect to see hordes of rabid Mac addicts foaming at the mouth for anything they can get their hands on. This time next year, I expect to be typing on a PowerBook G5 that eats Pentiums for breakfast and toasts Athlons for lunch. This time next year I see new iMacs, new eMacs, freshened products across the line and nothing but high hopes for the year following. Next year, I see a bright Apple logo shining in the distance like a beckoning lighthouse guiding all those lost to the safe havens of the shores.
 
Here are my educated guesses

Next year the iTunes Music Store will be dominating the online music market in both Mac and Windows computers. As a result, iPods will be selling like crazy and Apple will be milking the market with even more peripherals and accessories.

'Optimised for G5' will become a selling point for every major application on OS X.3 and a lot of them will be new to the Mac due to their high-end nature eg. science, architecture and 3D animation.

At least one high-end 3D graphics card will become compatable with the G5 PowerMacs. Pixar and ILM will start using these in their animation studios.

iChat will be compatable with a lot more IM networks and possibly with mobile phones as well. Whatever the case, iChat will be the Next Great Thing for Apple and it will attract more people to the platform.

Apple will buy Roxio, effectively killing Napster 2.0 and adopting Toast 6's new capabilities into the Finder and the iApps.

A new iApp will be released, signaling the start of the end of good relations between Apple and Microsoft. This iApp will be to Word what Keynote was to PowerPoint. Virtual PC for the Mac will become the only major Mac application from Microsoft and Office X will be cancelled to make room for the Windows version running under emulation.

The XServe will use G5s and one of its nodes will be available in a quad-processor configuration. The hard drives in the XServe and the XServe RAID will be Serial-ATA.

iBooks will continue to use G3 processors as well as last-gen technolies like USB 1.1 and FW 400; this would be necessary to differentiate between consumer iBooks and proffesional PowerBooks which will use FW 800 and USB 2.0 across the line. The Powerbooks will continue to use the G4 with the 17-inch model utilizing two CPUs and two hard-drives.

The iMac will be using G5 processors as well as USB 2.0, FW 800 and Serial ATA.

eMacs will continue using G4 processors as well as USB 1.1 and FW 400 in order to make the iMac a more attractive option.

Finally, the SCO Group could be suing Apple for the same reasons they are suing IBM: Unix. At the very least all references to Unix would be removed from Apple's marketing materials.

I am looking forward to finding out what will really happen by this time next year. Hopefully I will not be eating too many of my words.
 
In September 2004, I see;

Mac OS X.4 announced, many new features previewed, shipping in March 24, 2005. X11 support will be built in, not a secondary program.

Many new games coming to Mac. The market share (Number of Machines sold) increases to 15%.

The G4+ will be announced (G3 with Alti-Vec), it will be used in iBooks, and new G4+ iMacs and PowerMacs. The 3.5 Ghz G5 will just be shipping.

X-serves will be outselling any one's blade systems.

There will be G4+ iBooks, and G5 PowerBooks. iBooks will surpass 1.5 Ghz, and PowerBooks at 2.8Ghz.

The iPod will inclue video syncing and playback to a TV. iPods will be at 60GB, and include a mic, and allow for voice searching. (Speaking the name of the song, will instaniously switch you to that song.

Apple will revive the Quicktake Camera, however as an attachment to the iPod, rather than a standalone camera.

Apple will be the first company to offer a 512MB Video Card, with the best chiset to date.

Apple and Nintendo will announce that the next Nintendo system will run a stripped down version of OSX, and run on a modified G5.

My muted ramblings... its toooooo late.

TEG
 
New G5 towers- 2.5Ghz, 2.8Ghz and 3Ghz.
G5 Powerbooks- 1.6Ghz, 2Ghz; 12", 17" and 15" models all aluminum with a redesigned case
iBook- G4 processor, 800Mhz and 1Ghz. No 14" model. New updated case that is thinner. Old G3 model with old case still available for $799.
iMac and eMac- Business as usual, simple speed bumps.

Apple's new Office suite will be released alongside MacOS X 10.4 in November. It will bundle Keynote, Document and several other office programs.

Apple creates a still camera/camcorder that does for cameras what the iPod did for MP3 players.

Some sort of new iApp will be bundled with 10.4.
 
Sept of 2004 will start off with Steve at Paris from a video chat that will be streamed live across the world in which he announces Apple's takeover of the world as new G5 supernodes across the globe all powerup and seize control of all devices connected to the internet. Global domination starts with a reinactment of ID-4 where the space ship blows up the White House, only, an Apple branded orbiting satellite will destroy Microsoft and Gate's mansion. In the months that follow, there will be many large scale takeovers in which Apple will brand all humans with barcodes and Apple logos. Everything will be contructed out of aluminum. The human race will run on an updated version of 10.3.8 and be both easier to use and compatible with all forms of Unix. Stability issues addressed and we will all be redesigned to comply to the brushed metal standard.
 
all this and more on the next episode of Get Real.... ;)

I hope that they get rid of the 14" ibook and make a 14" powerbook :) price it like the 12" ;)

Umm the tibook will eventually go alu

eventually apple will lower prices across the board...maybe taking a look at educational across the whole line...
 
Originally posted by Dont Hurt Me
G5's Everywhere!
Click to expand...

sounds more like what will be here two years from now!!

which reminds me, i wanted to title this, "what will be here one year AND two years from now" ;)

yes, G5 will be everywhere in 24 months, including the emac and ibook...and i would be pleasantly surprised if there was a G6:D
 
Originally posted by Schiffi
I'll still be with my 15" Powerbook most likely and still paying it off.
Click to expand...

how long? i bet you can't beat my record ;)

initially, i got my pc laptop for 1599 usd over three and a half years ago and i got an instant rebate and radio shack instant rebate so that the machine came out to 1299 with no interest for one year...if i was disciplined and paid it off then, i could have come out on top

instead, i just did monthly payments, but still well over the basic payment and by the time i pay the thing off completely, it will have been over five years total and the interest would have amounted to many hundreds of dollars, surpassing the original price of 1599 by several hundred dollars

buying anything on credit is stupid and should only be done in an emergency

my wife's student loan is 20 years old and though 7% percent does not sound high, it is if you end up going to a private eastern college and it's better for most people to just go to a state funded school and get by with the likely lesser degree since fancy degrees, as well as fancy computers and laptops, only end up costing extra money in the long run

if i had paid off the laptop right away, i might have had one less vacation that year and i could have stayed at home instead
 
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