Why should Apple keep up with Intel's roadmap?

[amin]

Clearly we are going to get a ton of folks pissed off everytime Intel releases a new processor that Apple doesn't quickly use. I don't think Apple needs to quickly incorporate every Intel release, nor do I think it's in Apple's best interests to do so.

If you want to use OS X, you have no choice but to buy a Mac. Sure a few people will get so sick of waiting for Merom in a MBP that they buy a Think Pad instead. These few do not impact Apple's profits very much. Most of the buying public doesn't know sh*t about processors, and most of those who are knowledgeable have a bit more patience than some of the angry folks who post complaints here daily.

It costs Apple money to incorporate each new Intel release. If Apple were to fall far behind, missing multiple Intel releases, they would likely suffer poor sales. Delaying a minimally-improved release like Core 2 Duo won't hurt them substantially. Since Apple has no direct competition, they may sometimes maximize profits by skipping an Intel release or taking some time to incorporate it. I think they are perfectly entitled to do so.

 

[manosaurus]

maximize profits by skipping an Intel release or taking some time to incorporate it. I think they are perfectly entitled to do so.

Well, you'd be wrong. They are no allowed!

 

[Demon Hunter]

This trend is bad for Macintosh.

You're right that Apple can dawdle a little now and again. But what about professional users? And corporate customers?

Apple will become the tortoise of the computing world. Not exactly the best reputation to have when your IT manager needs 500 units.

If they skip Release 1 of Merom, I will stab myself. In the heart. Three times.

 

[Scottyk9]

I have refrained from posting on this whole C2D issue, as frankly I found the threads and discussions wearying.

Apple is a small company (relative to others like Dell). The reason I like Apple is that it tries to make a product great. This takes time and resources.

I would rather that Apple be selective in where they expend their energy and resources and continue to make a great, well thought out product than feel the need to keep up with every little update.

If this compromises marketshare, so be it. It didn't seem to hurt Apple's bottom line when they had the G4 powerbooks, which were underpowered compared to contemporary PCs (I still bought one - in fact a 1.25 Ghz was my "switch" computer)

 

[generik]

I have refrained from posting on this whole C2D issue, as frankly I found the threads and discussions wearying.

Apple is a small company (relative to others like Dell). The reason I like Apple is that it tries to make a product great. This takes time and resources.

I would rather that Apple be selective in where they expend their energy and resources and continue to make a great, well thought out product than feel the need to keep up with every little update.

If this compromises marketshare, so be it. It didn't seem to hurt Apple's bottom line when they had the G4 powerbooks, which were underpowered compared to contemporary PCs (I still bought one - in fact a 1.25 Ghz was my "switch" computer)

Small company my ass, have you heard of Twinhead? I sure as hell haven't, but even they can offer C2D laptops.

 

[Demon Hunter]

I'm not an engineer, but really, how hard can it be? New chip, same board. Order new parts. Done.

This must be a supply issue.

 

[generik]

I'm not an engineer, but really, how hard can it be? New chip, same board. Order new parts. Done.

This must be a supply issue.

I'd bet it is more of marketing issue.

 

[Scottyk9]

Small company my ass, have you heard of Twinhead? I sure as hell haven't, but even they can offer C2D laptops.

........ this is why these threads weary me.


(edited)

 

[generik]

did you read my post???

quit complaining and buy a ****ing Twinhead then



........ this is why these threads weary me.

What was in your post? I skimmed through it and see a bunch of apologistic fanboy talk. Do you know the points you raised for sure? Was the MBP Rev A a good product? If so why don't YOU go buy it instead?

Enjoy your overheating random shutdown "good" Macs

Oh, and at twice the price too.

 

[jsw]

Apple will become the tortoise of the computing world.

As opposed to their historical reputation as being speed demons compared to PCs?

Corps that buy Macs buy them for OS X, not for speed. Speed is nice, but Apple isn't going to win on that.

 

[Scottyk9]

What was in your post? I skimmed through it and see a bunch of apologistic fanboy talk. Do you know the points you raised for sure? Was the MBP Rev A a good product? If so why don't YOU go buy it instead?

Enjoy your overheating random shutdown "good" Macs

Oh, and at twice the price too.

I did buy it. It has worked flawlessly.

Twice the price of what? For my purposes there is no other comparator than computers that run OS X.

 

[darkcurse]

Intel is moving too fast. I mean, dual core last year and quad core the next Wow! Apple doesn't have like 1097591836453 different computer configurations to sell. They have two or three ranges each for desktops and portables. The thing is that if they use merom now, the end user won't really benefit much since Merom v2 (C2D2? ) is coming out early next year along with the Santa Rosa platform which will make it a much better leap in terms of technology. I mean come on, PC makers are selling C2D computers side-by-side with obsolete technology.

 

[Demon Hunter]

I did buy it. It has worked flawlessly.

Twice the price of what? For my purposes there is no other comparator than computers that run OS X.

Burn.

 

[Demon Hunter]

As opposed to their historical reputation as being speed demons compared to PCs?

Corps that buy Macs buy them for OS X, not for speed. Speed is nice, but Apple isn't going to win on that.

Virginia Tech comes to mind.

 

[amin]

This trend is bad for Macintosh.

You're right that Apple can dawdle a little now and again. But what about professional users? And corporate customers?

Apple will become the tortoise of the computing world. Not exactly the best reputation to have when your IT manager needs 500 units.

If they skip Release 1 of Merom, I will stab myself. In the heart. Three times.

As long as they quickly release many of the new processors, they will be okay. Theyt will no get a bad rep for delaying or skipping a few underwhelming, incremental releases. Merom is not shockingly more capable than Yonah. I admit that I must be a bit biased by my continued satisfaction with my Powerbook G4, which wasn't even the fastest G4 when I bought it .

 

[generik]

Twice the price of what? For my purposes there is no other comparator than computers that run OS X.

Yeah yeah, seen this argument thousand times. You might as well just say "This is the cheapest computer that I like!" I would fault you less that way

Can't win an argument legitimately so you use a counter point like this, typical fanboy.

 

[Demon Hunter]

Yeah yeah, seen this argument thousand times. You might as well just say "This is the cheapest computer that I like!" I would fault you less that way

Can't win an argument legitimately so you use a counter point like this, typical fanboy.

Price out the benefits of a Mac and it will come out even. For example, what is virus protection worth? Say $100. And so on...

I admit that I must be a bit biased by my continued satisfaction with my Powerbook G4, which wasn't even the fastest G4 when I bought it .

It's statements like that which make me want to buy! Sigh. I'm actually using a MacBook right now, which is adequate, but I'm like a 20-year old guy following the heels of a drop-dead gorgeous woman (17-inch MBP).

 

[risc]

I work with corporate notebooks from HP, IBM (Lenovo), and Toshiba and I still haven't seen a single Core 2 Duo Mobile model from any of them, so yeah whatever...

 

[Scottyk9]

Yeah yeah, seen this argument thousand times. You might as well just say "This is the cheapest computer that I like!" I would fault you less that way

Can't win an argument legitimately so you use a counter point like this, typical fanboy.

Back to the OP question, as someone who actually buys apple laptops, it makes very little difference to me if I have the newest chip that Intel makes, especially if it is only a small incremental upgrade in processor speed (yes, I know 64 bit - but right now this is important to an extremely small number of users.

It would not be truthful to state that this is the cheapest computer that I like. Macbooks, G4 powerbooks, ibooks are all cheaper than my MBP.

ok i'm done....

 

[EricNau]

Apple does have direct competition - virtually every other PC manufacturer. The release of Bootcamp has made this especially true.

I know many Windows users are interested in switching, but it's small features like these that can cause them not to.

 

[Demon Hunter]

I'm mostly annoyed by the lack of a price drop/2.33 GHz Yonah. I want this laptop to last five years or more, if I buy now, I'm already 8 months short!

 

[spicyapple]

Those clamouring (and dare I say, whining) for a Core 2 Duo MacBook/MacBook Pro do not represent the majority of Apple notebook buyers.

 

[faustfire]

Can't win an argument legitimately so you use a counter point like this, typical fanboy.

Hey generik, do you even own a mac? I also tend to think that a lot of people on this forum are a little too wrapped up in their computers, but it is a mac forum and you don't seem to have a single positive thing to say about apple or macs. Just seems a little strange and trollish.

 

[jessep28]

Apple is a small company (relative to others like Dell). The reason I like Apple is that it tries to make a product great. This takes time and resources.

Yeah, with a scant 63.19 Billion in market capitalization as of today's close, they are practicly a mom & pop operation . I'm just messing with you. Actually Dell's market cap is smaller at only 51.57 Billion. But that is partially due to the lower stock price of Dell.

Although, I do agree on your point on how they are persuing a differentiation strategy than the Wintel low cost strategy.

For those of you who don't know, those are two different schools of thought on market strategy. Differentiation is making your product different to appeal to the market while low cost is simply getting price as low as you can to move product.

 

[bearbo]

I'm not an engineer, but really, how hard can it be? New chip, same board. Order new parts. Done.

This must be a supply issue.

people would be more pissed to see a identical mbp to the one now, only with merom, than to see nothing at all. now people are just impatient, but by then people would be cursing apple for taking so long to not release anything.

so from a non engineer POV, it's not easy

and from an engineer's POV, if they add anything, there might be many things to work out, well, that takes time.. and if merom is just "one of the things" to be updated by the next revision, there's no point to coincide with merom release, or rather, the release of laptop with merom from other PC manufactures.