Apple's next MacBook Pro lineup will feature a new case design - report

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Though the latest refresh of MacBook Pros are just two months old, rumors of the next update have already begun, with a new report claiming that the next model will feature a newly redesigned case construction.



Citing "reliable confirmation," MacRumors reported Monday on the alleged plans for a new case design in the next MacBook Pro update. However, the report offers no details on what changes Apple could make to the unibody construction of the current aluminum MacBook Pros.



Instead, it cites a report from iLounge in February, which stated that the newly redesigned MacBook Pro notebooks would arrive next year. The rumored all-new design was said to already be in development at Quanta in Taiwan.



The last major update to the look of the MacBook Pro line came in 2008, when Apple updated the line with unibody construction. The unibody MacBook Pros are machined from a single block of aluminum, allowing Apple to create a strong, single-piece shell.



Apple refreshed its MacBook Pro line of products earlier this year, adding Intel's latest-generation Sandy Bridge processors, as well as the new high-speed Thunderbolt data connection port. But the external design of the new notebooks was largely unchanged from their predecessors.







AppleInsider first reported in February that Apple plans to transition its notebooks in the next 12 to 18 months and add features from its hot-selling thin-and-light MacBook Air notebooks. Major changes to the MacBook Air including instant-on, standard flash solid-state drives, slimmer enclosures, and the omission of optical drives are expected to become more prevalent in the design of many Mac notebooks planned for introduction in the future.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 72
    How about unibody glass enclosure?
  • Reply 2 of 72
    paulmjohnsonpaulmjohnson Posts: 1,380member
    The amazing thing about Apple is I always find myself thinking, this is brilliant, they'll never beat that. I'm thinking that about my Unibody Macbook Pro as I type now - it's amazing.



    The thing is, in time, be it 6 months, 12 months, 24 months, they somehow will come up with something even better.
  • Reply 3 of 72
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Methink the MBP's will get more cosmetic features of the MBA. Slimmer design, tapered front, SSD-Card. With Thunderbolt storage options, Apple could be considering users to use external storage for major capacity and use slimmer, internal SSD storage for the immediate stuff???



    It's obvious the MBA's design was a hit with consumers, and Apple wants to apply that to the rest of the product line.



    Will be interesting to see what they do.
  • Reply 4 of 72
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    I?d like to see that LightPeak within the MagSafe connector per the patent with the next revision along with new Apple LED displays. That would make it a single cable for docking.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post


    Methink the MBP's will get more cosmetic features of the MBA. Slimmer design, tapered front, SSD-Card. With Thunderbolt storage options, Apple could be considering users to use external storage for major capacity and use slimmer, internal SSD storage for the immediate stuff???



    It's obvious the MBA's design was a hit with consumers, and Apple wants to apply that to the rest of the product line.



    Will be interesting to see what they do.



    I?m still hoping for dual internal drives. One the SSD card, the other a 7mm or 9.5mm HDD/SSD.
  • Reply 5 of 72
    bdkennedy1bdkennedy1 Posts: 1,459member
    Bye bye optical drive.
  • Reply 6 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post


    How about unibody glass enclosure?





    How about a friggin IPS screen, totally appropriate in a $2k+ laptop, so I won't get an instant headache and eyestrain when looking at the screen.
  • Reply 7 of 72
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by romandoc View Post


    How about a friggin IPS screen, totally appropriate in a $2k+ laptop, so I won't get an instant headache and eyestrain when looking at the screen.



    I can't speak to whether a friggin IPS screen would be improvement over the current MBP screen, but if you're getting instant headaches you might want to consider urgent medical attention. Could be a stroke or maybe a form of epilepsy.
  • Reply 8 of 72
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by romandoc View Post


    How about a friggin IPS screen, totally appropriate in a $2k+ laptop, so I won't get an instant headache and eyestrain when looking at the screen.



    Is it? I recall the HP EliteBook having an option for an IPS panel that was $550 more. That may be lower now since I assume they didn?t sell well.



    I also seem to recall a review (maybe from AnandTech) that stated the overall quality wasn?t worth the money and that Apple?s quality TN panels weren?t too far off, especially at the upgrade price. I?d much rather see the rumoured double resolution displays as noted in Lion.
  • Reply 9 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bdkennedy1 View Post


    Bye bye optical drive.



    Just moved from a 1st gen MBA to a 2010 MBP. Never once since 2007 did I miss the optical drive, and since moving back, haven't used it once.



    It takes guts to take away these things you're so used to (5.2" floppy anyone?) and boldly go into the future
  • Reply 10 of 72
    herbapouherbapou Posts: 2,228member
    Is your MBP reliable? I got one (for free with airmiles) 3 weeks ago and it already have 2000$ repairs on it (thank god its on warranty). It shipped with a broken isight. They replaced the screen and it didn?t fix the problem. (Don?t they check if the repair solved the problem?) Now they are changing the screen (again) and the motherboard. I asked for a new one but they won?t do it. I am still waiting for it (been 4 days)



    In the meantime I bough Applecare since it looks like I am going to need it. I have been to the store 5 times and it?s amazing to see how many mac?s are being serviced. They have six peoples at the Genius Bar troubleshooting hardware problems non stop all day long everyday, there are so many people you need to take an appointment each time you go there.



    Imo they need to work on reliability first.
  • Reply 11 of 72
    anonymouseanonymouse Posts: 6,857member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by malax View Post


    I can't speak to whether a friggin IPS screen would be improvement over the current MBP screen, but if you're getting instant headaches you might want to consider urgent medical attention. Could be a stroke or maybe a form of epilepsy.



    ... or more likely an incorrect prescription for corrective lenses, or the lack of a correct one.
  • Reply 12 of 72
    anonymouseanonymouse Posts: 6,857member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by herbapou View Post


    Is your MBP reliable? I got one (for free with airmiles) 3 weeks ago and it already have 2000$ repairs on it (thank god its on warranty). It shipped with a broken isight. They replaced the screen and it didn?t fix the problem. (Don?t they check if the repair solved the problem?) Now they are changing the screen (again) and the motherboard. I asked for a new one but they won?t do it. I am still waiting for it (been 4 days)



    In the meantime I bough Applecare since it looks like I am going to need it. I have been to the store 5 times and it?s amazing to see how many mac?s are being serviced. They have six peoples at the Genius Bar troubleshooting hardware problems non stop all day long everyday, there are so many people you need to take an appointment each time you go there.



    Imo they need to work on reliability first.



    Tell us, what percentage of customers does that equal, and how does that compare with the industry average? You don't know? Oh, so you don't really have a point, do you?
  • Reply 13 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by herbapou View Post


    Is your MBP reliable?



    In the meantime I bough Applecare since it looks like I am going to need it. I have been to the store 5 times and it?s amazing to see how many mac?s are being serviced. They have six peoples at the Genius Bar troubleshooting hardware problems non stop all day long everyday, there are so many people you need to take an appointment each time you go there.



    Imo they need to work on reliability first.



    I've always took applecare with my laptops as life on the road can be tough. So far it has been worth it, with some major repairs in my second year (new screen with one, new motherboard with an other) and after 3 years they seem to literally fall apart (my MBA was losing its screws one by one, ?20 a piece NOT covered by applecare )
  • Reply 14 of 72
    tipootipoo Posts: 1,141member




    Please lord jobs...



    I'd jump on the boat for removing the optical drive. I used mine once in the year and a half life of my laptop, and it was an OS install that can now be done via memory stick. They could make it thinner, pack in more battery, allow discreet graphics on the 13', more efficient cooling, etc.
  • Reply 15 of 72
    chiachia Posts: 713member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by herbapou View Post


    I have been to the store 5 times and it?s amazing to see how many mac?s are being serviced. They have six peoples at the Genius Bar troubleshooting hardware problems non stop all day long everyday, there are so many people you need to take an appointment each time you go there.



    Imo they need to work on reliability first.



    Have you been to a hospital and been amazed at how many ill people are there?



    Doctors troubleshooting health problems all day long every day, there are so many people you need to take an appointment.



    In my opinion they need to work on the human body's reliability first.
  • Reply 16 of 72
    herbapouherbapou Posts: 2,228member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anonymouse View Post


    Tell us, what percentage of customers does that equal, and how does that compare with the industry average?



    Downtown Montreal Store (there is 2 other stores in Montreal). Even if you assume they service every mac sold in Montreal, its still a lot. They should add more people at the Genious Bar because having to make an appointment just to drop something for repairs is pretty stupid. Not to mention there is a 30 to 45 min wait even with an appointement. And the fact THEY DIDNT CHECK if the repair actually solved the problem is pretty bad. Next time I am going to verify in the store to make sure it works before I leave.
  • Reply 17 of 72
    elliots11elliots11 Posts: 290member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by herbapou View Post


    Is your MBP reliable? I got one (for free with airmiles) 3 weeks ago and it already have 2000$ repairs on it (thank god its on warranty). It shipped with a broken isight. They replaced the screen and it didn?t fix the problem. (Don?t they check if the repair solved the problem?) Now they are changing the screen (again) and the motherboard. I asked for a new one but they won?t do it. I am still waiting for it (been 4 days)



    In the meantime I bough Applecare since it looks like I am going to need it. I have been to the store 5 times and it?s amazing to see how many mac?s are being serviced. They have six peoples at the Genius Bar troubleshooting hardware problems non stop all day long everyday, there are so many people you need to take an appointment each time you go there.



    Imo they need to work on reliability first.



    I've been there. Every now and then there's a lemon, that's with every company though. I got a replacement after 3 or 4 major repairs, I'll bet you do too. Definitely get that Apple Care. People get defensive when it seems like you're bashing Apple around here, but if you've got a legitimate complaint that just sucks. Most Macs are far more reliable than other computers, and with the exception of that one lemon that's been my experience.
  • Reply 18 of 72
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by tipoo View Post


    Please lord jobs...



    Is liquid metal viable for the casing?



    I like the colour options but I don?t care for the design. I?d rather get a tapered design like the MBAs, albeit thicker.



    Quote:

    I'd jump on the boat for removing the optical drive. I used mine once in the year and a half life of my laptop, and it was an OS install that can now be done via memory stick. They could make it thinner, pack in more battery, allow discreet graphics on the 13', more efficient cooling, etc.



    Lion betas are had via the Mac App Store and is installed without first having to copy/burn to another disc. The installer also creates a hidden 750MB Recovery Drive that is used just like the Restore Disc is used today for Disk Utility, etc.



    This looks like it will be the most common way to buy and install Lion. I imagine they will also include an 8GB USB flash drive on new machines and ay also sell DVDs of Lion for an increased cost.
  • Reply 19 of 72
    chiachia Posts: 713member
    I'm surprised the optical drive hasn't already disappeared from the Macbook Pro line when the Macbook Air Superdrive has been available for some years now.



    Is there an advantage to making a Thunderbolt version of this Superdrive? I presume that the writing of tracks to the disc is now the limiting factor for DVDs and not the speed of the interface, even for the current USB version.
  • Reply 20 of 72
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by malax View Post


    I can't speak to whether a friggin IPS screen would be improvement over the current MBP screen, but if you're getting instant headaches you might want to consider urgent medical attention. Could be a stroke or maybe a form of epilepsy.



    You should definitely NOT pursue any medical field and/or stop offering medical opinions on a technical forum, some gullible individuals might, just might take you at face value and you'd be in trouble. Ethically speaking, not legally.



    "could be a stroke or a form of epilepsy"



    OR it could be an intentional exaggeration to underline the fact that the screen is shitty, a 6bit TN panel coupled with white LEDs that do, in fact cause headaches and eyestrain after a much shorter time than it should. An IPS panel would be a HUGE improvement over the current cheap TN screen.



    I said it before on a different forum, just look at a solid color on the current MBP screen, like a picture of a pure, blue sky, straight in the middle, and the eyes will immediately see the washed out colors closer to the bottom and darkening closer to the top, it's a fact, not a defective screen, it's due to the abysmally poor vertical viewing angle. Same with verything else, including skin tones. That, in a $2k+ laptop, can be improved, to say the least.
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