Apple halts retail orders for MacBook Pros ahead of new models

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Apple last week instated a stay on new retail orders for MacBook Pros as it prepares to introduce the first significant updates to the professional notebook line in over a year. Meanwhile, AppleInsider has learned of the Mac maker's plans to adopt Intel's lower-spec'd Core i3 series of processors in some of its future offerings.



MacBook Pros



Over the weekend, several people with ties to Apple's retail and reseller channels passed along word of anomalies regarding inventories of MacBook Pros, specifically:

One person noted that his/her Apple retail store's inventory manager has been prohibited from placing any new orders for MacBook Pros through the company even though the store had run out of models to sell to customers.

Another person noted that his/her Apple retail store had similarly run out of 13- and 17-inch MacBook Pros, which has never happened at that particular store since he/she worked there.

A third person employed at an Apple retail store noted that stock of all three sizes of MacBook Pros were dangerously low as of this weekend. The inventory manager at that store was instructed to make room for a shipment of 16 palettes of Mac merchandise on either Tuesday or Wednesday, which is 4 palettes more Mac merchandize than the store typically stocks in total.

Those reports arrived on the heels of a screenshot posting by a MicroCenter employee to his Reedit page this weekend showing four new Apple SKUs for Mac products in his store's database with price points that match those of Apple's existing 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros:

Apple System Good-USA MC371LL/A ($1,799.99)
Mac system #1 Best-USA MC373LL/A ($2,199.99)
Mac system #2 Best-USA MC024LL/A ($2,299.99)
Mac system Better-USA MC372LL/A ($1,999.99)





Also, an AppleInsider reader has posted to his blog a list of 11 online Apple stores where MacBook Pros can't be shipped in 24 hours.



Last week, Taiwanese newspaper Apple Daily reported that Apple would update MacBooks, MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs this month. That report was followed by one out of Macworld Australia pegging the date for MacBook Pros as Tuesday, April 13th (tomorrow).



Intel Core i3



Meanwhile, people familiar with the matter tell AppleInsider that Apple has intended to use Intel's 2.26GHz 350M Core i3 processor for the low end of at least some of its forthcoming Mac models and the Core i7 for some of its extreme or BTO models, employing the Core i5's for the meat of the product refreshes. It wasn't specified, however, whether the models in question were notebooks or iMacs.



A breakdown of the three families of Intel's latest Core chips can be seen here.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 111
    Tomorrow's the day... YAY!
  • Reply 2 of 111
    hittrj01hittrj01 Posts: 753member
    My guess is the Core i3 is used in the MacBook, i5 in the 13- and 15-inch pros, and i7 in the 17-inch. They may put an i7 in or as a BTO for the top-of-the-line 15", much how the current high-end 15" and 17" are the same computer save for the screen size, but I think they need to differentiate performance a little better than in the past.
  • Reply 3 of 111
    justflybobjustflybob Posts: 1,337member
    Make it so, Number One!
  • Reply 4 of 111
    Finally. Awesome!
  • Reply 5 of 111
    Finally!!!! Got the credit card in hand, been waiting over a year now for these. can't wait to get my first Macbook pro!
  • Reply 6 of 111
    svnippsvnipp Posts: 430member
    Maybe this is finally the real deal. I really didn't think that Apple would do the MBP update as just a "quiet" upgrade. I figured that the processor family change in itself would pretty much warrant and dog and pony show of the new MBP product line. Guess we'll just have to wait and see tomorrow.



    I was seriously in the market for this up until the iPad was released, but that is currently sating my appetite for new. Hopefully we'll find room in the finances here in a couple months to get a nice new 15" MBP though. The good news there is a release now gives a couple of months for me to get a good feel for the new systems before sinking in the money to one.
  • Reply 7 of 111
    I wonder how fast the MBP13 i3 would be compared to the current entry level MBP13 2.26ghz c2d
  • Reply 8 of 111
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    I hope these new MacBook Pros get more than a Core i3/i5. I have a Summer '09 13" MacBook Pro and 2.26GHz is already plenty fast for word processing/internet/photoshop/running Windows 7 in VirtualBox/etc.



    Now if they were to add something like Optimus, USB 3.0, true SATA II support, and lighter weight, I might budge.
  • Reply 9 of 111
    MaÑana!!!!!!!
  • Reply 10 of 111
    I just hope they have that intel wireless display thing.
  • Reply 11 of 111
    jerseymacjerseymac Posts: 408member
    I am at the apple store on 5th ave right now. Should I warn everyone?



    By the way, this place is packed!
  • Reply 12 of 111
    josh.b.josh.b. Posts: 353member
    Any word on Blu-Ray and 1080p screens?
  • Reply 13 of 111
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nautilus. View Post


    I wonder how fast the MBP13 i3 would be compared to the current entry level MBP13 2.26ghz c2d



    It will be interesting to see if Apple goes with the Arrandale. Not sure they will Apple rarely goes with the very latest chip offering.
  • Reply 14 of 111
    josh.b.josh.b. Posts: 353member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nautilus. View Post


    I wonder how fast the MBP13 i3 would be compared to the current entry level MBP13 2.26ghz c2d



    The raw speed is not all that important.
  • Reply 15 of 111
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Josh.B. View Post


    Any word on Blu-Ray and 1080p screens?



    I would say Blu-Ray is unlikely. Members here talk about Flash being a CPU hog trying running a Blu Ray movie on a system with a weak GPU. I have found running Blu Ray you need a 230M to help truly take the load off the CPU.
  • Reply 16 of 111
    allblueallblue Posts: 393member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by svnipp View Post


    Maybe this is finally the real deal. I really didn't think that Apple would do the MBP update as just a "quiet" upgrade. I figured that the processor family change in itself would pretty much warrant and dog and pony show of the new MBP product line. Guess we'll just have to wait and see tomorrow.



    Don't forget the last iMac refresh, which was a big update including a revision of the form, was done just with a press release. I suspect Apple have worked out that too many 'dog and pony shows' dilutes the impact overall, so they are saving them for the big growth areas of iPhone and friends.



    Thinking of the iMac precedence, I reckon there is a good chance that this MBP update will include a tweaking of the form as well. They have a lot more experience at the unibody process now, as well as lessons learned from the MBA and so would not be surprised to see a slight slimming and lightening of the whole line.
  • Reply 17 of 111
    justflybobjustflybob Posts: 1,337member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Jerseymac View Post


    I am at the apple store on 5th ave right now. Should I warn everyone?



    By the way, this place is packed!



    Try this.... "Step away from the Macbook Pros!"



    Disclaimer: This has been a public service announcement from AppleInsider.
  • Reply 18 of 111
    rob55rob55 Posts: 1,291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by extremeskater View Post


    I would say Blu-Ray is unlikely. Members here talk about Flash being a CPU hog trying running a Blu Ray movie on a system with a weak GPU. I have found running Blu Ray you need a 230M to help truly take the load off the CPU.



    My late '08 15" unibody MBP has enough trouble with 1080p MKV files. I can't imagine BR making it to the MBP anytime soon (if at all).
  • Reply 19 of 111
    welshdogwelshdog Posts: 1,897member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by allblue View Post


    Don't forget the last iMac refresh, which was a big update including a revision of the form, was done just with a press release. I suspect Apple have worked out that too many 'dog and pony shows' dilutes the impact overall, so they are saving them for the big growth areas of iPhone and friends.



    Thinking of the iMac precedence, I reckon there is a good chance that this MBP update will include a tweaking of the form as well. They have a lot more experience at the unibody process now, as well as lessons learned from the MBA and so would not be surprised to see a slight slimming and lightening of the whole line.



    Agreed. Just as they do with design Apple also does with marketing. They keep it simple and don't do anything unnecessary. An unveiling event just isn't needed. They will sell.
  • Reply 20 of 111
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Intel Core i3



    Meanwhile, people familiar with the matter tell AppleInsider that Apple has intended to use Intel's 2.26GHz 350M Core i3 processor for the low end of at least some of its forthcoming Mac models and the Core i7 for some of its extreme or BTO models, employing the Core i5's for the meat of the product refreshes. It wasn't specified, however, whether the models in question were notebooks or iMacs.



    A breakdown of the three families of Intel's latest Core chips can be seen here.



    I'm thinking Core i3 for the next MacBook? the three Core i5's for the 13" and 15" MacBook Pros with the Core i7 only on the 17" MacBook Pro or a BTO for the 17" and top 15".
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